Breakdown of Skemmtistaðurinn er lokaður í kvöld nema það sé einkasamkvæmi.
vera
to be
það
it / there (existential) / the one (n)
lokaður
closed
í
in / into / to (before the hour, in telling time) / per (in frequency expressions)
kvöldið
the evening
nema
except, unless
skemmtistaðurinn
the nightclub
einkasamkvæmið
the private party
Questions & Answers about Skemmtistaðurinn er lokaður í kvöld nema það sé einkasamkvæmi.
Why do we use sé instead of er in this sentence?
The conjunction nema (unless) introduces a hypothetical or uncertain condition, which requires the subjunctive mood. The word sé is the present subjunctive form of the verb vera (to be).
What is the literal breakdown of the word skemmtistaðurinn?
It is a compound word made of skemmti- (entertainment or fun) and staður (place), plus the masculine definite article -inn. Literally, it means the entertainment place.
Why does the word for closed, lokaður, end in -ur here?
It acts as an adjective and must agree with the noun it describes. Since skemmtistaðurinn is a masculine, singular noun in the nominative case, lokaður takes the matching masculine singular ending.
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