Sometimes you want to talk about an entire event or situation as if it were a single thing. In English, we often do this by saying "The fact that...".
In Icelandic, you can turn a complete sentence into a noun phrase using það að.
Here, það (it/that) acts as a placeholder pronoun for the entire idea, and að (that) introduces the clause. Together, they wrap the sentence up so it can be used as the subject of a larger sentence.
| The fact that this marine animal is so smart is fascinating. | Það að þetta sjávardýr er svona gáfað er heillandi. |
| The fact that his nervous system is so complex means that he perceives the pain. | Það að taugakerfið hans er svona flókið þýðir að hann skynjar sársaukann. |
Using "það að" as an Object
Just like a regular noun, a það að clause can also be the object of a verb. In this case, the main verb of your sentence acts directly on the entire concept that follows.
| The marine biologist loves the fact that the organism has great intellect. | Sjávarlíffræðingurinn elskar það að lífveran hefur mikla vitsmuni. |
Framing Events and Actions
This structure is especially useful when describing complex behaviors, discoveries, or events—such as the famous problem-solving skills of octopuses.
The phrase það að allows you to state an action as a definitive fact, and then immediately comment on it or explain what it proves in the second half of the sentence.
| The fact that the octopus planned the escape from the aquarium is funny. | Það að kolkrabbinn planaði flóttann úr sædýrasafninu er fyndið. |
| The fact that the organism opens the jar proves its intelligence. | Það að lífveran opnar krukkuna sannar greind hennar. |