Breakdown of Það synda tveir selir í tjörninni.
það
it / there (existential) / the one (n)
í
in / into / to (before the hour, in telling time) / per (in frequency expressions)
tveir
two
synda
to swim
Questions & Answers about Það synda tveir selir í tjörninni.
Why does this sentence start with Það instead of just saying Tveir selir synda...?
Using the dummy subject Það is common in Icelandic when introducing new, indefinite information. If you say Tveir selir synda í tjörninni, it sounds a bit like you are talking about two specific seals we have already discussed. Starting with Það gives the meaning of 'There are two seals swimming in the pond.'
If Það is a singular word, why is the verb synda in the plural form?
In sentences that use an existential Það, the verb does not agree with the dummy word Það. Instead, it agrees with the real (or logical) subject of the sentence. Since tveir selir (two seals) is plural, the verb must be the plural synda.
How does the V2 (verb-second) rule work in this sentence?
The V2 rule says the main verb must be the second element in a standard statement. Here, the dummy subject Það sits in the first position simply to keep the verb synda in the second position. The real subject, tveir selir, is then pushed to the third position right after the verb.
Why is tjörninni in the dative case here?
The preposition í takes the dative case when it describes a static location where something is happening. Because the seals are swimming around inside the pond, rather than traveling into it from the outside, the word takes its dative definite form: tjörn plus the article suffix -inni becomes tjörninni.