Breakdown of Mig vantar ilmandi krydd frá þessum kaupmanni.
ég
I
frá
from
þessi
this (m/f)
vanta
to need (to lack)
kaupmaðurinn
the merchant
ilma
to be fragrant
kryddið
the spice
Questions & Answers about Mig vantar ilmandi krydd frá þessum kaupmanni.
How does the adjective ilmandi decline to match the neuter noun krydd?
It actually doesn't decline at all! Ilmandi (fragrant) is a present participle formed from the verb ilma (to give off a scent). The great thing about present participles used as adjectives is that they never change their endings. They stay exactly the same regardless of the noun's gender, number, or case.
Why does the sentence begin with the accusative pronoun Mig instead of the nominative Ég?
This is because vanta (to need/lack) is an impersonal verb. Instead of a normal subject like ég, it requires the person who needs something to be in the accusative case (mig). Notice that the verb also stays locked in the third-person singular form (vantar).
Since vanta takes an accusative "subject", what case is the object (krydd) in?
The object is also in the accusative case! The verb vanta is a bit unusual because it requires the accusative for both the person who needs something (mig) and the thing that is needed (krydd).
Why do the words þessi kaupmaður change to þessum kaupmanni at the end of the sentence?
The preposition frá (from) always triggers the dative case. Therefore, both the demonstrative pronoun þessi (this) and the masculine noun kaupmaður (merchant) must change to their dative forms: þessum and kaupmanni.
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