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Láttu mig vita ef þú kemur seint.

Láttu mig vita ef þú kemur seint.
Let me know if you arrive late.

Breakdown of Láttu mig vita ef þú kemur seint.

þú
you
mig
me
seint
late
ef
if
koma
to arrive
láta vita
to let you know
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Questions & Answers about Láttu mig vita ef þú kemur seint.

What does Láttu mean here, and what grammatical form is it?

Láttu is the 2nd person singular imperative (a command) of the verb láta (to let / to allow / to make / to have something done, depending on context).
In this sentence it works like English let in Let me know… → Láttu mig vita…

Why is it mig and not ég for me/I?

Because Icelandic marks case. After láta in this pattern, the person being affected is in the accusative case.
So:

  • ég = I (nominative, subject form)
  • mig = me (accusative object form)

In Láttu mig vita, mig is the object of láttu.

Why is vita in the infinitive (not conjugated)?

Because láta commonly takes another verb in the infinitive to express “let/make/have (someone) do something.”
So the structure is essentially:

Láttu + [object] + [infinitive]
→ Láttu mig vita = “Let me know” (literally “Let me know/let me ‘know’”).

Is láta mig vita a fixed phrase?

Yes, láta (eitthvern) vita is a very common idiom meaning to let (someone) know / to inform (someone).
You can swap the object:

  • Láttu mig vita… = Let me know…
  • Láttu okkur vita… = Let us know…
  • Láttu hana vita… = Let her know…
Why is the word order ef þú kemur seint and not something like ef kemur þú seint?

Because after ef (if), you usually get normal (non-inverted) word order in Icelandic subordinate clauses: subject + verb.
So:

  • Main clause questions often invert: Kemur þú? = Are you coming?
  • Subordinate clause after ef does not: …ef þú kemur = …if you come
Does kemur literally mean present tense “comes,” or can it mean “will come” too?

It’s present tense form, but Icelandic often uses the present tense to talk about the near future (especially with time/context).
So ef þú kemur seint can naturally mean if you’re coming late / if you arrive late (including future situations).

Why is it seint and not seinn?

Because seint is an adverb meaning late (describing the action of coming/arriving).
seinn is an adjective meaning late/slow and would describe a noun (like a person or a train), e.g.:

  • Hann er seinn. = He is late. (adjective)
  • Hann kemur seint. = He comes/arrives late. (adverb)

Here you need the adverb: kemur seint.

How would I say this to more than one person, or more formally?

To more than one person (plural you):

  • Látið mig vita ef þið komið seint.

To one person politely (formal you in modern Icelandic is usually also þið):

  • Látið mig vita ef þið komið seint.

So láttu/þú = singular informal, and látið/þið = plural or polite.

Can I replace ef with another word like þegar?

Sometimes, but it changes the meaning:

  • ef = if (conditional/uncertain)
    Láttu mig vita ef þú kemur seint. = Let me know if you arrive late (in case it happens).
  • þegar = when (expected/certain)
    Láttu mig vita þegar þú kemur seint. = Let me know when you arrive late (sounds like it’s expected you will be late).

So ef is the normal choice for a simple “in case you’re late.”

How do you pronounce the tricky parts of this sentence?

A rough guide (varies by accent, but this will get you close):

  • Láttu: LOWHT-tu (stress on the first syllable; the tt is a clear “t” sound)
  • mig: like mig in English migraine (short i)
  • vita: VIH-ta (stress on vi-)
  • ef: like ef in English left without the l
  • þú: like thoo with an unvoiced th (as in thing)
  • kemur: KEH-mur (stress on ke-)
  • seint: roughly saynt (the ei is like ay; final nt is clear)

Main stress in Icelandic almost always falls on the first syllable of a word.