Questions & Answers about Smelltu á "Prenta" og lestu síðuna.
What form is the word in bold in Smelltu á ... and who is being addressed?
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: