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Ef perurnar seljast upp, pöntum við þær á netinu.

Ef perurnar seljast upp, pöntum við þær á netinu.
If the bulbs sell out, we order them online.

Breakdown of Ef perurnar seljast upp, pöntum við þær á netinu.

við
we
ef
if
panta
to order
á netinu
online
þær
them
peran
the bulb
seljast upp
to sell out
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Questions & Answers about Ef perurnar seljast upp, pöntum við þær á netinu.

Why is there a comma after the ef-clause?

In Icelandic it’s standard to put a comma between a subordinate clause and the main clause when the subordinate clause comes first.
So Ef perurnar seljast upp, pöntum við þær á netinu. = subordinate clause + comma + main clause.

Why does the main clause start with the verb: pöntum við instead of við pöntum?

Icelandic is a V2 (verb-second) language in main clauses: the finite verb typically comes in the second “slot.”
Because the sentence begins with the ef-clause, that whole clause counts as the first element. Then the main clause must start with the finite verb:

  • Ef … , pöntum við … (verb comes right after the fronted clause)

If you don’t front the conditional clause, you can use normal subject–verb order:

  • Við pöntum þær á netinu ef perurnar seljast upp.
What exactly is seljast? Why not just selja?

Seljast is the middle/reflexive form (often used like an intransitive/passive-like verb).

  • selja (eitthvað) = to sell (something) (someone actively sells it)
  • seljast = to sell (well / out), to get sold, to be sold (focus on the item being sold, not the seller)

So perurnar seljast upp literally is like “the pears get sold up/out” → “the pears sell out.”

What does upp do here?

upp is a particle that combines with certain verbs to add the meaning “up / completely / out”. With seljast, it forms the common expression seljast upp = “to sell out.”
Without upp, seljast can be more general: “to sell” / “to be sold.”

Why is perurnar in that form? What does the -nar ending mean?

perurnar is:

  • noun: pera (pear)
  • gender: feminine
  • number: plural
  • definiteness: definite = “the pears”
  • case here: nominative plural (it’s the subject of seljast)

The nominative plural definite ending for many feminine nouns is -nar, hence perur → perurnar.

Why is the pronoun þær used, and why is it not þeir or þau?

þær is the 3rd person plural feminine pronoun (“they/them” feminine plural). It matches perur, which is feminine plural.

  • þeir = masculine plural
  • þær = feminine plural
  • þau = neuter plural (and also mixed-gender groups of people in some contexts)

Here it refers back to perurnar (“the pears”), so þær is the correct gender/number.

Why is it pöntum við þær—what case is þær?

In pöntum við þær, þær is the direct object of panta (to order), so it’s in the accusative plural feminine form.

For this pronoun, nominative and accusative happen to look the same:

  • nominative: þær
  • accusative: þær

So you identify the case mainly by its role in the sentence (object of the verb).

Why does Icelandic use the present tense (seljast, pöntum) for a future meaning?

Icelandic often uses the present tense to talk about the future, especially in:

  • conditional clauses (ef-clauses)
  • plans/scheduled actions

So present tense here is completely normal: “If they sell out, we’ll order them online.”

Why is it á netinu and not á netið?

The preposition á can take different cases depending on meaning:

  • á + dative = location/state (where something happens)
  • á + accusative = motion/direction (to/onto)

Here it means “on the internet” as a location/platform, so it uses dative:

  • netið (nom/acc) → netinu (dative definite)

So á netinu = “online / on the internet.”

Is á netinu the most natural way to say “online,” or are there alternatives?

á netinu is very common and natural. You may also see:

  • á Netinu (same phrase, sometimes capitalized stylistically)
  • á internetinu (“on the internet,” more explicit)
  • á vefnum (“on the web”)

But á netinu is a standard everyday choice.

How would you pronounce the tricky parts of this sentence?

A few useful notes:

  • Ef: short vowel, like “ev” with an f sound at the end.
  • perurnar: stress on the first syllable: PER-ur-nar.
  • seljast: roughly SEL-yast (the -st ending is common in middle voice forms).
  • pöntum: the ö is like German ö / French eu (rounded mid vowel); stress on PÖN-.
  • netinu: NE-ti-nu, stress on NE-.