Ef moldin er of þurr, vökvum við beðið með garðslöngunni.

to be

Breakdown of Ef moldin er of þurr, vökvum við beðið með garðslöngunni.

• við: we
• með: with
• of: too

Questions & Answers about Ef moldin er of þurr, vökvum við beðið með garðslöngunni.

What does of mean here?

Here of means too or overly, not English of.

So of þurr = too dry.

A very common Icelandic pattern is:

• of + adjective

For example:

• of kalt = too cold
• of heitt = too hot

Does mold mean the same thing as English mold?

No. Icelandic mold usually means soil, earth, or dirt.

So moldin here is the soil.

That can confuse English speakers, because English mold/mould usually means the fungus. Icelandic mold is not that in this sentence.

Why is it þurr and not þurrt?

Because þurr is agreeing with moldin, which is feminine singular.

In Icelandic, predicate adjectives usually agree with the noun they describe in gender and number:

• masculine: þurr
• feminine: þurr
• neuter: þurrt

Since moldin is feminine, þurr is the right form.

Why is it vökvum við instead of við vökvum?