Breakdown of Hann labbar út án þess að kveðja.
hann
he
labba
to walk (informal)
út
out (motion outwards)
kveðja
to say goodbye to (+ Accusative)
Questions & Answers about Hann labbar út án þess að kveðja.
Why is it án þess að and not just án að?
The preposition án means without and always requires its object to be in the genitive case. Because you cannot put an action verb directly into a noun case, you must insert the dummy pronoun það in its genitive form, which is þess. It literally translates to without of it to say goodbye.
Is labbar the standard word for walks? I previously learned ganga.
Labba is a very common, everyday word for walking, but it is much more casual and relaxed than ganga. You will hear labba constantly in spoken Icelandic for casual strolling, while ganga is slightly more formal or implies a faster, more purposeful pace.
Why do we use út here instead of úti?
Út implies active motion or direction going out, which matches the movement of the verb. Úti describes a static location, meaning you are already outside. Since he is moving from the inside to the outside, you must use the directional word út.
What form is the verb kveðja in, and why?
It is in the infinitive form, which is the basic dictionary form. Just as English uses the -ing form after without (without saying), the Icelandic phrase án þess að is always followed by the infinitive form of the verb.