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Ég þurrka rykið af borðinu með vaskaklútnum og set hann síðan í vaskinn.

Ég þurrka rykið af borðinu með vaskaklútnum og set hann síðan í vaskinn.
I wipe the dust off the table with the dishcloth and then put it in the sink.
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Questions & Answers about Ég þurrka rykið af borðinu með vaskaklútnum og set hann síðan í vaskinn.

Why does the sentence start with Ég?

Ég is the 1st-person singular pronoun (I) and it’s in the nominative case, which is the normal case for the subject of a sentence.

Why is the verb þurrka not something like þurrkai or þurrkar?

þurrka is the present tense, 1st-person singular form of the verb að þurrka (to wipe/dry). Many Icelandic verbs (especially weak verbs like this) have a present form where 1st-person singular looks identical to the dictionary form.

What is the role of rykið, and why does it have -ið at the end?

rykið is the direct object of þurrka (what you’re wiping).
The ending -ið is the definite article attached to the noun, so rykið means the dust.
ryk is neuter, and -ið is a common neuter singular definite ending.

Why is it þurrka rykið af borðinu—what does af do here?

af means off (of/from a surface) here. The phrase þurrka X af Y is a common pattern meaning wipe X off Y.

Grammatically, af is a preposition that governs the dative case, which is why borðinu is in dative.

Why is it borðinu and not borðið?

Because af requires dative.

  • borðið = nominative/accusative definite (the table)
  • borðinu = dative definite (off the table / on the table, depending on the preposition)

Here, af borðinu specifically needs dative.

Why is it með vaskaklútnum and what case is that?

með (meaning with/by means of) typically takes the dative case, so vaskaklútnum is dative singular definite.

So með vaskaklútnum means with the dishcloth/washcloth (as the instrument you’re using).

What does vaskaklútur mean grammatically (gender, endings), and why is it one word?

vaskaklútur is a compound noun:

  • vaska- relates to washing/dishes/sink context
  • klútur = cloth

It’s masculine (a -ur ending is often a clue, though not a guarantee).
Its definite dative singular is vaskaklútnum (the washcloth, in dative).

Why does the sentence say set hann—what does hann refer to, and why is it masculine?

hann refers back to vaskaklútur (washcloth), which is masculine. Icelandic pronouns must agree with the noun they refer to in gender and number.

Also, hann is in the accusative, because it’s the direct object of set (I put it).

Why is the verb set and not setur?

The verb is að setja (to put). In the present tense:

  • ég set = I put
  • þú setur = you put

So set is the correct 1st-person singular present form.

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

síðan means then/after that. Its placement is fairly flexible. Here it comes after the object (hann) and before the prepositional phrase (í vaskinn), which is natural.

You may also see patterns like:

  • … og síðan set ég hann í vaskinn.
  • … og ég set hann síðan í vaskinn.

Both are common, with slightly different emphasis/flow.

Why is it í vaskinn (with -inn) and not í vaskinum?

Because í changes case depending on meaning:

  • í + accusative = movement into (destination) → í vaskinn
  • í + dative = location in (no movement) → í vaskinum

Here you’re putting the cloth into the sink, so it uses the accusative.

Why are borðinu, vaskaklútnum, and vaskinn all different endings—are they all “the” forms?

Yes—they’re all definite (they all mean the …), but they’re in different cases:

  • borðinu = the table (dative, after af)
  • vaskaklútnum = the washcloth (dative, after með)
  • vaskinn = the sink (accusative, after í with motion)

Icelandic marks case on the noun (and the attached definite article ending), so the the-form changes depending on grammatical role.

Why is there no second ég before set?

Because the subject stays the same (I), Icelandic often omits repeating it in coordinated clauses:

  • Ég þurrka … og set … = I wipe … and (I) put …

You can include it for clarity or emphasis:

  • Ég þurrka … og ég set hann síðan í vaskinn. But it’s usually unnecessary in a simple sentence like this.