Breakdown of Mig langar að biðja þig um að framreiða veitingarnar.
mig
me (acc)
langa
to want
að
to (infinitive marker)
þig
you (acc sg)
biðja
to ask for (biðja um)
framreiða
to serve
veitingarnar
the refreshments
Questions & Answers about Mig langar að biðja þig um að framreiða veitingarnar.
Why do we use um að before framreiða instead of just að?
This is the standard way to form an indirect command with biðja (to ask). While in English we say 'ask someone TO do something', Icelandic requires the preposition um. The structure is always biðja + the person asked (in accusative) + um að + infinitive verb.
Why does the sentence start with Mig instead of Ég?
The verb langa (to want/long for) is an impersonal verb. It requires the person experiencing the feeling to be in the accusative case. Therefore, the nominative ég becomes the accusative mig. Literally, it behaves a bit like 'It longs me'.
Why is it þig here instead of the dative þér?
The verb biðja takes an accusative object for the person being asked. Even though many verbs dealing with communication or giving take a dative object, biðja strictly requires the accusative. So, 'ask you' translates to biðja þig.
How do we break down the word veitingarnar?
It is the accusative, plural, definite form of the feminine noun veiting (refreshment/serving). It is in the accusative case because it is the direct object of the verb framreiða (to serve). The suffix -ar makes it plural, and the final -nar is the attached definite article meaning 'the'.
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