Breakdown of Bóndinn setur plast yfir tréð svo að hann verndi viðkvæmu ræturnar.
hann
he
tréð
the tree
setja
to put
yfir
past / over, across
plastið
the plastic
bóndinn
the farmer
svo að
so that
vernda
to protect (generally) / to defend
viðkvæmur
delicate
rótin
the root
Questions & Answers about Bóndinn setur plast yfir tréð svo að hann verndi viðkvæmu ræturnar.
Why is verndi used instead of the regular present tense verndar?
Because it follows the conjunction svo að (so that) when expressing purpose. This specific meaning triggers the subjunctive mood in Icelandic. For the verb vernda (to protect), the third-person present subjunctive form is verndi.
Can I drop the að and just say svo hann verndi?
Yes, in spoken and casual Icelandic, people often shorten svo að to just svo. However, in careful writing or when you want to clearly express purpose ('in order to'), keeping svo að with the subjunctive is the standard grammatical rule.
Why does the preposition yfir take the accusative case (tréð) in this sentence?
Yfir (over) is one of those prepositions that changes case depending on motion. Because the farmer is actively moving the plastic onto a new destination (over the tree), it takes the accusative. If the plastic were already resting there without motion, yfir would take the dative case.
Why does the adjective viðkvæmur (delicate) become viðkvæmu here?
Because it describes a noun with the definite article attached (ræturnar, the roots). Whenever an adjective comes before a definite noun, it must use the weak declension. For an accusative plural feminine word, that weak ending is -u, giving us viðkvæmu.
Learn Bóndinn setur plast yfir tréð svo að hann verndi viðkvæmu ræturnar and more in Icelandic
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free