Hvernig væri að við biðjum stjórnandann um meiri aðstoð?

How about we ask the manager for more help?

Breakdown of Hvernig væri að við biðjum stjórnandann um meiri aðstoð?

• við: we
• biðja um: to ask for
• meiri: more
• hvernig væri að: how about
• stjórnandinn: the manager
• aðstoðin: the help

Questions & Answers about Hvernig væri að við biðjum stjórnandann um meiri aðstoð?

What does Hvernig væri að … ? mean here? Is it literally How would it be to…?

It’s an idiomatic suggestion, essentially How about…? / What if we…?
Literally it’s something like How would it be if…, but in everyday Icelandic it’s a common, polite way to propose an action: Hvernig væri að + clause.

Why is it væri and not er or var?

Væri is the past subjunctive form of vera (to be). It’s used for a hypothetical/polite suggestion—similar to English How would it be if… or How about….
Using er would sound more like a straightforward present statement (How is it to…?), which isn’t the usual phrasing for this suggestion pattern.

What role does að play in Hvernig væri að við biðjum…?

Here að introduces the following clause (it works like that/if introducing a subordinate clause after this suggestion expression).
So the structure is basically: Hvernig væri (það) að … = How would it be (if) …

Why does it say að við biðjum… (a full clause) instead of just an infinitive like að biðja…?

Both are possible, with a small nuance:

• Hvernig væri að biðja stjórnandann um meiri aðstoð? = How about asking the manager for more help? (more general/impersonal)
• Hvernig væri að við biðjum stjórnandann um meiri aðstoð? = How about we ask the manager for more help? (includes við, feels more explicitly “let’s do it”)

Is biðjum indicative or subjunctive here?

After Hvernig væri að…, Icelandic commonly uses the subjunctive in the following clause.
For biðja, the 1st person plural form (við biðjum) looks the same in both indicative and subjunctive, so you can’t see the difference in this particular form—but grammatically it fits the “subjunctive after this kind of hypothetical” pattern.

Why is it stjórnandann (with -ann) and not stjórnandinn?

Because it’s the direct object of biðjum (we ask), so it’s in the accusative case.

• Nominative (subject): stjórnandinn = the manager (as subject)
• Accusative (object): stjórnandann = the manager (as object)

What cases does biðja take in this pattern biðja einhvern um eitthvað?

The common pattern is:

• biðja einhvern (person in accusative)
• um eitthvað (thing requested after um, typically also accusative)

So here:

• stjórnandann = the person being asked (accusative)
• um meiri aðstoð = what you’re asking for

Why is it meiri aðstoð and not meira aðstoð?

Meiri is the comparative of mikill (much/big) and it agrees with aðstoð, which is feminine.
In the singular, you typically get:

• masculine/feminine: meiri
• neuter: meira

Since aðstoð is feminine, meiri aðstoð is the expected form.

Does aðstoð mean help in the sense of a person helping, or support/resources?

Aðstoð is help/assistance/support in a general sense (often practical help). It can cover both personal help and “support” more broadly. If you want something more like official support/service, you might also see words like stuðningur (support) depending on context.

How is the sentence pronounced and where is the stress?

Icelandic stress is usually on the first syllable of a word:

• Hvernig: stress on Hvern-
• væri: stress on væ-
• biðjum: stress on bið- (ð is a soft “th”-like sound)
• stjórnandann: stress on stjór-
• meiri: stress on mei-
• aðstoð: stress on að-

Also, ð is not like English d; it’s closer to the th in this (though exact pronunciation varies by surrounding sounds).