Breakdown of Ræktunin og moltugerðin bæta vaxtarskilyrðin.
og
and
bæta
to improve
moltugerðin
composting
ræktunin
cultivation
Questions & Answers about Ræktunin og moltugerðin bæta vaxtarskilyrðin.
Why do ræktunin, moltugerðin, and vaxtarskilyrðin all have endings like -in?
Because Icelandic usually puts the definite article the onto the end of the noun instead of using a separate word.
So:
- ræktun → ræktunin = the cultivation
- moltugerð → moltugerðin = the composting / the making of compost
- vaxtarskilyrði → vaxtarskilyrðin = the growing conditions
The exact article ending changes with gender, number, and case. Even though you see -in more than once here, it is not always the same grammatical ending.
Why is the verb bæta and not bætir?
Because the subject is plural in meaning: ræktunin og moltugerðin = the cultivation and the composting.
In Icelandic, a subject joined by og usually takes a plural verb.
So:
- bætir = singular present
- bæta = plural present
Compare:
- Ræktunin bætir vaxtarskilyrðin. = The cultivation improves the growing conditions.
- Ræktunin og moltugerðin bæta vaxtarskilyrðin. = The cultivation and the composting improve the growing conditions.
Is bæta here the infinitive, or is it a finite verb?