Connecting Actions to Results
When you want to describe a chain reaction where one action directly causes an outcome—meaning "so" or "with the result that"—Icelandic uses the conjunction þannig að.
| so / with the result that | þannig að |
The grammar here is straightforward: þannig að connects two complete clauses, and the verb in the resulting clause stays in the standard indicative mood.
Imagine you are navigating an escape room. First, you might take an action, like turning the dial (skífan) clockwise (réttsælis):
| The man is going to turn the dial clockwise. | Maðurinn ætlar að snúa skífunni réttsælis. |
If you want to explain why you are doing this or what happens as a result, use þannig að to introduce the outcome.
| You turn the dial clockwise so that the mechanism works. | Þú snýrð skífunni réttsælis þannig að vélbúnaðurinn virkar. |
| The mechanism starts to move so that the door opens. | Vélbúnaðurinn byrjar að hreyfast þannig að hurðin opnast. |
Chain Reactions
You can use this exact same structure to describe solving other puzzles, where interacting with one object triggers another.
For example, pulling a cord might cause a sudden click (smellurinn).
| She pulls the cord so that we hear the click. | Hún togar í snúruna þannig að við heyrum smellinn. |
Or, using a magnet (segullinn) might be the key to unlocking a secret compartment (leynihólfið).
| We put the magnet on the lock so that the secret compartment opens. | Við setjum segulinn á lásinn þannig að leynihólfið opnast. |
Notice how in every case, the clause after þannig að describes the immediate, automatic result of the action in the first clause.
State Changes
Þannig að is also perfect for describing visual changes in state. If you need to reflect (spegla) a laser beam (geislinn) to activate a sensor, the result clause describes the new state of the machine.
| The machine reflects the beam so that the light becomes green. | Vélin speglar geislann þannig að ljósið verður grænt. |