Hann sver að segja sannleikann.

he

Breakdown of Hann sver að segja sannleikann.

• í: to
• segja: to say
• sannleikurinn: the truth

Questions & Answers about Hann sver að segja sannleikann.

Why is að used before segja?

Here að is the infinitive marker, so it works like English to in to tell.

• að segja = to say / to tell
• Hann sver að segja sannleikann = He swears to tell the truth

This is not the conjunction að meaning that. In this sentence, it introduces an infinitive verb.

Why is it segja and not segir?

Because segja is in the infinitive form.

After the infinitive marker að, Icelandic normally uses the infinitive:

• að segja = to tell
• segir = tells / is saying (finite, present tense)

So:

• hann segir = he says
• hann sver að segja = he swears to say / tell

Just like in English, He swears to tell..., not He swears tells...

Why is it sver and not sverja?