Questions & Answers about Ég meina það sem ég segi.
Why does the sentence use það sem instead of hvað for the word 'what'?
In Icelandic, you only use hvað for actual questions. When 'what' connects two parts of a sentence and means 'the thing that' or 'that which', you must use það sem. Literally, this sentence says 'I mean that which I say.'
Can I use meina to ask what an Icelandic word means?
No. The verb meina is only used for a person's intentions, thoughts, or opinions. If you want to ask what a vocabulary word means, you must use the verb þýða (which also means 'to translate').
Why does the verb segja become segi here?
The infinitive is segja (to say). When used with ég (I), the 'j' is dropped, making it ég segi. It is a very common verb, and it is good to remember that it continues as þú segir and hann/hún segir.
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