Geturðu skannað þetta aftur fyrir mig, eða er skanninn enn bilaður?

Breakdown of Geturðu skannað þetta aftur fyrir mig, eða er skanninn enn bilaður?

vera
to be
þú
you
geta
to be able
mig
me
þetta
this
aftur
again
fyrir
for
eða
or
bilaður
broken
enn
still
skanninn
the scanner
skanna
to scan

Questions & Answers about Geturðu skannað þetta aftur fyrir mig, eða er skanninn enn bilaður?

Why is Geturðu written as one word?

It is a common contraction of getur þú:

  • getur = can / are able to
  • þú = you

In speech, these are very often pronounced together, and in writing you will often see Geturðu. It sounds natural and conversational.

Why is the verb skannað and not skanna?

After geta in this kind of sentence, Icelandic normally uses the supine form of the main verb. So:

  • skanna = infinitive, to scan
  • skannað = the form used here after getur

That means Geturðu skannað þetta? is the normal way to say Can you scan this?

What is þetta grammatically?

Þetta is the neuter singular form of this. In this sentence it is the direct object of skannað, so it is in the accusative.

A useful thing to notice is that for this word, the nominative and accusative forms are the same, so you just see þetta either way.

Why does the sentence use fyrir mig?

Fyrir mig means for me or for my benefit. It shows who the action is being done for.

This is a very common Icelandic pattern:

  • gera þetta fyrir mig = do this for me
  • skanna þetta fyrir mig = scan this for me

So the sentence is not just asking someone to scan it, but to do it as a favor for the speaker.

Why is it mig after fyrir, not some other form of ég?

Because fyrir can govern different cases, and in the meaning for someone / on someone’s behalf, it takes the accusative. The accusative form of ég is mig.

So:

  • ég = I
  • mig = me

That is why you get fyrir mig.

What does aftur mean here, and where does it go?

Here aftur means again. So skannað þetta aftur means scan this again.

Its position can vary somewhat, but this placement is very natural. If you move it, the sentence may still be correct, but the emphasis can shift slightly. For example, skannað þetta aftur fyrir mig and skannað þetta fyrir mig aftur are both possible.

Why is the second part er skanninn enn bilaður instead of skanninn er enn bilaður?

Because it is still a direct question. In Icelandic yes/no questions, the finite verb usually comes first.

So:

  • statement: Skanninn er enn bilaður. = The scanner is still broken.
  • question: Er skanninn enn bilaður? = Is the scanner still broken?

After eða here, the speaker is offering an alternative question, so the verb-first order stays.

Why is it skanninn with -inn on the end?

The ending -inn is the definite article attached to the noun. Icelandic usually puts the at the end of the word instead of using a separate word.

So:

  • skanni = a scanner
  • skanninn = the scanner

In this sentence, it is the subject of er, so it appears in the nominative singular.

What does enn bilaður mean exactly?

Enn means still, and bilaður means broken, out of order, or not working properly.

So er skanninn enn bilaður? literally asks whether the scanner is still malfunctioning.
Also notice that bilaður agrees with skanninn:

That is why it is bilaður and not some other adjective form.

Is Geturðu ... ? polite enough, or does Icelandic use a more formal form?

Yes, Geturðu ... ? is a normal and polite way to make a request in everyday Icelandic. Icelandic does not have a separate formal you like some European languages do, so using þú is normal.

If you want to sound extra polite, you can add a softener such as vinsamlegast, but in ordinary conversation this sentence is already perfectly natural.

Why is there a comma before eða?

The comma separates two full clauses:

  • Geturðu skannað þetta aftur fyrir mig
  • eða er skanninn enn bilaður

In Icelandic, commas are commonly used to separate clauses like this, especially when the second clause gives an alternative or contrast.

How should I pronounce some of the tricky words in this sentence?

A few useful pronunciation points:

  • þ sounds like th in thin
  • ð sounds like th in this
  • Stress usually falls on the first syllable in Icelandic words

Rough guides:

  • GeturðuGEH-tur-thu
  • þettaTHET-ta
  • afturAF-tur
  • skanninnSKAN-nin
  • bilaðurBIH-la-thur

These are only rough English-friendly approximations, but they can help you get started.

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