Breakdown of Spákonan vonar að örlögin finni þig.
þú
you
finna
to find
að
that (conjunction)
vona
to hope
spákonan
the fortune teller
örlögin
the fate
Questions & Answers about Spákonan vonar að örlögin finni þig.
Why is the verb finni in the subjunctive mood here?
The main clause uses the verb vona (to hope). Verbs expressing hope, wishing, or uncertainty trigger the subjunctive mood in the following að (that) clause, because the action (fate finding you) is a desired outcome rather than an established fact.
finna is a strong verb. How did it get the present subjunctive form finni?
For strong verbs, the present subjunctive is formed by taking the stem of the infinitive (in this case, finn-) and adding the present subjunctive endings. Since the subject örlögin is plural, it takes the þau (they) ending, which is -i, resulting in finni.
Why does the Icelandic verb act like a plural when the English translation says "fate finds" (singular)?
How does the word spákonan break down?
It is a compound of spá (prophecy or forecast) and kona (woman), plus the definite article -n (the). You might also recognize the root spá from everyday words you learned earlier, like veðurspá (weather forecast).
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