Breakdown of Það er búið að endurstilla lykilorðið.
vera
to be
það
it
lykilorðið
the password
endurstilla
to reset
búinn
done
Questions & Answers about Það er búið að endurstilla lykilorðið.
What does the construction Það er búið að + infinitive mean?
It’s an impersonal, resultative construction meaning that something has already been done. Here, Það er búið að endurstilla lykilorðið corresponds to English like The password has been reset or They’ve reset the password (agent not specified).
Why is it er and not hefur?
Because búið here is the neuter form of the adjective búinn (done/finished) used with vera (er), not a perfect tense with hafa (hefur). If you want a standard passive perfect, you’d use: Lykilorðið hefur verið endurstillt.
Who is the subject here? What does Það do?
Það is a dummy/expletive subject (like English “it/there” in certain sentences). The construction is impersonal: it doesn’t name who did the action, just states that it’s been done.
Can I mention who did the resetting?
Generally not with the er búið að construction. If you need an agent, switch to the passive or active:
- Passive with agent: Lykilorðið hefur verið endurstillt af tölvudeildinni (by the IT department).
- Active: Tölvudeildin endurstillti lykilorðið.
What exactly is búið and why that form?
What is the role of að here?
It’s the infinitive marker “to.” Að endurstilla = “to reset.” (This að is not the complementizer “that.”)
What case is lykilorðið, and what does the ending -ið mean?
Lykilorðið is neuter singular definite (“the password”). The ending -ið is the definite article. In this sentence it’s the object of endurstilla, so accusative; for neuter nouns, nominative and accusative look the same.
Could I instead say Lykilorðið hefur verið endurstillt?
How do I make a yes/no question or a negative?
How do I say “had already been reset” or “will have been reset”?
Is endurstilla separable? How is it conjugated?
It isn’t separable; endur- is a fixed prefix meaning “re-/again.” Basic forms:
- Infinitive: að endurstilla
- 3sg present: endurstillir
- Past (pret.): endurstillti
- Past participle/supine: endurstillt
What’s the difference between búinn að and búinn með?
Can I drop Það?
In casual speech, especially in questions, yes: Er búið að endurstilla lykilorðið? In a plain statement, Það er búið að… is the most natural; bare Búið að… can appear informally but is less standard.
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Icelandic grammar?”
Icelandic grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning IcelandicMaster Icelandic — from Það er búið að endurstilla lykilorðið to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions