Breakdown of Þar sem hárgreiðslustofan er lokuð, læt ég pabba klippa mig.
vera
to be
ég
I
lokaður
closed
mig
me (acc)
pabbinn
the dad (informal)
láta
to let
þar sem
since
klippa
to cut (with scissors)
hárgreiðslustofan
the hair salon
Questions & Answers about Þar sem hárgreiðslustofan er lokuð, læt ég pabba klippa mig.
Does læt mean 'let' or 'make' in this sentence?
The verb láta is highly versatile and can mean 'to let', 'to make', or 'to have someone do something'. In this context, it usually means 'I am having dad cut my hair', though 'I am letting dad cut my hair' is grammatically identical. The context tells us whether it is permission or a request!
Why is pabba in the accusative case here?
This is the core rule of the causative construction you are learning. The verb láta requires the person being made or allowed to do the action to be in the accusative case. Since pabbi (dad) is a weak masculine noun, its accusative form is pabba.
Why are the verb and subject swapped as læt ég instead of ég læt?
Why is the word for closed spelled lokuð instead of lokað?
Adjectives must agree with the noun they describe. The word for hair salon, hárgreiðslustofa, is a feminine noun. Therefore, the adjective lokaður changes to its feminine singular form, which is lokuð.
How do the words þar sem translate to 'since'?
While þar means 'there' and sem usually means 'that' or 'which', when they are put together as þar sem at the start of a clause, they form a fixed phrase meaning 'since' or 'because'.
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