Verbs that come with their preposition attached
Like hlakka til and bíða eftir in the last lesson, these five are learned as units — the preposition is part of the meaning, and it fixes the case:
| collocation | case | |
|---|---|---|
| sækja um | Accusative | to apply for |
| hafa áhuga á | Dative | to be interested in |
| taka þátt í | Dative | to take part in |
| halda upp á | Accusative | to celebrate |
| sjá um | Accusative | to take care of, to be in charge of |
Note sækja um: on its own sækja means to fetch. With um it is what you do to a job, a flat or a permit — the verb on every Icelandic application form.
| I apply for the job. | Ég sæki um starfið. |
Interested in
hafa áhuga á takes the dative: ég hef áhuga á tónlist. You already have the noun áhuginn; this is the frame it lives in.
| I am interested in music. | Ég hef áhuga á tónlist. |
Celebrating
halda upp á is to celebrate — a birthday, Christmas, an anniversary. Not fagna, which is more formal and public.
| They celebrate Christmas. | Þau halda upp á jólin. |
Giving notice
segja upp + Dative is to give notice on — a job or a lease. The curriculum names it for the rental contract: segja upp leigusamningnum.
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