Starfsmennirnir undirrituðu samninginn í dag.

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Breakdown of Starfsmennirnir undirrituðu samninginn í dag.

• starfsmaðurinn: the employee
• undirrita: to sign
• samningurinn: the contract

Questions & Answers about Starfsmennirnir undirrituðu samninginn í dag.

Which word is the subject, and how can I tell?

The subject is Starfsmennirnir (“the employees”). It’s nominative plural and the verb undirrituðu is 3rd person plural, agreeing with it. The direct object is samninginn (accusative, definite), and í dag is a time adverbial.

What does the ending on starfsmennirnir mean?

It’s the definite article in the nominative plural. Indefinite plural is starfsmenn (“employees”); add the definite ending and you get starfsmennirnir (“the employees”). In Icelandic, the definite article is usually a suffix.

How do we get from starfsmaður to starfsmennirnir?

• Base noun: starfsmaður (“employee”; literally “work-person”).
• Irregular plural: starfsmenn (“employees”).
• Definite nominative plural: starfsmennirnir (“the employees”). Note the irregular change maður → menn.

What tense and person is undirrituðu, and what’s the infinitive?

undirrituðu is 3rd person plural past (preterite) of að undirrita (“to sign”). Mini-paradigm:

• Present: (þeir) undirrita
• Past: (ég) undirritaði, (þeir) undirrituðu