Breakdown of Hún nennir ekki að ganga heim.
hún
she
ekki
not
heim
home
að
to (infinitive marker)
ganga
to walk
nenna
to be bothered, to feel like (doing)
Questions & Answers about Hún nennir ekki að ganga heim.
What exactly does nennir mean? I haven't seen a single English word for it.
The verb nenna is very common in Icelandic but doesn't have a direct one-word translation in English. It means having the energy, motivation, or willingness to do something. When paired with ekki, it perfectly translates to 'can't be bothered to' or 'doesn't feel like'.
Does ekki always come directly after the verb like this?
Yes, in a standard Icelandic sentence, the negative word ekki (not) usually comes right after the main conjugated verb. Here, it follows nennir to make the sentence negative.
Why do we need the word að before ganga?
Here, að works just like the word 'to' in English before a verb. Because nennir is the main active verb, the second verb (ganga) stays in its dictionary form, which is called the infinitive. The word að links them, meaning 'to walk'.
Why is it heim instead of heima?
In Icelandic, the word for 'home' changes depending on whether there is movement. Because she is walking (movement towards a destination), you must use heim. If she were already resting at her house (stationary), you would use heima.
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