Ég set smekk á hana og fylli pelann með mjólk.

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Breakdown of Ég set smekk á hana og fylli pelann með mjólk.

• með: with
• setja: to put
• á: on

Questions & Answers about Ég set smekk á hana og fylli pelann með mjólk.

What tense and person are set and fylli?

Both are first-person singular present tense forms:

• ég set = I put / I am putting
• ég fylli = I fill / I am filling

So the speaker is talking about what I do.

A couple of useful details:

• að setja is the infinitive to put, but the present ég-form is set.
• að fylla is the infinitive to fill, and the present ég-form is fylli.

Icelandic present tense often covers both the English simple present and the be + -ing form, so context tells you whether it is I put or I am putting.

Why is it smekk and not smekkur?

Because smekk is the accusative singular form, and it is the direct object of set.

The dictionary form is smekkur. In this sentence:

• smekkur = nominative singular
• smekk = accusative singular

Since the speaker is putting a bib on someone, bib is the thing being acted on, so Icelandic uses the accusative.

Why is it á hana and not á henni?