Questions & Answers about Við höfðum beðið þangað til pósthúsið opnaði.
What tense is in the phrase "höfðum beðið," and what does it convey?
It’s the past perfect (pluperfect): auxiliary höfðum (past of hafa) + the supine/past participle beðið. It marks an action completed before another past event—here, the waiting finished before the post office opened.
Could I also say "Við biðum þangað til pósthúsið opnaði"? Is there a difference?
Yes, that simple past version is also correct. The simple past neutralizes the sequence and just narrates events in the past, while the past perfect highlights that the waiting was already completed by the time of the opening or that you’re looking back from a later past vantage point. In everyday storytelling, both are common.
Why is "opnaði" in the past tense instead of present (opnar) or past perfect (hafði opnast)?
Because it’s the later past event anchoring the timeline; the earlier action takes the past perfect, and the later one stays in simple past: “had waited” → “opened.” Use present only when the main clause is present/future (e.g., Við bíðum þangað til pósthúsið opnar “We’re waiting until the post office opens”). Using a past perfect for the opening would incorrectly put it earlier than the waiting.
What does "þangað til" mean, and how does it compare to "þar til" or "uns"?
- þangað til = “until” (temporal). Very common in speech and writing.
- þar til = also “until.” Slightly more formal in tone; both are accepted today.
- uns = “until” in a more literary/older style. All three can introduce a time clause; and are the safest everyday choices.