Breakdown of Við göngum frá íbúðinni áður en gestirnir koma.
við
we
áður en
before
koma
to come
gesturinn
the guest
Questions & Answers about Við göngum frá íbúðinni áður en gestirnir koma.
Why does göngum frá not seem to mean “walk from” here?
In Icelandic, að ganga frá is a common phrasal verb meaning to finish up / put things in order / tidy up (and leave things properly arranged). It’s often used about cleaning, putting away, packing up, or closing down a place.
So Við göngum frá is understood idiomatically as we tidy up / we finish up (here) rather than literally walking.
What is the grammar of Við göngum?
- Við = we (1st person plural pronoun).
- göngum = present tense, 1st person plural of að ganga (to walk, but in að ganga frá it becomes idiomatic).
Icelandic verbs agree with the subject, so the ending -um signals we.
Why is it frá and what does it do in this sentence?
Frá is a preposition that often means from, but in the fixed expression að ganga frá it functions as part of the verb phrase (a bit like English tidy up, where up is not literal).
You’ll also see similar constructions like að ganga frá borði (clear the table) or að ganga frá dóti (put away stuff).
Why is it íbuðinni (with ) instead of just or ?