Breakdown of Við erum að skoða sólkerfið með sjónaukanum.
vera
to be
við
we
að
to (infinitive marker)
skoða
to look at
með
with
sólkerfið
the solar system
sjónaukinn
the telescope
Questions & Answers about Við erum að skoða sólkerfið með sjónaukanum.
How would we change this sentence to use munu for future certainty?
You would replace the present continuous erum að skoða (are looking) with the auxiliary verb munum (the við form of munu), followed directly by the infinitive skoða without að. It becomes: Við munum skoða sólkerfið með sjónaukanum. (We will [certainly] look at the solar system with the telescope.)
What is the breakdown of the word sólkerfið?
It is a compound noun made of sól (sun) and kerfi (system), plus the neuter definite article suffix -ð. Together it means "the solar system".
Why is sólkerfið in the accusative case?
The verb skoða (to look at, inspect, examine) takes a direct object in the accusative case. Because kerfi is a neuter noun, its accusative form looks exactly the same as its nominative (dictionary) form.
Why does the preposition með trigger the dative case here?
The preposition með governs the dative case when it indicates the instrument or tool used to perform an action (in this case, using a telescope to look). Með usually only takes the accusative when it means "carrying" or "bringing along".
How do we get the form sjónaukanum from the dictionary word sjónauki?
Sjónauki (telescope) is a weak masculine noun. In the dative case, its ending changes from -i to -a, making it sjónauka. Then, we attach the dative masculine definite article -num to say "with the telescope", resulting in sjónaukanum.
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