Þó að maturinn sé ódýr, er hann mjög góður.

Although the food is cheap, it is very good.

Breakdown of Þó að maturinn sé ódýr, er hann mjög góður.

• vera: to be
• góður: good
• mjög: very
• maturinn: the food

Questions & Answers about Þó að maturinn sé ódýr, er hann mjög góður.

Why is it sé and not er in þó að maturinn sé ódýr?

Sé is the subjunctive form of the verb vera (to be).

In Icelandic, conjunctions like þó að (although, even though) very often take the subjunctive mood in the clause they introduce, especially when expressing contrast, concession, or something that goes against expectation.

• Indicative (normal facts):
  
  • maturinn er ódýr – the food is cheap (simple statement)
• Subjunctive after þó að (although):
  
  • þó að maturinn sé ódýr – although the food is cheap

So sé appears because:

1. The clause is introduced by þó að, and
2. Icelandic grammar traditionally prefers the subjunctive in such concessive clauses.

You might hear þó að maturinn er ódýr in casual modern speech, but sé is the grammatically standard and more formal/neutral choice.

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Can I omit að and just say þó maturinn sé ódýr?