Breakdown of Þú getur sporað sendinguna þaðan.
þú
you
geta
to be able to
sendingin
the shipment
spora
to track
þaðan
from there
Questions & Answers about Þú getur sporað sendinguna þaðan.
Why does this sentence use þaðan instead of just þar?
Þar means 'there' when referring to a stationary location (where something is). Þaðan specifically means 'from there' (origin). The -an suffix indicates motion or origin away from a place, which fits perfectly here.
Since the translation says 'from there', why isn't there a preposition like frá in the Icelandic sentence?
The meaning of 'from' is already built into the -an ending of þaðan. In Icelandic, directional adverbs of origin stand completely on their own. Adding a preposition like frá before þaðan would be redundant, like saying 'from from there'.
Why is the verb sporað used here instead of the infinitive spora?
Unlike English, where we say 'can track' using the infinitive, the Icelandic modal verb geta (can/be able to) must always be followed by the supine form of the main verb. The supine is identical to the neuter past participle, which is sporað for the verb spora.
Why does the word for the shipment, sendinguna, end in -una?
The base word is sending, which is a feminine noun. Because it is the direct object being tracked, it takes the accusative case. When you add the definite article ('the') to a feminine noun ending in -ing in the accusative case, the suffix becomes -una.
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