Ég þarf að undirrita samninginn núna.

I need to sign the contract now.

Breakdown of Ég þarf að undirrita samninginn núna.

• ég: I
• núna: now
• þurfa: to need
• undirrita: to sign
• samningurinn: the contract

Questions & Answers about Ég þarf að undirrita samninginn núna.

What does the bolded að before undirrita do here?

It’s the infinitive marker, equivalent to English “to.” So að undirrita = “to sign.” It’s not the conjunction að meaning “that.”

Why is it þarf with Ég, and not þurfa or þarfa?

Þarf is the 1st/3rd person singular present form of the verb að þurfa (“to need”). Þurfa is the infinitive. With ég, you must say ég þarf.

How is þurfa conjugated?

• Present:
  • ég þarf
  • þú þarft
  • hann/hún/það þarf
  • við þurfum
  • þið þurfið
  • þeir/þær/þau þurfa
• Past (simple):
  • ég þurfti
  • þú þurftir
  • hann/hún/það þurfti
  • við þurftum
  • þið þurftuð
  • þeir/þær/þau þurftu
• Perfect (with hafa): ég hef þurft

Can I drop the subject pronoun Ég like in some other languages?

No. Icelandic is not a pro‑drop language in ordinary sentences. You keep the subject: Ég þarf ... (Exceptions exist in imperatives or very informal note-taking, but not here.)

Why is it samninginn and not samningurinn or samning?

• The base noun is samningur (a contract), masculine.
• As a direct object (accusative singular, indefinite): samning (“a contract”).
• Accusative singular, definite: samninginn (“the contract”).
• Samningurinn is nominative definite (“the contract” as subject), so it’s not used here because it’s an object.

Why is the object in the accusative? Does undirrita take accusative?

Yes. Undirrita is a regular transitive verb and takes a direct object in the accusative (here: samninginn). Many Icelandic transitive verbs use the accusative for their objects.

Can núna go somewhere else in the sentence?

Yes. Common options (all correct, with slight differences in emphasis):

• Núna þarf ég að undirrita samninginn. (Fronted time; verb still in 2nd position.)
• Ég þarf núna að undirrita samninginn.
• Ég þarf að undirrita samninginn núna. Avoid splitting the infinitive marker from its verb, e.g. don’t say: Ég þarf að núna undirrita ...

What’s the difference between núna and nú?

Both can mean “now.” Núna is very common and neutral for “right now/at the moment.” Nú can also mean “now,” but it often functions as a discourse particle (“well/now then”) and can sound a bit more formal or stylistically marked in some contexts.

How do I negate this correctly?

Put ekki after the finite verb:

• Ég þarf ekki að undirrita samninginn núna. (I don’t need to do it now.) If you want to say the signing is needed, just not now, you can say:
• Ég þarf að undirrita samninginn, bara ekki núna. Placing ekki elsewhere can change the focus or sound unnatural.

Is undirrita the only way to say “sign”?

No. Skrifa undir is very common and a bit more colloquial: Ég þarf að skrifa undir samninginn. Undirrita is somewhat more formal/official. There’s also árita (“endorse/sign,” e.g., on a document or check), which is more specialized.

What’s the nuance difference between þarf að and verð að?

• Ég þarf að ... = I need to … (necessity/requirement).
• Ég verð að ... = I must/have to … (stronger obligation, often unavoidable).
• For comparison: Ég á að ... = I am supposed/expected to …

Do I always need að after þarf?

Yes, when it’s followed by an infinitive verb: Ég þarf að undirrita ... is standard. A bare infinitive without að (e.g., Ég þarf undirrita) is incorrect in standard usage.

Could I make the object indefinite to mean “a contract”?

Yes: Ég þarf að undirrita samning núna. That means “I need to sign a contract now.” Using samninginn makes it definite (“the contract”).

Any quick pronunciation tips for tricky letters here?

• þ in þarf is like English “th” in “think.”
• ð in að is like “th” in “this” (often very light in fast speech).
• Ég starts with a “y” sound: roughly “yeh,” ending with a soft g/gh sound.
• Stress the first syllable of content words: Ég, undir‑, sam‑; nú in núna carries the stress.