Ég afhendi henni líka skilríkin mín, því endurgreiðslan fer á bankakortið.

Breakdown of Ég afhendi henni líka skilríkin mín, því endurgreiðslan fer á bankakortið.

ég
I
líka
also
fara
to go
minn
my
á
to
bankakortið
the bank card
henni
her
því
because
skilríkin
the ID
afhenda
to hand
endurgreiðslan
the refund
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Questions & Answers about Ég afhendi henni líka skilríkin mín, því endurgreiðslan fer á bankakortið.

Why is henni used, and what case is it?

Henni is the dative form of hún (she/her). The verb afhenda (to hand over/deliver) typically takes:

  • a direct object in the accusative (the thing being handed over): skilríkin
  • an indirect object/recipient in the dative (the person receiving it): henni

So Ég afhendi henni skilríkin = I hand her the ID.

What exactly does afhendi mean, and why is it in that form?

Afhendi is the 1st person singular present tense of afhenda (to hand over, deliver, submit).
So Ég afhendi... literally means I hand over / I deliver (present tense, often used like “I’m handing over…” in context).

Why is skilríkin written like that—what is the base form?

The base word is skilríki (ID, identification document). In Icelandic it’s very commonly treated as a plural-only (or mainly-plural) noun in everyday use:

  • skilríki = an ID document (less common in everyday speech)
  • skilríkin = the ID (literally the identification documents)

Here -in marks the definite form (“the”).

Why is it skilríkin mín and not mín skilríki?

Icelandic often places possessives after the noun, especially in a straightforward, neutral style:

  • skilríkin mín = my ID (the ID of mine)

You can also put the possessive first in some contexts (mín skilríki), but it tends to feel more emphatic/contrastive (“my ID, not someone else’s”), and it also typically goes with the indefinite noun more naturally.

What agreement is happening in mín?

Mín agrees with the noun phrase it modifies in case, number, and gender.

Here it refers to skilríkin, which is:

  • neuter
  • plural
  • and in this sentence it functions as the accusative direct object

So you get the matching form mín (neuter plural accusative = same form as neuter plural nominative in many paradigms).

Where does líka go, and could it be placed elsewhere?

Líka means also/too and is quite flexible, but placement affects what it sounds like you’re adding.

In Ég afhendi henni líka skilríkin mín, it most naturally means:

  • “I hand her my ID as well (in addition to something else I’m giving/doing).”

Other options:

  • Ég afhendi henni skilríkin mín líka. (also fine; “too” at the end is common)
  • Ég líka afhendi... (possible but more marked; can sound like contrast/emphasis)
Why is there a comma before því?

Because því here introduces an explanatory/reason clause (“because/for”), and Icelandic commonly uses a comma to separate the main clause from the reason clause:

  • ..., því endurgreiðslan fer... = “..., because the refund goes...”

It’s similar to English comma usage with “for” (as a conjunction), and it’s very typical in Icelandic writing.

What’s the difference between því and af því að for “because”?

Both can translate as “because,” but they’re used a bit differently:

  • því often means “because/for” in a more explanatory way and is frequent in writing.
  • af því að is a very common, neutral “because” introducing a subordinate clause.

In many everyday contexts, either could work, but því here fits a neat “statement + explanation” structure.

Why is it endurgreiðslan with -in at the end?

Endurgreiðsla means refund.
Endurgreiðslan is the definite form: the refund.

The sentence is talking about a specific refund in the situation, so Icelandic naturally uses the definite form.

Why does the sentence use fer á bankakortið—what does fara á mean here, and why bankakortið?

Here fara á + accusative means something like to go onto / be credited to (a destination/result).
So endurgreiðslan fer á bankakortið = “the refund goes onto the bank card” (= is credited to the card).

Bankakortið is:

  • bankakort (bank card) + -ið (definite neuter singular) So it means the bank card (presumably the one being used in the situation).
Does the word order change after því the way it does in questions?

No. After því, you still get normal statement word order in the clause:

  • endurgreiðslan fer... (subject + verb)

Word order changes like fer endurgreiðslan...? mainly in questions or in certain V2 structures triggered by fronting in main clauses. Here it’s just an explanatory clause, so the order stays straightforward.