Ég þurrka af skjánum áður en ég svara skilaboðum.

I wipe off the screen before I answer messages.

Breakdown of Ég þurrka af skjánum áður en ég svara skilaboðum.

• ég: I
• svara: to answer
• áður en: before
• þurrka af: to wipe off
• skjárinn: the screen
• skilaboðin: the messages

Questions & Answers about Ég þurrka af skjánum áður en ég svara skilaboðum.

Why is it skjánum (with -num) and not something like skjáinn?

Because af is a preposition that normally governs the dative case in Icelandic. So skjár (screen) becomes skjánum = the screen (dative singular, definite).

• skjár (nom. sg.)
• skjá (acc. sg.)
• skjá (dat. sg.)
• skjánum (dat. sg. definite)

So af skjánum literally means something like off/from the screen (with the screen in dative).

What does þurrka af mean as a verb phrase? Is af part of the verb?

Yes—þurrka af is a very common combination meaning to wipe off / wipe (a surface).

• þurrka on its own is to dry or to wipe (depending on context).
• Adding af often makes it specifically about wiping off a surface: þurrka af borðinu (wipe the table / wipe off the table), þurrka af skjánum (wipe the screen).

It’s similar to English wipe vs wipe off.

Could I also say Ég þurrka skjáinn? What’s the difference?

You can, but the focus changes:

• Ég þurrka af skjánum emphasizes wiping the surface (removing dust/smudges from it).
• Ég þurrka skjáinn treats the screen more like a direct object you’re “wiping” (also possible, but a bit less “surface-focused” and can sound slightly more general).

In everyday use, for screens, þurrka af skjánum is very natural.

Why is it skilaboðum and not skilaboð?

Because the verb svara (to answer/reply) governs the dative case. So skilaboð becomes skilaboðum (dative plural). Also, skilaboð is typically treated as a plural-only noun in Icelandic (like English pants), especially in the meaning messages.

So svara skilaboðum = reply to messages (literally answer (to) messages in dative).

Does svara always take dative? What else can it take?

Very often, yes:

• svara einhverjum = answer someone (dative)
• svara einhverju = answer something (dative)

Examples:

• Ég svara honum. (I answer him.)
• Ég svara spurningunni. (I answer the question.)

So in your sentence, skilaboðum is dative for the same reason.

Why is there no word meaning to before skilaboðum, like reply to messages?

Icelandic usually expresses that relationship through case, not an extra preposition. English uses to; Icelandic uses dative after svara:

• English: reply *to messages*
• Icelandic: svara skilaboðum (dative does the job that to does)

Why do we repeat ég in the second clause? Could it be omitted?

In normal Icelandic, you usually keep the subject in the new clause:

• ... áður en ég svara skilaboðum.

Omitting ég would sound incomplete or incorrect in standard Icelandic. Icelandic doesn’t generally drop subjects the way some languages do.

How does word order work with áður en? Is it always áður en + subject + verb?

Áður en introduces a subordinate clause. A very common, neutral order is exactly what you see:

• áður en ég svara skilaboðum (before I answer messages)

The key thing learners often notice: Icelandic main clauses are typically verb-second (V2), but subordinate clauses generally do not follow V2 in the same way. Here it happens to look similar to English anyway.

If I start the sentence with the time clause, do I have to change the word order?

Yes, in the main clause Icelandic normally keeps verb-second order. So you’d write:

• Áður en ég svara skilaboðum, þurrka ég af skjánum.

Notice how the main clause becomes þurrka ég (verb before subject) because something else (Áður en...) is in first position.

Why are both verbs in the present tense (þurrka, svara) even though it could be a “future” meaning?

Icelandic often uses the present tense for:

• habits/routines (I do X before I do Y)
• near future (I’m going to do X before I reply)

So Ég þurrka ... áður en ég svara ... can naturally mean a routine or an immediate intention, depending on context.

How are þ, ð, and á pronounced in this sentence?

A rough guide:

• þ (thorn) in þurrka is like English th in think (voiceless).
• ð in áður is like English th in this (voiced), though it can be weaker depending on surrounding sounds.
• á is like ow in cow (approximately), so áður starts with something like ow-.

Also, Icelandic stress is usually on the first syllable: ÞURR-ka, SKJÁ-num, ÁÐ-ur, SVAR-a, SKIL-a-boð-um (stress on the first part).

What’s going on with the endings -a in þurrka and svara?

Those are the 1st person singular present tense forms of many common verbs:

• að þurrka → ég þurrka
• að svara → ég svara

In dictionaries, verbs are listed with að + infinitive (e.g., að svara). In the present tense, the ég form often ends in -a for these weak verbs.