Hún þræddi þráðinn í nálina og byrjaði svo að sauma rólega.

she

Breakdown of Hún þræddi þráðinn í nálina og byrjaði svo að sauma rólega.

• byrja: to start
• og: and
• í: into

Questions & Answers about Hún þræddi þráðinn í nálina og byrjaði svo að sauma rólega.

What is a word-for-word breakdown of the sentence?

A literal breakdown is:

• Hún = she
• þræddi = threaded
• þráðinn = the thread
• í nálina = into the needle
• og = and
• byrjaði = began / started
• svo = then
• að sauma = to sew
• rólega = calmly / gently / slowly, depending on context

So the Icelandic structure is very close to:

She threaded the thread into the needle and then began to sew calmly.

Why does Icelandic say þræddi þráðinn í nálina? Why is the thread the object, not the needle?

Because Icelandic uses þræða e-ð í e-ð, literally to thread something into something.

So:

• þráðurinn = the thread
• nálin = the needle

In English, we often say thread the needle, where needle feels like the main object. In Icelandic, the thing being moved is the main object: the thread is threaded into the needle.

That is a normal Icelandic way to express this idea.