Breakdown of Hann sagði að draugurinn væri uppi á þakinu.
vera
to be
hann
he
á
onto / on / in (static location) / on (a day of the week)
að
that (conjunction)
segja
to say
uppi
upstairs / up (location)
þakið
the roof
draugurinn
the ghost
Questions & Answers about Hann sagði að draugurinn væri uppi á þakinu.
Why use væri instead of var (was) in this sentence?
This is the core of reported speech! Because we are reporting what he said, rather than stating a concrete fact ourselves, we use the subjunctive mood. Using the past subjunctive væri shows subjectivity or hearsay. It means he claimed the ghost was there, but we aren't confirming it as an absolute fact.
Why is væri in the past tense here instead of the present subjunctive (sé)?
In Icelandic reported speech, the tense in the reported clause (the að part) usually agrees with the main verb. Because the main verb sagði (said) is in the past tense, the reported verb must shift to the past subjunctive (væri) rather than the present subjunctive (sé).
Why do we need both uppi and á? Couldn't we just say á þakinu?
You could just say á þakinu (on the roof), but Icelandic frequently pairs directional adverbs with prepositions to be more descriptive. Uppi refers to being up in a stationary position, so uppi á þakinu specifically means up on the roof. It paints a clearer picture of the location.
Why is þakinu (the roof) in the dative case?
The preposition á governs the dative case when it describes a stationary location, answering the question where. Because the ghost is already located on the roof, not actively moving onto it, þakið (the roof) becomes dative: þakinu. If the ghost were flying onto the roof, it would take the accusative form: upp á þakið.
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