Fyrirtækið ræður stjórnandann.

The base noun is fyrirtæki, which is a neuter noun meaning company.

In this sentence, fyrirtækið is:

• singular
• definite
• functioning as the subject

The ending -ið is the suffixed definite article, so fyrirtækið means the company.

For this noun, the nominative singular and accusative singular definite form are the same, so fyrirtækið can look identical in both cases.

Because Icelandic usually puts the definite article onto the end of the noun instead of using a separate word.

So:

• fyrirtæki = company
• fyrirtækið = the company

And similarly:

• stjórnandi = manager
• stjórnandann = the manager in this sentence’s case form

Also, Icelandic usually does not use a separate word for a/an either. A bare noun often covers that meaning.

The dictionary form is stjórnandi.

Here, it appears as accusative singular definite, because it is the direct object of the verb.

A useful pattern is:

• stjórnandi = nominative singular indefinite
• stjórnanda = accusative singular indefinite
• stjórnandann = accusative singular definite

So the ending tells you both:

• its case: accusative
• its definiteness: the

There are two main clues:

1. Word order
   The normal order here is subject + verb + object.

2. Case marking
   stjórnandann is clearly an accusative form, which makes it the object.

So fyrirtækið is understood as the subject, and stjórnandann as the object.

The dictionary form is ráða.

Ræður is:

• present tense
• 3rd person singular

That matches the subject fyrirtækið, which is singular.

A few present-tense forms are:

• ég ræð
• þú ræður
• hann / hún / það ræður
• við ráðum

So in this sentence, ræður means that the company is doing the action now or in the present.

Because ráða in this meaning takes an accusative direct object.

This is something Icelandic learners have to get used to: many verbs require specific cases, and you often need to learn the verb together with the case it governs.

So here:

• fyrirtækið = subject
• stjórnandann = accusative object

No. Icelandic present tense often covers both:

• English simple present
• English present progressive

So depending on context, ræður could correspond to:

• hires
• is hiring

The surrounding context tells you which reading is intended.

Yes. Ráða is a common Icelandic verb with several meanings, depending on context and construction.

It can mean things like:

• hire
• decide
• be in control
• manage in some contexts

So when learning this verb, it is best to learn:

• the base form
• the case pattern
• the contextual meaning

In this sentence, the form and structure point to the meaning already shown to you.

Yes, but Fyrirtækið ræður stjórnandann is the most neutral order.

Icelandic allows more flexibility than English, especially for emphasis or topic changes. For example, you could move the object to the front for emphasis.

But in a main clause, the finite verb usually still stays in second position.

So the given sentence is the most straightforward, neutral way to say it.