Breakdown of Það rignir. Þess vegna erum við inni.
vera
to be
inni
inside
við
we
rigna
to rain
þess vegna
therefore, that is why
Questions & Answers about Það rignir. Þess vegna erum við inni.
Why does the second sentence say erum við (are we) instead of við erum (we are)?
Icelandic uses the "V2 rule," which means the main verb usually has to be the second piece of information in a sentence. Since the second sentence starts with the phrase Þess vegna (That is why), the verb erum has to come right after it. This pushes the subject við into the third spot.
Why is it Þess vegna and not Það vegna?
Vegna is a preposition meaning "because of," and it requires the word attached to it to take the genitive (possessive) case. Þess is the genitive form of það (it/that). So, þess vegna literally translates to "because of that."
Could I say við erum inn instead of inni?
No. Icelandic uses different adverbs depending on whether you are talking about being in a location (stationary) or moving towards a location (motion). Inni means you are already located inside. Inn implies movement, like walking indoors. Since you are just staying inside, you must use inni.
Why is there a Það at the start of Það rignir?
Just like in English, Icelandic requires a subject for its sentences. When talking about the weather, nobody is actually doing the action of raining, so the language uses a "dummy" subject. Það (it) steps in to fill that empty subject spot.
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