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Ég þarf að skila þessari peysu, en ég hef ekki lengur umbúðirnar.

Ég þarf að skila þessari peysu, en ég hef ekki lengur umbúðirnar.
I need to return this sweater, but I no longer have the packaging.

Breakdown of Ég þarf að skila þessari peysu, en ég hef ekki lengur umbúðirnar.

ég
I
ekki
not
lengur
anymore
þessi
this
hafa
to have
en
but
peysan
the sweater
þurfa að
to need to
skila
to return
umbúðirnar
the packaging
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Questions & Answers about Ég þarf að skila þessari peysu, en ég hef ekki lengur umbúðirnar.

Why is there an að before skila?

In Icelandic, when a verb like að þurfa (to need) is followed by another verb, the second verb is usually in the infinitive and is introduced by að:

  • Ég þarf að skila … = I need to return … So að here works like English to in need to return.
Why does skila mean “return” here, and does it require a particular case?

Að skila commonly means to return/hand in (return an item, hand in homework, return keys, etc.).
Crucially, skila typically governs the dative for the thing being returned:

  • skila + dative → skila þessari peysu
    So the form of þessari peysu is influenced by skila.
Why is it þessari peysu and not þessa peysu?

Because þessari is the dative singular feminine form of the demonstrative þessi (this).
Since skila takes a dative object and peysa is feminine, you get:

  • nominative: þessi peysa
  • accusative: þessa peysu
  • dative: þessari peysu ← used here
Why does peysa change to peysu?

Peysa is a feminine noun. In the dative singular, many feminine nouns that end in -a change to -u:

  • peysa (nom. sg.)
  • peysu (acc./dat. sg., depending on the sentence) Here it’s dative because of skila.
Is the comma before en required?

In Icelandic, it’s normal to use a comma before coordinating conjunctions like en (but) when they connect two full clauses:

  • Ég þarf að skila …, en ég hef … So the comma is standard punctuation here.
Why do we say en and not another word for “but”?

En is the most common, neutral word for but when you’re simply contrasting two statements:

  • “I need to return it, but …” Other options exist in special contexts (more formal/stronger contrast), but en is the everyday choice.
Why is ég repeated in the second half? Can it be omitted?

Repeating ég is very natural and clear:

  • …, en ég hef ekki lengur …

It can sometimes be omitted in coordinated clauses, especially in speech:

  • …, en hef ekki lengur umbúðirnar.
    This is possible because the subject is understood from context, but repeating ég is safer for learners and common in writing.
Why is the word order ég hef ekki lengur … (and not, say, ég ekki hef …)?

In Icelandic main clauses, the finite verb usually comes early (V2 pattern). After the subject ég, the verb hef comes next:

  • ég hef …

Negation ekki typically comes after the finite verb:

  • ég hef ekki …

Then adverbs like lengur often follow ekki:

  • ég hef ekki lengur … = I no longer have …
What exactly does ekki lengur mean, and can it be moved?

ekki lengur is the standard way to say no longer / not anymore.
It usually stays together in this order:

  • ekki lengur (preferred) You may see other placements for emphasis, but ekki lengur is the default and most idiomatic.
Why is it umbúðirnar with -nar at the end?

Umbúðir means packaging/wrappings, and it’s very often used in the plural in Icelandic.
Adding -nar makes it definite = the packaging:

  • umbúðir = packaging (indefinite)
  • umbúðirnar = the packaging (definite)

The ending -nar is the definite article attached to many feminine plural nouns.

What case is umbúðirnar here, and why doesn’t it look different?

After að hafa (to have), the direct object is normally accusative.
For umbúðirnar, the nominative plural and accusative plural forms happen to be the same in form:

  • nom. pl.: umbúðirnar
  • acc. pl.: umbúðirnar So it is functioning as an object here, even though it doesn’t change shape.
Could I use eiga instead of hafa here?

Often yes, with a small nuance:

  • ég hef ekki lengur umbúðirnar = I don’t have the packaging anymore (possession/availability)
  • ég á ekki lengur umbúðirnar = I don’t own/have the packaging anymore

In everyday speech, both can work for “have,” but hafa is very common for “have on hand/available.”

Any pronunciation pitfalls in this sentence?

A few common ones for English speakers:

  • Ég: the g is soft; it doesn’t sound like English hard g.
  • þarf: starts with þ (like th in thin, not this).
  • þessari: ss is a clear s sound; stress is on the first syllable (ÞESS-).
  • umbúðirnar: stress on the first syllable (UM-); ð is a soft sound (often like the th in this, but can be very light between vowels).