Breakdown of Við myndum fela fjársjóðinn í kistunni.
við
we
í
in / into / to (before the hour, in telling time) / per (in frequency expressions)
fela
to hide
myndi
would (singular)
fjársjóðurinn
the treasure
kistan
the chest
Questions & Answers about Við myndum fela fjársjóðinn í kistunni.
Why do we use myndum here, and what verb does it come from?
myndum is the first-person plural form of the auxiliary verb munu. To express the conditional 'would' in a main clause, Icelandic uses the past subjunctive forms of munu (like myndi, myndir, myndum) followed directly by an infinitive verb, which in this sentence is fela (to hide).
Why is fjársjóðinn in the accusative case?
It is the direct object of the verb fela (to hide). The thing being hidden takes the accusative case. The base masculine noun is fjársjóður, and when you add the definite article to say 'the treasure' in the accusative, it becomes fjársjóðinn.
What words make up the compound noun fjársjóður?
It is formed from fjár (the genitive form of fé, meaning money, wealth, or even sheep) and sjóður (meaning fund or hoard). Together they create the word for treasure.
Why does the preposition í take the dative case for kistunni here?
The preposition í (in) governs the dative case when it describes a stationary location, like hiding something so it rests inside the chest. If the action implied movement directed into the chest from outside, í would take the accusative case instead. The base feminine noun kista (chest) becomes kistunni in the dative definite form.
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