Log inSign up

Hún athugar póstnúmerið vandlega áður en hún sendir pakkann.

Hún athugar póstnúmerið vandlega áður en hún sendir pakkann.
She checks the postal code carefully before she sends the package.

Breakdown of Hún athugar póstnúmerið vandlega áður en hún sendir pakkann.

hún
she
áður en
before
pakkinn
the package
senda
to send
athuga
to check
póstnúmerið
the postal code
vandlega
carefully
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Icelandic grammar and vocabulary.

Start learning Icelandic now

Questions & Answers about Hún athugar póstnúmerið vandlega áður en hún sendir pakkann.

Why does póstnúmerið end in -ið? Is that an article?

Yes. Icelandic usually attaches the definite article to the end of the noun as a suffix.
póstnúmer (postal code, neuter) → póstnúmerið (the postal code).

A quick snapshot (singular):

  • Indefinite: póstnúmer = a postal code
  • Definite: póstnúmerið = the postal code

Because it’s neuter, the definite ending in the singular is commonly -ið (or -ið/-ð depending on the word).

Why is póstnúmerið the same form in the sentence—shouldn’t it change case?

It is in a case (it’s the direct object of athugar), but for many neuter nouns the nominative and accusative singular look identical.
So póstnúmerið can be either nominative (subject) or accusative (object) by form alone—you tell from the sentence structure.

Here it’s accusative because:

  • Hún athugar [póstnúmerið] = She checks [the postal code]
Why does pakkann end in -ann?

pakki (masculine, “package/parcel”) takes the definite article suffix too, and here it’s also the direct object of sendir, so it appears in accusative definite singular:

  • Indefinite: pakki = a package
  • Definite nominative: pakkinn = the package (subject form)
  • Definite accusative: pakkann = the package (object form)

So sendir pakkann = sends the package.

How do I know which case the objects take after athuga and senda?

In this sentence both verbs take a straightforward direct object in the accusative:

  • athuga (eitthvað) = to check (something) → accusative object
  • senda (eitthvað) = to send (something) → accusative object

Many Icelandic verbs “govern” specific cases, but these two are among the common ones that take accusative for the thing being checked/sent.

Why is the subject hún repeated: ... áður en hún sendir ...? Could it be left out?

Normally you keep an explicit subject in the subordinate clause:

  • ... áður en hún sendir pakkann = ... before she sends the package

You can omit it in some informal contexts if it’s very clear, but repeating it is the standard, clear, and natural option—especially in writing.

What’s going on with word order after áður en? Why isn’t the verb second like in many Icelandic main clauses?

After áður en you have a subordinate clause, and subordinate clauses generally do not follow the main-clause “verb-second” pattern. The typical order is:

áður en + subject + verb + ...

  • áður en hún sendir pakkann

Compare:

  • Main clause: Hún sendir pakkann. (verb comes early)
  • Subordinate clause: ... áður en hún sendir pakkann. (subject before verb)
Should it be áður en hún sendi (subjunctive) instead of sendir?

Both occur, but they can feel slightly different depending on style and meaning.

  • áður en hún sendir pakkann (indicative present) is very common in modern Icelandic and is perfectly natural here.
  • áður en hún sendi pakkann (subjunctive present) is also used, often when the sending is more clearly “not yet realized” at the time of checking, or in a slightly more formal/traditional style.

So your sentence is fine as written; you’ll also see the subjunctive variant in texts.

What part of speech is vandlega, and why does it end in -lega?

vandlega is an adverb meaning carefully. A very common way to form adverbs in Icelandic is:

  • adjective + -lega

Example:

  • vandlegur = careful (adjective)
  • vandlega = carefully (adverb)

Adverbs don’t inflect for gender/case/number like adjectives do, so vandlega stays the same.

Where does vandlega go in the sentence? Could it be moved?

Yes, adverb placement is flexible, but different positions can change emphasis.

Common options:

  • Hún athugar póstnúmerið vandlega ... (neutral: she checks it carefully)
  • Hún athugar vandlega póstnúmerið ... (slightly more focus on “carefully”)

Your version is very natural.

What are athugar and sendir grammatically? How do they relate to the dictionary forms?

They are present tense, 3rd person singular forms:

  • Infinitive: að athuga = to check
    Present 3sg: (hún) athugar = she checks

  • Infinitive: að senda = to send
    Present 3sg: (hún) sendir = she sends

So the sentence uses present tense to describe a habitual/general action or a vivid present-time sequence.