Ég þurrka borðið með blautri tusku eftir morgunmat.

Borðið is the definite form of borð (table), so it means the table.

• borð = a table / table
• borðið = the table

In this sentence, borðið is the direct object of þurrka. Because borð is a neuter noun, its nominative and accusative singular definite forms look the same here, so you still get borðið.

Because the preposition með usually takes the dative case when it means with in the sense of using a tool or accompanying something.

So:

• tuska = base form
• tusku = dative singular
• blautri = adjective blautur changed to match tusku

The adjective has to agree with the noun in:

• gender: feminine
• number: singular
• case: dative

So með blautri tusku means with a wet cloth, with both words correctly in the dative.

Icelandic adjectives change form to match the noun they describe.

Here, tuska is:

• feminine
• singular
• dative (because of með)

So the adjective blautur has to become the feminine singular dative form:

• blautur = masculine nominative singular
• blaut = neuter nominative/accusative singular
• blauta = feminine accusative singular
• blautri = feminine dative singular

That is why blautri tusku is correct.

Icelandic does not have a separate indefinite article like English a/an.

So where English says:

• with a wet cloth

Icelandic simply says:

• með blautri tusku

Indefiniteness is usually understood from context. Icelandic has a built-in definite article (like the -ið in borðið), but no separate word for a/an.

It is in the accusative singular.

The preposition eftir can govern different cases depending on meaning, but when it means after in a time sense, it commonly takes the accusative.

So:

• morgunmatur = breakfast (nominative singular)
• morgunmat = breakfast (accusative singular)

That is why the sentence has eftir morgunmat.

Both are possible, but they mean slightly different things.

• eftir morgunmat = after breakfast in a general sense
• eftir morgunmatinn = after the breakfast, referring to a specific breakfast

Icelandic often leaves meal words indefinite when speaking generally:

• eftir morgunmat
• fyrir kvöldmat
• eftir hádegismat

If you want to point to one specific meal, the definite form is more likely.

Þurrka here is present tense, first person singular:

• ég þurrka = I wipe / I am wiping

Like the English present, it can sometimes describe:

• a current action
• a habitual action
• something that regularly happens

Also, þurrka can mean wipe, dry, or dry off, depending on context. In this sentence, with borðið and með blautri tusku, the meaning is clearly wipe.

Usually, yes. Icelandic normally keeps the subject pronoun in ordinary sentences.

So:

• Ég þurrka borðið... = normal everyday wording

Because verb endings do give information about the subject, you may sometimes see the pronoun omitted in special contexts such as notes, diaries, or very informal style, but standard speech and writing usually include it.

Yes. Icelandic word order is flexible, but it follows an important rule called verb-second (V2) in main clauses.

The basic order here is:

• Ég þurrka borðið með blautri tusku eftir morgunmat.

But you could also front another part of the sentence:

• Eftir morgunmat þurrka ég borðið með blautri tusku.
• Með blautri tusku þurrka ég borðið eftir morgunmat.

Notice that when another element comes first, the finite verb þurrka still stays in the second position.

So you do not usually say:

• Eftir morgunmat ég þurrka... ❌

You say:

• Eftir morgunmat þurrka ég... ✅

It actually is in the accusative, because it is the direct object of þurrka. The reason it does not look different is that many neuter nouns in Icelandic have the same form in the nominative and accusative singular.

So for borð:

• nominative singular: borð
• accusative singular: borð
• definite nominative singular: borðið
• definite accusative singular: borðið

So the object case is there grammatically, but you do not see a different ending in this particular noun.

These two letters are very common in Icelandic and often stand out to English speakers.

• þ is like the th in thin
• ð is like the th in this

So in this sentence:

• þurrka starts with the thin sound
• borðið contains the this sound

A few extra notes:

• þ is never pronounced like English t
• ð is often softer than English speakers expect
• at the end of some words, ð may be very light in actual speech

So for a learner, the best starting point is:

• þ = thin
• ð = this

In Icelandic, every noun has grammatical gender: masculine, feminine, or neuter. Unfortunately, you often have to learn the gender as part of the word.

For these words:

• borð = neuter
• tuska = feminine
• morgunmatur = masculine

Gender matters because it affects:

• article forms
• adjective forms
• some pronouns
• some case endings

That is why:

• borðið has a neuter definite ending
• blautri tusku uses a feminine adjective form
• morgunmat has a masculine accusative form

A good habit is to learn new nouns together with gender information, not as isolated dictionary forms.