Næst ætla ég að taka regnhlífina með mér.

Here Næst means next time or next in the sense of on the next occasion.

So the sentence is not talking about physical closeness, but about time. In everyday Icelandic, Næst can be used a bit like an adverb meaning next time.

A fuller expression could be something like Næst þegar... or Næsta skipti..., but Næst by itself is very natural in conversation.

Because Icelandic often puts a time word or adverb first for emphasis, just like English can do with Next time, I'll...

When Næst comes first, Icelandic uses its normal verb-second pattern:

• Næst = first element
• ætla = second element
• ég = comes after the verb

So:

• Næst ætla ég... = correct
• Ég ætla næst... is possible in some contexts, but it is not the same natural structure as Next time, I intend...

This verb-second pattern is very important in Icelandic main clauses.

Ég ætla að + infinitive means I intend to, I’m going to, or I plan to do something.

In this sentence:

• ég = I
• ætla = intend / plan
• að taka = to take

So ég ætla að taka means I intend to take or I’m going to take.

This is a very common Icelandic way to talk about future plans.

Examples:

• Ég ætla að fara. = I’m going to go.
• Við ætlum að borða. = We’re going to eat.

Because að is the infinitive marker here, similar to English to.

After ætla, Icelandic normally uses:

• ætla að + infinitive

So:

• ætla að taka = intend to take

This að does not mean at here. It is purely grammatical.

Compare:

• Ég ætla að lesa. = I intend to read.
• Hún ætlar að koma. = She intends to come.

Because taka means take, and regnhlífina is the direct object: the umbrella.

So:

• taka = to take
• regnhlífina = the umbrella

Together:

• taka regnhlífina = take the umbrella

This is the thing being taken, so it appears in the case required for the direct object.

Because taka takes a direct object in the accusative case, and regnhlífina is the accusative singular definite form.

Very roughly:

• regnhlíf = umbrella
• regnhlífin = the umbrella (nominative)
• regnhlífina = the umbrella (accusative)

In this sentence, the umbrella is the object of take, so accusative is needed.

This is one of the big things English speakers have to get used to in Icelandic: the form of the noun changes depending on its role in the sentence.

It is the Icelandic word for umbrella.

It is made up of:

• regn = rain
• hlíf = cover / protection / shield

So the word is quite transparent: something that protects you from rain.

Með mér means with me.

It is used because Icelandic often says take something with oneself where English might say either:

• take the umbrella with me or
• bring the umbrella

So:

• með = with
• mér = me (in the dative case)

Together:

• með mér = with me

This is very natural Icelandic after taka when talking about carrying something along.

Because the preposition með takes the dative case in this meaning.

The pronoun forms of ég are:

• ég = I
• mig = me (accusative)
• mér = me (dative)
• mín = my / mine in some forms

Since með here requires dative, Icelandic uses:

• með mér = with me

Not:

• með mig

Learning which prepositions take which case is a major part of Icelandic grammar.

In Icelandic, it can correspond to English take ... with me, but in many situations the most natural English translation is bring.

So:

• Næst ætla ég að taka regnhlífina með mér. can be understood as
• Next time I’m going to take the umbrella with me. or more naturally in English,
• Next time I’m going to bring the umbrella.

English often prefers bring when the destination matters, but Icelandic commonly uses taka ... með sér/mér.

Yes, but not necessarily a specific date or time.

Næst suggests the next time this situation happens. So the speaker is saying that on the next relevant occasion, they plan to bring the umbrella.

For example, it could mean:

• next time it rains
• next time I go out
• next time I leave the house

The context would tell you exactly what next time refers to.

Yes, and that changes the nuance a little.

• Næst ætla ég að taka regnhlífina með mér.
  = Next time I intend / plan to take the umbrella with me.

• Næst tek ég regnhlífina með mér.
  = Next time I’m taking the umbrella with me.

The version with ætla að sounds more like a plan or intention.
The version without ætla sounds a bit more direct or definite.

Both are natural, but ætla að is very common when talking about what you plan to do.

A rough pronunciation guide for English speakers is:

Næst ætla ég að taka regnhlífina með mér
≈ NIGH-st AYT-la yay ah THAH-ka REKN-hlee-fi-na meth myair

A few notes:

• æ is like the i in high
• j is pronounced like English y
• ð is like the th in this
• hl in regnhlíf is a special Icelandic sound, but many learners start by approximating it with a normal l sound
• é sounds like yeh or yay, depending on the word

Pronunciation varies a bit, but that approximation will help you recognize the sentence.