Breakdown of Stjórinn samþykkir fríið mitt ef ég klára verkefnið fyrir föstudag.
ég
I
mitt
my
klára
to finish
verkefnið
the project
Questions & Answers about Stjórinn samþykkir fríið mitt ef ég klára verkefnið fyrir föstudag.
Why does stjórinn end in -inn?
Because Icelandic usually attaches the definite article to the end of the noun.
- stjóri = manager / boss
- stjórinn = the manager / the boss
Here stjórinn is also in the nominative singular because it is the subject of the verb samþykkir.
What form is samþykkir?
Samþykkir is the present-tense, 3rd-person singular form of að samþykkja = to approve / accept.
So:
- ég samþykki = I approve
- hann/hún samþykkir = he/she approves
Since stjórinn is singular, samþykkir is the correct form.
Why is it fríið mitt and not just mitt frí?
In Icelandic, the most neutral way to say my X is often:
noun + definite article + possessive
So:
- fríið mitt = my vacation / my leave / my time off
A form like mitt frí is possible, but it often sounds more emphatic or contrastive, something like my vacation rather than someone else’s.
Why is there a definite article in fríið mitt if English just says my leave?