Breakdown of Hún þurrkar skiptiborðið eftir að hún skiptir um bleyju.
hún
she
eftir að
after
skipta um
to change
þurrka
to wipe
Questions & Answers about Hún þurrkar skiptiborðið eftir að hún skiptir um bleyju.
Why is hún used twice?
Because there are two clauses here:
- Hún þurrkar skiptiborðið
- eftir að hún skiptir um bleyju
Each clause has its own subject, and in Icelandic it is normal to state hún again in the second clause. English does the same here: She wipes the changing table after she changes a diaper.
What form is þurrkar?
Þurrkar is the 3rd person singular present tense of þurrka, meaning to wipe or to dry.
So:
- ég þurrka = I wipe
- hún þurrkar = she wipes
In this sentence, it matches hún: Hún þurrkar = She wipes.
Why does skiptiborðið end in -ið?
That -ið is the suffixed definite article, which is very common in Icelandic. Instead of using a separate word like English the, Icelandic often adds the article to the end of the noun.
- skiptiborð = changing table
- skiptiborðið = the changing table
So the word already includes the meaning of the.