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Ég man ekki lykilorðið, en ég hef allavega notendanafnið.

Ég man ekki lykilorðið, en ég hef allavega notendanafnið.
I don’t remember the password, but at least I have the username.

Breakdown of Ég man ekki lykilorðið, en ég hef allavega notendanafnið.

ég
I
ekki
not
hafa
to have
en
but
muna
to remember
lykilorðið
the password
notendanafnið
the username
allavega
anyway
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Questions & Answers about Ég man ekki lykilorðið, en ég hef allavega notendanafnið.

Why is man used here, and what is the infinitive?

Man is the 1st person singular present tense of the verb muna (to remember).
So Ég man = I remember / I do remember (and with ekki, it becomes I don’t remember).

Why does Icelandic say Ég man ekki ... instead of putting the negation before the verb like English?

In Icelandic, the negation ekki typically comes after the finite verb (the conjugated verb) and often before the main object/complements.
So the normal pattern is:

  • Ég man ekki X.
  • Ég hef ekki X.

You can sometimes move things around for emphasis, but this is the default, neutral placement.

What case are lykilorðið and notendanafnið, and how can I tell?

Both are accusative singular with the definite ending. These verbs take a direct object:

  • muna (remember something) → object in accusative
  • hafa (have something) → object in accusative

You can tell they’re definite because of the attached -ið ending (see next question).

Why do the nouns end in -ið? Is that “the”?

Yes. Icelandic often expresses the as a suffix (a “postposed article”) attached to the noun.

Both lykilorð and notendanafn are neuter nouns, and the neuter singular definite ending is commonly -ið:

  • lykilorð → lykilorðið (the password)
  • notendanafn → notendanafnið (the username)
What are lykilorð and notendanafn literally made of?

They’re compounds:

  • lykilorð = lykill (key) + orð (word) → “key word” → password
  • notendanafn = notenda- (genitive plural of notandi, “user”) + nafn (“name”) → “users’ name” → username

Compound nouns are extremely common in Icelandic.

Why is notenda- in the genitive plural?

In compounds, the first element is often put in a form that functions like “of _”.
notandi (user) → genitive plural notenda (“of users”), which then combines with nafn to form notendanafn.

This is more about word formation than about the sentence’s grammar.

What does allavega mean here, and where can it go in the sentence?

allavega means anyway / at least / in any case. Here it’s close to at least.

Placement is fairly flexible. For example:

  • ... en ég hef allavega notendanafnið. (very natural)
  • ... en allavega hef ég notendanafnið. (more emphasis on anyway)
  • ... en ég hef notendanafnið allavega. (also possible, slightly different rhythm)
Why is en used, and does it always mean “but”?

en is a coordinating conjunction meaning but (and sometimes “whereas” depending on context).
Here it contrasts two facts: not remembering one thing vs. still having another.

Why is ég repeated after the comma? Can it be omitted?

It’s often repeated for clarity and rhythm, especially in careful or neutral writing:

  • Ég man ekki ..., en ég hef ...

You can omit it in many contexts:

  • Ég man ekki lykilorðið, en hef allavega notendanafnið.

Both are grammatical; repeating ég just sounds a bit more explicit and balanced.

What’s the difference between muna and muna eftir?

A common contrast is:

  • muna + accusative: to remember/recall something (a fact, a word, a password)
    → like here: muna lykilorðið
  • muna eftir + dative: to remember something/someone in the sense of “keep in mind / remember about”
    Example: Mundu eftir lyklunum. (Remember the keys / Don’t forget the keys.)

Learners often meet both, and they’re not interchangeable in all contexts.

Anything tricky about pronunciation in lykilorðið and notendanafnið?

A few common points:

  • ð is usually a soft voiced sound (often like th in this, but it can be very weak or disappear depending on surroundings).
  • Stress is normally on the first syllable of the word: LYK-il-orðið, NO-tenda-nafnið.
  • In notendanafnið, the -nafn- part is like nafn (“name”), with fn pronounced closely together (often with a slight “p”-like transition in some speakers, but not a full p).