Word
Hann þarf að hugsa áður en hann segir eitthvað.
Meaning
He needs to think before he says something.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Lesson
Breakdown of Hann þarf að hugsa áður en hann segir eitthvað.
hann
he
segja
to say
áður en
before
þurfa
to need
Questions & Answers about Hann þarf að hugsa áður en hann segir eitthvað.
What is the role of þarf in this sentence, and how strong is its meaning (need vs must)?
Þarf is the 3rd person singular present of the verb að þurfa = to need (to), have to.
- Hann þarf að hugsa = He needs to think / He has to think.
- It often behaves like a modal verb, similar to English need to or have to.
- It can be fairly strong, close to must, but context decides:
- Hann þarf að hugsa – more neutral: He needs to think.
- For a very strong obligation, Icelandic might use verður að (must, is obliged to).
So þarf → internal or practical necessity; verður að → stronger, more external obligation.
Why do we have að before hugsa, but not before segir?
Að in þarf að hugsa is the infinitive marker, similar to English to:
- hugsa alone = to think (dictionary form)
- að hugsa = to think as an infinitive after verbs like þarf, getur, vill etc.
The verb segir is not an infinitive. It’s a finite verb (3rd person singular present) in a full clause:
- … áður en hann segir eitthvað =