Breakdown of Lýsingin tefur verkefnið þó að við vinnum hratt.
við
we
vinna
to work (general labor, to do work)
verkefnið
the assignment
hratt
fast
þó að
although / even though
tefja
to delay
lýsingin
the lighting
Questions & Answers about Lýsingin tefur verkefnið þó að við vinnum hratt.
The lesson says þó að triggers the subjunctive mood, but vinnum looks like the regular present tense. Is it subjunctive?
Yes, it is! For the pronoun við, the present subjunctive form of vinna (við vinnum) happens to be identical to the regular present indicative. If the subject were hann (he), you would see a clear difference: þó að hann vinni hratt (subjunctive) versus hann vinnur hratt (indicative).
Can I use þótt instead of þó að here?
Absolutely. Þótt and þó að both mean although or even though and are completely interchangeable. You could say þótt við vinnum hratt and it would follow the exact same grammar rules.
Does lýsingin mean lighting like lamps, or does it mean a description?
In this context, it means the physical lighting or illumination. The base noun lýsing can also mean a description, but here the lack of good lighting is what is delaying the project.
Why is verkefnið in the accusative case?
It is the direct object of the verb tefja (to delay). The lighting is doing the delaying (nominative), and the project is being delayed (accusative). Because verkefni is a neuter noun, its accusative form looks exactly the same as its nominative form.
Learn Lýsingin tefur verkefnið þó að við vinnum hratt 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