Breakdown of Vill ráðherrann að sendiherrann komi á ráðstefnuna?
koma
to come
á
onto / on / in (static location) / on (a day of the week)
vilja
to want (to will, be willing)
að
that (conjunction)
ráðherrann
the minister
ráðstefnan
the conference
sendiherrann
the ambassador
Questions & Answers about Vill ráðherrann að sendiherrann komi á ráðstefnuna?
Why is the verb komi used here instead of the regular present tense kemur?
The sentence uses the structure vilja að (to want that). Because wanting something is a wish or desire rather than a stated fact, it triggers the subjunctive mood in the following clause. Therefore, the third-person singular of koma changes to its present subjunctive form, komi.
The English translation says 'want the ambassador to come'. Why doesn't Icelandic use the infinitive að koma?
Unlike English, Icelandic cannot use an infinitive to say you want someone else to do something. You must build a new clause starting with að (that) followed by a subject and a subjunctive verb. Literally, the sentence asks if the minister wants 'that the ambassador come' to the conference.
Why is ráðstefnuna in the accusative case rather than the dative?
The preposition á controls the accusative case when there is movement or a change of location (going to the conference). If the ambassador were already at the conference, there would be no movement, and á would take the dative case instead.
Both ráðherrann and sendiherrann share the same ending. How are these titles formed?
They are compound words ending in herra (master or gentleman), a common suffix for high-ranking officials. Ráð means council or advice, making ráðherra a government minister. Sendi relates to sending, making sendiherra an ambassador. The final -nn on both is the attached definite article meaning 'the'.
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