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Geturðu leiðrétt þetta í símaforritinu, eða á ég að gera það sjálf?

Geturðu leiðrétt þetta í símaforritinu, eða á ég að gera það sjálf?
Can you correct this in the app, or should I do it myself?

Breakdown of Geturðu leiðrétt þetta í símaforritinu, eða á ég að gera það sjálf?

ég
I
þú
you
það
it
geta
to be able
eiga að
should
þetta
this
í
in
eða
or
gera
to do
leiðrétta
to correct
símaforritið
the app
sjálfur
myself
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Questions & Answers about Geturðu leiðrétt þetta í símaforritinu, eða á ég að gera það sjálf?

Why does geturðu look like one word? What are its parts?

Geturðu is a common contraction of getur þú (can you). Icelandic often attaches unstressed pronouns to the verb in writing, especially þú and þið:

  • getur þú → geturðu
  • hefur þú → hefurðu
  • vilt þú → viltu

It’s still the same grammar: verb (getur) + subject pronoun (þú).

What verb form is getur and how do I know it means can?

Getur is the 2nd person singular present tense of geta (to be able to / can):

  • ég get = I can
  • þú getur = you can
  • hann/hún/það getur = he/she/it can
  • við getum = we can
  • þið getið = you (pl.) can
  • þeir/þær/þau geta = they can

So Geturðu …? is literally Can you …?

Why is leiðrétt used here? Is it an infinitive? Why not leiðrétta?

Leiðrétt is the supine/past participle form used after modal verbs like geta in some very common patterns (especially in spoken and informal written Icelandic). Many learners expect the infinitive leiðrétta, and that form is also possible depending on style and speaker.

In practice:

  • Geturðu leiðrétt þetta …? is very natural Icelandic.
  • You may also encounter Geturðu leiðrétta þetta …? (more “straightforward infinitive-looking” to learners).

Both convey the same idea in everyday use.

What case is þetta, and why is it not þessu or þettað?

Þetta here is accusative (and also nominative) neuter singular of þessi (this). It is the direct object of leiðrétta (to correct), which typically takes an accusative object:

  • leiðrétta þetta = correct this

Þessu would be dative (with this / to this), used in other constructions (e.g., after certain prepositions or verbs that require dative).

Why is it í símaforritinu (in the app) and not á símaforritinu?

Icelandic often uses í for being “inside/within” something conceptual like a system, document, or application:

  • í appinu / í forritinu = in the app/program

Á is more “on (top of), on (a surface), on (a page/website) and sometimes for platforms:

  • á síðunni = on the website/page
  • á Facebook (some speakers)

For an app interface, í símaforritinu is very common and idiomatic.

What does the -inu ending in símaforritinu mean?

Símaforritinu = the phone app / the mobile app in dative singular with the definite article attached.

Breakdown:

  • símaforrit = phone app (literally “phone program”)
  • símaforritið = the phone app (nominative/accusative sg.)
  • í símaforritinu = in the phone app (dative sg. after í)

So -inu signals dative + definite for a neuter noun.

Why is there a comma before eða?

The comma separates two alternative full clauses/questions: 1) Geturðu leiðrétt þetta í símaforritinu
2) eða á ég að gera það sjálf?

It’s like English …, or should I do it myself? The comma makes the structure clearer, especially because the second part is a complete question on its own.

What does á ég að … literally mean, and how does it work?

Á ég að gera það …? is a very common Icelandic way to ask Should I …? / Am I supposed to …?

Literally, it’s like Do I have to / am I to …? using the verb eiga:

  • á ég að fara? = should I go?
  • á hann að borga? = is he supposed to pay?

Structure:

  • á (present tense of eiga, 1st/3rd person forms differ)
  • ég (subject)
  • að
    • infinitive (gera)
What is the role of að before gera?

Here að is the infinitive marker (similar to English to):

  • að gera = to do

In the pattern á ég að + infinitive, að is required:

  • á ég að gera …? = should I do …?
Why does Icelandic say gera það (“do it”)? Can það be omitted?

Það is the pronoun it/that, referring back to þetta (the thing being corrected). Icelandic often keeps the pronoun:

  • að gera það sjálf = to do it myself

In some contexts you can drop it if it’s extremely obvious, but keeping það is generally the natural, safe choice.

Why is it sjálf and not sjálfur or sjálft?

Sjálf agrees with the speaker’s grammatical gender (and number). The sentence assumes the speaker is female:

  • (female speaker) sjálf
  • (male speaker) sjálfur
  • (neuter/child/thing, or “itself”) sjálft
  • (plural) sjálf / sjálfir / sjálfar depending on gender

So a male speaker would say: … eða á ég að gera það sjálfur?

Does sjálf relate to ég (I) or það (it)? How do I know?

It relates to ég (the person doing it), not to það. You can tell because sjálf is in the form used for a female “I” (not neuter to match það). If it referred to það, you would expect sjálft (neuter).

Meaning-wise, it’s I’ll do it myself, not do the thing itself.

How would this change if I were addressing more than one person (you plural/formal)?

You would use þið and the plural verb form:

  • Getið þið leiðrétt þetta í símaforritinu, eða á ég að gera það sjálf?

You might also see the attached-pronoun style in some cases, but with þið it’s usually written separately: getið þið.

Is this sentence polite, and are there “softer” ways to ask it?

It’s polite and normal—basically a straightforward request plus an alternative. If you want to soften it, you can add words like:

  • Gætirðu (could you) instead of Geturðu (can you)
  • Vinsamlegast (please)

Example:

  • Gætirðu leiðrétt þetta í símaforritinu, eða á ég að gera það sjálf?