Breakdown of Samverkamaðurinn fylgist með húsasundinu.
húsasundið
the alley
samverkamaðurinn
the accomplice
fylgjast með
to keep an eye on
Questions & Answers about Samverkamaðurinn fylgist með húsasundinu.
Is fylgist a middle voice verb?
Yes! The active verb is fylgja (to follow). When you put it in the middle voice (ending in -st) and add the preposition með, you get the phrasal verb fylgjast með, which means to observe, monitor, or keep an eye on something.
Why is húsasundinu in the dative case here? Doesn't this lesson's topic use the accusative?
While perception verbs like sjá (see) and heyra (hear) take the accusative case, the action of observing here is expressed with the phrasal verb fylgjast með. The preposition með governs the dative case in this context, so the neuter noun húsasund (alley) becomes húsasundinu (the alley) in the dative definite.
How does samverkamaðurinn translate to "the accomplice"?
It is a compound word made of sam (together/co-) + verk (work/deed) + maður (man/person) + inn (the). Depending on the context, a samverkamaður can be a general collaborator or colleague, but in a crime or thriller context, it translates to an accomplice.
Can I use the "accusative + infinitive" construction with fylgjast með like I do with sjá?
No, you can't. Because fylgjast með requires the preposition með, it cannot take a direct accusative object followed by a bare infinitive. To express someone watching someone else do an action with this verb, you would typically use a subclause, such as fylgist með því þegar... (keeps an eye on it when...).
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