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Hann svarar að viðgerðin byrjar á morgun klukkan níu.

Hann svarar að viðgerðin byrjar á morgun klukkan níu.
He answers that the repair starts tomorrow at nine o’clock.

Breakdown of Hann svarar að viðgerðin byrjar á morgun klukkan níu.

hann
he
á morgun
tomorrow
byrja
to start
svara
to answer
að
that
níu
nine
klukkan
the clock
viðgerðin
the repair
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Questions & Answers about Hann svarar að viðgerðin byrjar á morgun klukkan níu.

What does Hann mean grammatically, and why is it capitalized here?

Hann is the 3rd-person singular masculine pronoun (he). It’s capitalized only because it’s the first word of the sentence; otherwise it’s written hann.

What verb form is svarar, and how do I find its dictionary form?

svarar is the present tense, 3rd person singular form of the verb svara (to answer / reply).
So: að svara = to answer, hann svarar = he answers / he replies.

Why does Icelandic use svarar að ... here? Could I also use segir að ...?

Both are possible, but they’re not identical in feel:

  • Hann svarar að ... = He replies/answers that ... (often in response to a question or statement)
  • Hann segir að ... = He says that ... (more neutral reporting)

So svarar highlights that he is giving an answer/reply.

What is the function of að in this sentence?

að introduces a subordinate (content) clause, like English that.
Structure: [Main clause] + að + [what he replies].
In English you can often drop that, but in Icelandic að is normally kept in this kind of sentence.

Why is it viðgerðin and not just viðgerð?

viðgerð = repair (indefinite: a repair / repair)
viðgerðin = the repair (definite)

Icelandic usually forms the by adding a suffix (the “definite article”) to the noun:

  • viðgerð
    • -in → viðgerðin (with a small spelling adjustment)
What case is viðgerðin, and why?

viðgerðin is nominative, because it is the subject of the subordinate clause:
viðgerðin byrjar = the repair starts.

Similarly, Hann is nominative because it’s the subject of the main clause:
Hann svarar = he replies.

Why is byrjar in the present tense if it refers to the future?

Icelandic commonly uses the present tense to talk about scheduled or expected future events—similar to English It starts tomorrow.
So byrjar (present) + á morgun (tomorrow) naturally gives a future meaning.

Why is it á morgun for tomorrow? Is á a general rule?

Yes—á morgun is the standard Icelandic expression for tomorrow (literally something like on morning/tomorrow).
Not every time expression uses á, though; prepositions with time can vary, so it’s best to learn common chunks like á morgun as fixed phrasing.

Why do we say klukkan níu for at nine? What is klukkan exactly?

klukkan is the clock / the time (on the clock) in the form used in time expressions, and the whole phrase klukkan níu means at nine o’clock.
This is the most common everyday way to state an exact hour. You can also place it earlier if you want emphasis, but ... á morgun klukkan níu is very natural.

Do I need a comma before að in a sentence like this?

Usually no. In modern Icelandic, a comma before a subordinate clause introduced by að is often omitted:
Hann svarar að viðgerðin byrjar ... is standard.

A comma might appear in some styles or for clarity in more complex sentences, but in a simple sentence like this it’s typically not used.

How is this sentence pronounced (roughly), especially the tricky parts?

A rough guide (varies by speaker/region):

  • Hann ≈ hatn (the nn sound is “pre-stopped”)
  • svarar ≈ sva-rar
  • viðgerðin ≈ vith-ye-rthin (the ð is a soft voiced sound; the g is softened)
  • byrjar ≈ bir-yar
  • á morgun ≈ ow mor-ghun (with a voiced/soft g-like sound)
  • klukkan níu ≈ khluk-kan nee-u

If you want, tell me your accent (e.g., American/British) and I can give a more tailored pronunciation guide.