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Veðurspáin segir að það muni snjóa á föstudag, svo við tökum strætó.

Veðurspáin segir að það muni snjóa á föstudag, svo við tökum strætó.
The forecast says it will snow on Friday, so we take the bus.

Breakdown of Veðurspáin segir að það muni snjóa á föstudag, svo við tökum strætó.

það
it
við
we
á
on
taka
to take
segja
to say
svo
so
að
that
veðurspáin
the forecast
munu
will
snjóa
to snow
föstudagurinn
Friday
strætóinn
the bus
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Questions & Answers about Veðurspáin segir að það muni snjóa á föstudag, svo við tökum strætó.

Why is it Veðurspáin and not just veðurspá?

Veðurspá means weather forecast (indefinite form). Veðurspáin is the definite form, literally the weather forecast.

  • veðurspá = a weather forecast
  • veðurspáin = the weather forecast
    The ending -in marks definite nominative singular for this feminine noun (spá is feminine; compounds keep the gender of the last part).
What case is Veðurspáin in, and how can I tell?

It’s nominative because it’s the subject of segir (says). A quick structure check:

  • [Subject] Veðurspáin
    • [Verb] segir
      • [Clause] að ...
Why do we need að here?

að is the complementizer meaning that, introducing a subordinate clause:

  • Veðurspáin segir að ... = The forecast says that ... It works like English that, except it’s very common to keep it in Icelandic.
Why is there a það in að það muni snjóa? What does it refer to?

Here það is a dummy subject (like English it in it will snow). It doesn’t refer to a specific thing; it just fills the subject slot because snjóa (to snow) is an impersonal verb. So:

  • það snjóar = it snows
  • það mun snjóa = it will snow
What’s going on with muni? I expected something like mun.

Good catch: muni is the present subjunctive form of the verb munu (will / be going to). After verbs like segja (say) in reported/indirect speech, Icelandic often uses the subjunctive:

  • Direct statement: Það mun snjóa. (It will snow.)
  • Reported: Veðurspáin segir að það muni snjóa. (The forecast says that it will snow.)

In everyday Icelandic, you may also hear the indicative here, but muni is very standard in careful written language.

Is munu singular or plural? Why does it look plural if it means will?

munu is the dictionary form (infinitive) of the verb. Its forms don’t always resemble English patterns. In the present tense:

  • ég mun
  • þú munt
  • hann/hún/það mun
  • við munum
  • þið munið
  • þeir/þær/þau munu

And the present subjunctive (relevant here) includes:

  • (að) ég muni
  • (að) hann/hún/það muni So muni here is 3rd person singular subjunctive, matching það.
Why is snjóa in the infinitive?

Because muni (like mun) is a finite verb meaning will, and it’s followed by another verb in the infinitive:

  • muni snjóa = will snow This is like English will + base verb.
Why is it á föstudag and not á föstudegi or á föstudaginn?

For days used as time expressions, Icelandic commonly uses:

  • á + accusative without the article: á föstudag = on Friday You can also see:
  • á föstudaginn = on Friday (more specific/definite, like this Friday / the Friday in question, depending on context)

föstudag is the accusative singular form of föstudagur.

How do I pronounce Veðurspáin and what should I watch for with ð and þ?

Key points:

  • þ is like th in think.
  • ð is like th in this, but in many positions it can be very soft or even disappear in casual speech.

Approximate pronunciation tips:

  • Veðurspáin ≈ VEH-thur-spow-in (roughly; the á is like ow in cow)
  • föstudag has ö (similar to a rounded vowel; not an English sound, but think “uh” with rounded lips)
What does svo mean here, and is it the same as English so?

Here svo means so / therefore, introducing the result:

  • ..., svo við tökum strætó. = ..., so we take the bus. Yes, it often matches English so. Icelandic also uses svo in other ways (like then, or in comparisons), but in this sentence it’s a result connector.
Is the word order after svo correct? I thought Icelandic needs verb-second (V2).

In strict V2 style, you’ll very often see:

  • ..., svo tökum við strætó. (verb right after svo)

But you also see (especially in more informal writing/speech):

  • ..., svo við tökum strætó. This treats svo more like a coordinating conjunction meaning so, similar to English, allowing subject + verb. Both occur, but svo tökum við... is the more “textbook” V2-looking option.
Why is it við tökum (present) instead of a future like we will take?

Icelandic often uses the present tense for planned or logical future actions, especially when the future is clear from context:

  • ... svo við tökum strætó. = ... so we’ll take the bus. If you want to sound more explicitly intentional, you can also use ætla:
  • ... svo við ætlum að taka strætó. = ... so we’re going to take the bus.
What exactly is strætó—is it informal, and does it decline?

strætó is a very common, informal word for bus, short for strætisvagn. It’s often treated as not really declining much in everyday use, and you’ll commonly see:

  • taka strætó = take the bus You can also say the more formal:
  • taka strætisvagn / taka strætisvagninn (depending on meaning and definiteness)