Hann stöðvar vélina.

Hann is the subject and means he.

stöðvar is the verb and means stops or is stopping, depending on context.

vélina is the direct object and means the machine or the engine.

So the sentence has the basic pattern subject + verb + object, just like a simple English sentence.

The dictionary form is að stöðva, meaning to stop.

In the sentence, stöðvar is the present tense, 3rd person singular form, used with hann.

A useful mini-pattern is:

• ég stöðva = I stop
• þú stöðvar = you stop
• hann/hún/það stöðvar = he/she/it stops

So Hann stöðvar means He stops.

Because vélina is the accusative form, and this noun is the direct object of the verb.

In Icelandic, the form of a noun often changes depending on its job in the sentence.

For this noun:

• vélin = the machine as a subject
• vélina = the machine as an object

Compare:

• Vélin stöðvast. = The machine stops.
• Hann stöðvar vélina. = He stops the machine.

English usually does not show this kind of change on nouns, so this is a very common thing for learners to notice.

In Icelandic, the is usually attached to the end of the noun instead of being a separate word.

So:

• vél = machine
• vélin / vélina = the machine in different cases

That means there is no separate word like English the here. The definiteness is built into vélina.

As a related point, Icelandic also does not have a normal separate word for a/an. The bare noun vél can mean a machine or just machine, depending on context.

Approximate pronunciation:

• Hann ≈ hahn
• stöðvar ≈ STÖTH-var
• vélina ≈ VYEH-li-na

A few helpful sound notes:

• ö is somewhat like German ö, or roughly the vowel in British bird without the r
• ð is like th in this
• é is usually pronounced like yeh
• Stress in Icelandic normally falls on the first syllable

So the main stress is on HANN STÖÐ-var VYEH-li-na.

It can mean either, depending on context.

vél is a broad word that can refer to a machine, engine, or sometimes a mechanical device more generally.

So Hann stöðvar vélina could mean:

• He stops the machine
• He stops the engine

If the context is a car, boat, or aircraft, engine may be the better translation. In a general mechanical context, machine may fit better.

This is the most neutral and straightforward order: subject + verb + object.

But Icelandic word order is more flexible than English. In main clauses, the finite verb usually stays in the second position. So you can move another part to the front for emphasis or style:

• Núna stöðvar hann vélina. = Now he stops the machine.

So Hann stöðvar vélina is the normal basic version, but not the only possible one.

Yes. Icelandic present tense often covers both ideas.

So Hann stöðvar vélina can mean:

• He stops the machine
• He is stopping the machine

The exact meaning depends on context. English often forces you to choose between simple present and present progressive, but Icelandic does not always make that distinction in the same way.