Learn Hardcore Icelandic: Smelltu á "Prenta" og lestu síðuna.

Smelltu is the 2nd-person singular imperative of the verb smella (to click). It addresses one person directly: “Click …”. This is the normal style for instructions and UI text in Icelandic. If you were talking to more than one person, you’d use the plural imperative: Smellið.

Why is it smelltu and not something like smellaðu?

In Icelandic, many -a verbs form the singular imperative with -ðu (e.g., tala → talaðu), but verbs whose stem ends in -l + consonant typically take -tu. Hence smella → smelltu (compare also fella → felltu, velta → veltu). It’s a common pattern you’ll quickly recognize.

What does smella á mean exactly, and why is á used?

Smella á is the standard way to say “click on.” The preposition á marks the target of the click and, in this sense, takes the accusative case (e.g., Smelltu á hnappinn “Click the button”). You’ll also hear ýta á (“press”) for physical buttons.

Can I omit á and just say something like “Smelltu Prenta”?

No. Without á, smella doesn’t mean “click (something).” Use smelltu á … for “click on …”. Alternatives:

Smelltu á Prenta-hnappinn.
Ýttu á Prenta-hnappinn.

Why is Prenta capitalized and shown as a label?

Because it’s the text on a UI element (a button). Icelandic often reproduces button labels exactly as they appear. Typographically, Icelandic usually prefers „ … “, but you’ll also see straight quotes in interfaces; the key point is that Prenta is a button label.

Is Prenta here an imperative or an infinitive? Why not Prentaðu on the button?

As a label, Prenta is the bare verb form (infinitive/dictionary form), which is the convention on buttons and menus (like English “Print”). The true spoken imperative would be Prentaðu!, but UI labels typically use the bare form.

What form is lestu, and how does it relate to the verb lesa?

Lestu is the 2nd-person singular imperative of lesa (“to read”). It’s irregular: lesa → lestu. Plural imperative: lesið (“Read!” to more than one person). You’ll meet several common irregular imperatives like this (e.g., fara → farðu).

Could it be lesðu instead of lestu?

The standard form is lestu. You might hear lesðu informally, but lestu is the recommended and most widely taught standard.

What case is síðuna, and why is that form used?

Síðuna is the definite accusative singular of síða (“page”). It’s in the accusative because it’s the direct object of lesa (“read”). Mini-forms to compare:

Nominative singular (indefinite): síða (“a page”)
Accusative singular (indefinite): síðu
Accusative singular (definite): síðuna (“the page”)

Why not síðan? And isn’t síðan also the word for “then”?

Síðan can be the definite nominative form of “page” (“the page”), but in this sentence you need the accusative object, hence síðuna.
Separately, síðan is also a very common adverb meaning “then/afterwards.” Context (and case) disambiguates them. Using síðuna here avoids that ambiguity.

How do I pronounce the tricky letters in words like síðuna and á?

ð = voiced “th,” as in English “this.”
í = long “ee.”
u (in -una) = a short central “uh.”
á = like “ow” in “cow.”

Does og here just mean “and,” or does it imply “and then”?

Both are possible. In sequences of commands, og often reads as “and then.” You could also say og svo (“and then”) for clarity: Smelltu á Prenta og svo lestu síðuna.

How would I say this to several people?

Use plural imperatives:

Smellið á Prenta og lesið síðuna.

How can I make the instruction more polite?

Add a polite adverb:

Singular: Vinsamlegast smelltu á Prenta og lestu síðuna.
Plural: Vinsamlegast smellið á Prenta og lesið síðuna. You’ll also see Vinsamlega in the same role.

Can I swap the order of the two commands?

Grammatically yes: Lestu síðuna og smelltu á Prenta. In instructions, order usually reflects the intended sequence, so choose the order that matches the actual steps.

Is there anything to know about the definite article in síðuna?

Yes—unlike English “the,” Icelandic attaches the definite article as a suffix:

síða = “a page”
síðan = “the page” (nominative)
síðuna = “the page” (accusative; used here as the object)