Questions & Answers about Kerfið er lokað núna.
Wait, doesn't the verb loka take a dative object? Why is kerfið in the nominative here instead of the dative?
You are exactly right that the action verb loka (to close) takes the dative. However, in this sentence, lokað is functioning as an adjective describing a state ("is closed"), not as a passive action ("is being closed"). When describing a state of being with vera, the subject stays in the nominative case.
How does this contrast with the dative passive taught in this lesson?
If we used the dative passive, the sentence would be Kerfinu er lokað núna. That changes the meaning from a static condition to an action: "The system is being closed right now" (by someone). This sentence is likely included in the lesson to help you contrast the two concepts: the nominative state vs. the dative passive action.
Does lokað change form if we switch between the nominative state and the dative passive?
For a neuter noun like kerfi, no. The nominative neuter singular form of the participle is lokað, and the fixed default form used for all dative passives is also lokað. You can only tell the grammar apart by looking at the noun's case (kerfið vs. kerfinu). If the subject were masculine, like glugginn (the window), you would clearly see the difference: Glugginn er lokaður (nominative state) vs. Glugganum er lokað (dative passive action).
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