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Opnaðu gluggann varlega; hann er fastur.

Opnaðu gluggann varlega; hann er fastur.
Open the window carefully; it is stuck.

Breakdown of Opnaðu gluggann varlega; hann er fastur.

vera
to be
opna
to open
glugginn
the window
hann
it
fastur
stuck
varlega
gently
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Questions & Answers about Opnaðu gluggann varlega; hann er fastur.

Why does Opnaðu end with -ðu?

Opnaðu is the verb opna (to open) in the imperative (command) form addressed to one person (singular “you”).
Icelandic commonly attaches a 2nd-person pronoun ending to the imperative:

  • Opna! = Open! (can sound more abrupt)
  • Opnaðu! = Open (you)! (very common, often a bit more natural in everyday speech)

You’ll see the same pattern with many verbs (e.g., Komdu = Come!).

Is Opnaðu informal? How would I say it to more than one person or more politely?

Yes—Opnaðu is for one person and corresponds to informal you.

Other common options:

  • To more than one person: Opnið gluggann varlega. (plural imperative)
  • A very common polite/less direct phrasing is not “please + imperative” but a question-like request, e.g.:
    • Geturðu opnað gluggann varlega? (Can you open the window carefully?)
    • Gætirðu opnað gluggann varlega? (Could you open…?; more polite)

(You can still add vinsamlegast = please, but it can sound formal.)

Why is it gluggann and not gluggi?

Gluggi is the basic dictionary form (nominative singular).
In this sentence, the window is the direct object of opna (open), so it goes into the accusative case:

  • gluggi (nom. sg.)
  • glugga (acc. sg.)
  • gluggann (acc. sg. + definite article)

So gluggann means the window (specific, known window).

How does the definite article work in gluggann?

Icelandic usually attaches the as a suffix (a “postposed article”), and it changes with case and gender.

For gluggi (masculine):

  • glugginn = the window (nominative)
  • gluggann = the window (accusative)
  • glugganum = the window (dative)
  • gluggans = of the window (genitive)

So -inn / -ann / -num / -ns reflect case forms.

Why does it say hann (he) for a window?

Because gluggi is grammatically masculine in Icelandic, so the pronoun that refers back to it is hann (masculine it/he).

This is grammatical gender, not natural gender:

  • masculine noun → hann
  • feminine noun → hún
  • neuter noun → það

Here hann = it (referring to the window).

Why is it fastur and not fast or fastan?

In hann er fastur, the adjective comes after vera (to be) and describes the subject hann. So it uses the nominative and agrees in gender + number + case:

  • hann = masculine singular nominative
  • therefore fastur = masculine singular nominative adjective

If you described the object directly (different structure), the adjective form could change, e.g. in other contexts with different case.

What exactly does fastur mean here—stuck, tight, locked?

fastur commonly means stuck / jammed / tight / fixed in place. In the context of a window, it usually implies it’s stuck/jammed (hard to move), not locked.

If you mean closed or locked, you’d more likely use:

  • lokaður = closed
  • læstur = locked

So hann er fastur warns that it may resist movement.

What is varlega grammatically?

varlega is an adverb meaning carefully. It modifies the verb phrase Opnaðu gluggann (how to open it).

It’s related to the adjective varlegur (careful), but the adverb form is varlega.

Why is there a semicolon ; in the middle?

The semicolon separates two closely related independent clauses: 1) Opnaðu gluggann varlega
2) hann er fastur

It’s like saying: do X; reason/explanation: Y.
In everyday writing you could also see:

  • a comma: ..., hann er fastur.
  • a dash: — hann er fastur.
  • two sentences: Opnaðu gluggann varlega. Hann er fastur.
What’s the word order doing—could I move things around?

The basic structure is:

  • Imperative verb first: Opnaðu
  • then the object: gluggann
  • then an adverb: varlega

You can move varlega for emphasis, but the original is very natural. For example:

  • Opnaðu gluggann varlega. (neutral)
  • Opnaðu varlega gluggann. (possible, but tends to highlight varlega more)

The second clause hann er fastur is straightforward: subject + verb + adjective.

How would I make it negative: “Don’t open the window…”?

A common negative imperative pattern is Ekki + imperative:

  • Ekki opna gluggann. = Don’t open the window.
  • You can also include varlega depending on meaning:
    • Ekki opna gluggann; hann er fastur. (don’t open it at all)
    • If you still want it opened but carefully, you wouldn’t negate; you’d keep the original and maybe add more detail.
Any pronunciation pitfalls in this sentence?

Common learner pitfalls:

  • gluggann: the gg is a hard k sound, and -ann is a clear ending (roughly GLUKK-an).
  • Opnaðu: ð is the voiced “th” sound (as in this) in careful speech, though it can be subtle in fast speech.
  • fastur: the u is the Icelandic u/ú-like sound (not English “uh”), and -ur is a common masculine ending.