Ég tek lyklana upp úr vasanum áður en ég fer inn.

I take the keys out of my pocket before I go in.

Breakdown of Ég tek lyklana upp úr vasanum áður en ég fer inn.

• ég: I
• fara: to go
• taka: to take
• áður en: before

Questions & Answers about Ég tek lyklana upp úr vasanum áður en ég fer inn.

What form is tek?

Tek is the 1st person singular present tense of taka.

So:

• að taka = to take
• ég tek = I take

This verb is a little irregular, because the stem vowel changes from a to e in the present tense.

Why is it lyklana?

Because lyklana is the definite accusative plural form of lykill.

Here is the logic:

• lykill = a key
• lyklar = keys
• lyklana = the keys

It is in the accusative because it is the direct object of tek: you are taking the keys.

A learner often expects something like lyklarnir, but lyklarnir is the nominative plural definite form, which is used for the subject, not the object.

Why is there no separate word for the?

In Icelandic, the definite article is usually attached to the end of the noun instead of appearing as a separate word.

So:

• lyklana = lykl-
  • -ana = the keys
• vasanum = vasa-
  • -num = the pocket

This is very normal in Icelandic. English uses a separate word, but Icelandic usually uses a suffix.