Breakdown of Það er samkeppnin sem er svo kröfuhörð.
vera
to be
það
it / there (existential) / the one (n)
sem
who / which / that
svo
so (to such a degree)
samkeppnin
the competition (rivalry, business)
kröfuharður
demanding
Questions & Answers about Það er samkeppnin sem er svo kröfuhörð.
How does the cleft structure change the meaning compared to just saying "Samkeppnin er svo kröfuhörð"?
By using the cleft structure Það er ... sem (It is ... that), you are placing strong emphasis on samkeppnin (the competition). It implies that it is specifically the competition that is demanding, as opposed to the job itself, the boss, or something else.
Why is the adjective kröfuhörð in the feminine form here?
Adjectives in a relative clause must still agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they describe. Here, kröfuhörð describes samkeppnin (the competition), which is a feminine noun. Even though they are separated by the relative pronoun sem, the agreement rules don't change.
The word kröfuhörð looks like a compound. What is it made of?
Yes, it is a compound word! It combines krafa (a demand or requirement) and the adjective harður (hard or tough). Literally meaning "demand-hard", it is the standard way to say "demanding" in Icelandic.
Why is the verb er used twice in this sentence?
The first er belongs to the main cleft structure Það er (It is). The second er is the verb for the relative clause starting with sem (that is). Because a cleft sentence splits a single idea into a main clause and a relative clause, you need a verb for both parts.
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