Við létum rafvirkja setja nýjan rofa við hurðina.

We had an electrician install a new switch by the door.

Breakdown of Við létum rafvirkja setja nýjan rofa við hurðina.

• við: we
• nýr: new
• hurðin: the door
• við: by

Questions & Answers about Við létum rafvirkja setja nýjan rofa við hurðina.

Why are there two verbs, létum and setja, in the same sentence?

This is a very common Icelandic pattern:

láta + someone in the accusative + infinitive

It means to have/get/let someone do something.

So:

• Við létum rafvirkja setja...
  = We had an electrician install...

Here:

• létum = we had / we got / we let
• rafvirkja = an electrician
• setja = install / put

So the sentence is not saying we installed the switch ourselves. It says we caused or arranged for the electrician to do it.

What exactly does létum mean here?

Létum is the past tense, 1st person plural form of láta.

The verb láta can mean different things depending on context, including:

• let / allow
• make / have someone do something
• sometimes even leave

In this sentence, it is the causative use:
Við létum rafvirkja setja... = We had an electrician install...

So here it is closest to English had or got, not just plain let.