Having Something Done with "Láta"
To express that you are hiring someone or arranging for a task to be completed (rather than doing it yourself), Icelandic uses the verb láta (to let/to have).
When you don't specify who is doing the work, the structure is: láta + infinitive verb + object (in the accusative case).
| She intends to have the car deep cleaned tomorrow. | Hún ætlar að láta djúphreinsa bílinn á morgun. |
| My brother often has his new car waxed. | Bróðir minn lætur oft bóna nýja bílinn sinn. |
Past and Conditional Forms
Like any verb, láta changes to match the tense. The past tense forms include lét (I/he/she let) and létu (they let). To express what you would have done, use myndi + láta.
| They had the new cabinetry custom-built for the kitchen. | Þau létu sérsmíða nýju innréttinguna í eldhúsið. |
| I would have the floor tiled immediately. | Ég myndi láta flísaleggja gólfið strax. |
Specifying Who Does the Work
When you want to state exactly who is performing the task, place the person or professional directly after láta. This "doer" must also be in the accusative case.
The structure becomes: láta + person (accusative) + infinitive verb + object (accusative).
| We always have the gardener trim the tree. | Við látum alltaf garðyrkjumanninn klippa tréð. |
| I always have the professionals fix my car. | Ég læt alltaf fagfólkið laga bílinn minn. |
Using "Hjá" for Professionals
Another common way to express who is providing the service is to use the preposition hjá (at/by) at the end of the sentence. Remember that hjá requires the following noun (the professional) to be in the dative case.
| I always have the tax return done by the accountant. | Ég læt alltaf gera skattaskýrsluna hjá endurskoðandanum. |
| She had the ring cleaned at the goldsmith. | Hún lét hreinsa hringinn hjá gullsmiðnum. |