Log inSign up

Ég slekk á hljóðkerfinu þegar barnið sefur.

Ég slekk á hljóðkerfinu þegar barnið sefur.
I turn off the sound system when the child is sleeping.
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Icelandic grammar and vocabulary.

Start learning Icelandic now

Questions & Answers about Ég slekk á hljóðkerfinu þegar barnið sefur.

What is the dictionary form (infinitive) of slekk, and why does it look different?

Slekk is the 1st person singular present tense of the verb slökkva (to turn off / extinguish).

This verb has a stem change in the present singular:

  • infinitive: slökkva
  • ég slekk
  • þú slekkur
  • hann/hún/það slekkur
  • við slökkvum, þið slökkvið, þeir/þær/þau slökkva

So the ö in slökk- often appears as e in the singular present (slekk-).

Why is there an á after slekk? Shouldn’t the verb take a direct object?

In Icelandic, slökkva is commonly used with the preposition á: slökkva á einhverju = turn something off.

So the structure is:

  • slekk á + noun (in the dative case)

It’s basically an idiomatic “verb + preposition” pairing, similar to English “turn off” being a fixed expression.

Why is it hljóðkerfinu (with -inu)?

Because á (in slökkva á) requires the dative case, and hljóðkerfið (the sound system) is being used in the dative singular definite form.

  • base noun: hljóðkerfi (neuter)
  • definite nominative: hljóðkerfið
  • definite dative: hljóðkerfinu

So:

  • Ég slekk á hljóðkerfinu = I turn off the sound system.
What does the -inu ending tell me about the noun?

It tells you two things at once: 1) Definite (roughly “the” is attached as a suffix in Icelandic)
2) Dative singular (required here by á)

For a neuter noun like hljóðkerfi, -inu is a very common dative singular definite ending.

Why is it barnið and not something like barninu?

Because barnið is the subject of the clause þegar barnið sefur (when the child sleeps), and subjects are typically in the nominative case.

  • barnið = nominative singular definite (the child)
  • barninu would be dative (to/for the child, or after certain prepositions/verbs), which isn’t needed here.
What is þegar doing here, and does it change the word order?

Þegar means when and introduces a subordinate time clause: þegar barnið sefur.

In this particular clause, the word order looks “normal” (subject + verb), but a useful rule is:

  • If you move the subordinate clause to the front, the main clause typically shows inversion (verb before subject):

Þegar barnið sefur, slekk ég á hljóðkerfinu.
(Notice slekk ég, not ég slekk.)

Why is sefur in the present tense—does it mean “is sleeping” or “sleeps”?

Icelandic present tense often covers both:

  • a general/habitual meaning (when the child sleeps), and
  • an “in progress” meaning (when the child is sleeping),

depending on context. Icelandic doesn’t require a special progressive form like English “is sleeping.”

What verb is sefur from, and how is it conjugated?

Sefur is from sofa (to sleep). Present tense:

  • ég sef
  • þú sefur
  • hann/hún/það sefur
  • við sofum
  • þið sofið
  • þeir/þær/þau sofa

So barnið sefur is simply the child sleeps / is sleeping.

How would I say this in the past tense?

A natural past version would be:

  • Ég slökkti á hljóðkerfinu þegar barnið svaf.

Here:

  • slekk → slökkti (past of slökkva)
  • sefur → svaf (past of sofa)
Where does ekki (not) go if I want to negate the sentence?

In the main clause, ekki typically comes right after the verb:

  • Ég slekk ekki á hljóðkerfinu þegar barnið sefur. = I don’t turn off the sound system when the child sleeps.

If you negate the subordinate clause instead:

  • Ég slekk á hljóðkerfinu þegar barnið sefur ekki. = I turn off the sound system when the child isn’t sleeping.
Any pronunciation pitfalls in Ég slekk á hljóðkerfinu þegar barnið sefur?

Common tricky points for English speakers:

  • Ég: the g is soft (often like a voiced fricative), not a hard g as in “go.”
  • slekk: the double kk is long/strong; vowels tend to be short before double consonants.
  • hljóð-: hlj starts with a voiceless l-like sound; it won’t sound like English h + l + y said separately.
  • þegar: þ is like th in thin (not this).
  • barnið: the ending -ið is typical for neuter definite nouns and is pronounced as a light syllable at the end.