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Þau voru að fara á stefnumótið.

Þau voru að fara á stefnumótið.
They were going on the date.
From Lesson 175:Each other (hvor annar)·Icelandic

Questions & Answers about Þau voru að fara á stefnumótið.

Why does this sentence use the neuter pronoun þau for "they"?
In Icelandic, the neuter plural þau is always used when referring to a mixed-gender group. Since this sentence is about a couple going on a date, it assumes a man and a woman, making þau the correct choice. If it were two men, it would be þeir, and for two women, þær.
Why is it á stefnumótið (accusative) instead of á stefnumótinu (dative)?
The preposition á takes the accusative case when it describes movement towards a place or event, such as going to a date. If they were already at the date (indicating position rather than movement), á would take the dative case (á stefnumótinu).
Is voru að fara the exact equivalent of the English "were going"?
Yes! Icelandic uses the verb vera (to be) + að + an infinitive verb to show continuous ongoing action. Voru is the past tense plural of vera, so voru að fara translates perfectly to the past continuous "were going".
How does the word stefnumótið break down?
It is a compound word made from stefna (a direction, or to aim/summon) and mót (a meeting or gathering). Stefnumót is the standard Icelandic word for a romantic date, and the -ið at the end is the attached neuter definite article, meaning "the".

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