Breakdown of Gatan verður malbikuð bráðum.
bráðum
soon
verða
to become; will be
gatan
the street
malbika
to pave
Questions & Answers about Gatan verður malbikuð bráðum.
Why do we use verður here instead of er?
We use verður (from verða) to form the dynamic passive voice, which focuses on an action or a change that will happen. If we used er (Gatan er malbikuð), it would mean the street is already paved (a state). Because the paving is happening bráðum (soon), we need verður to show the future change.
Why is the past participle malbikuð instead of the default malbikað?
In the Icelandic passive voice, the past participle must agree with the subject in gender, number, and case. The subject here is gatan (the street), which is a feminine, singular noun in the nominative case. Therefore, the participle changes to the feminine singular nominative form, malbikuð.
How can I easily remember the verb malbika (to pave)?
It helps to look at its parts! It is a compound word made of möl (gravel) and bik (pitch or tar). So to malbika literally means to apply gravel and tar.
Could bráðum (soon) go somewhere else in the sentence?
Yes, you can also say Gatan verður bráðum malbikuð. Both word orders are completely natural. Placing bráðum at the very end just puts a tiny bit more emphasis on the fact that it is happening soon.
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