Ég þarf að endurstilla lykilorðið.

I need to reset the password.

Breakdown of Ég þarf að endurstilla lykilorðið.

• ég: I
• þurfa: to need
• lykilorðið: the password
• endurstilla: to reset

Questions & Answers about Ég þarf að endurstilla lykilorðið.

What does að do in this sentence?

Here að is the infinitive marker, like English “to” in “to reset.” It introduces the verb in its base form: að endurstilla = “to reset.” Note that að can also be a preposition (“to/toward”) or a conjunction (“that”) in other contexts, but here it’s the infinitive marker.

Is þarf more like “need to” or “have to”?

Both are possible nuances. Ég þarf að … typically means “I need to …,” but in many contexts it can feel as strong as “I have to …” (a necessity/obligation). Context determines how strong it sounds.

How is þurfa conjugated in the present?

Present tense:

• ég þarf
• þú þarft
• hann/hún/það þarf
• við þurfum
• þið þurfið
• þeir/þær/þau þurfa

Why does lykilorðið have that ending?

The ending -ið is the definite article “the,” attached as a suffix. Icelandic usually marks definiteness on the noun: lykilorð = “password,” lykilorðið = “the password.”

Which case is lykilorðið, and how can I tell?