Questions & Answers about Ég sker fingurinn óvart.
Why does the sentence use "fingurinn" (the finger) instead of a word for "my"?
In Icelandic, you usually don't use possessive words like minn (my) for body parts when it is obvious whose body it is. Instead, you just add the definite article (the "the" ending). So, fingurinn literally means "the finger," but it translates naturally as "my finger" in this context.
Is the verb "sker" in the past or present tense?
Sker is in the present tense (from the verb skera, to cut). In English, "cut" can be past or present, but if this happened in the past in Icelandic, you would use the past tense form skar (Ég skar fingurinn óvart). The present tense here means it is happening right now or is a general statement.
What case is "fingurinn" in here?
It is in the accusative case because it is the direct object receiving the action of the verb skera (to cut). For the masculine noun fingur, the accusative form is exactly the same as the nominative dictionary form. When you add the accusative definite article, it becomes fingurinn.
Where does the word "óvart" (by accident) come from?
Óvart is an adverb built from the prefix ó- (meaning "un-" or "not") and a form of the word var (meaning "aware"). It literally translates to "unawares" or "without being aware," which is the standard way to express that you did something accidentally.