Breakdown of Komdu sæll, nýtur þú þess?
þú
you
komdu sæll
hello (greeting a man)
sá
that (sá, sú, það; þann)
njóta
to enjoy
Questions & Answers about Komdu sæll, nýtur þú þess?
Why is the word for "that" in the genitive case (þess) here?
The verb njóta (to enjoy) always forces the thing being enjoyed into the genitive case. þess is the genitive neuter form of the pronoun það (it/that). So instead of saying you enjoy "it", in Icelandic grammar you essentially say you enjoy "of it".
How does þess relate to the demonstrative pronoun sá?
The words sá (masculine), sú (feminine), and það (neuter) are the base forms of this pronoun. þess is the genitive case for both the masculine (sá) and the neuter (það). In this sentence, it is neuter because it refers to a general action, thing, or situation ("that").
I see Komdu sæll translated as "Hello", but what does it literally mean?
It literally means "come blessed" or "come happy". It is a very common, warm greeting. Notice that sæll is masculine, which means the speaker is talking to a man. If you were greeting a woman, you would say Komdu sæl.
Why does the verb njóta change to nýtur?