Breakdown of Ég á eftir að skrifa verkefnalistann.
ég
I
að
to (infinitive marker)
skrifa
to write
eftir
after / for (waiting for)
Questions & Answers about Ég á eftir að skrifa verkefnalistann.
How does á eftir að mean "still have to"?
The phrase eiga eftir að literally translates to "to own after to". It is a very common construction used to express that an action is pending or remains to be done. It translates naturally to "still have to", "have yet to", or "haven't yet" in English. Here, ég á eftir að skrifa means the action of writing is still pending for you.
Does eiga eftir að imply that I am forced to write the list, like an obligation?
Not necessarily. While it often translates to "still have to", it doesn't always carry the strong obligation of words like verða (must). It simply points out that the action is on your agenda but hasn't happened yet. It can just as easily mean "I haven't written the to-do list yet."
Let's break down verkefnalistann. What are the parts of this compound word?
It is made up of verkefni (task, assignment, or project) and listi (list). Notice that when combining them, the ending of verkefni drops its final vowel to connect to listi, forming verkefnalisti (to-do list or task list).
Why does verkefnalistann end in -nn here?
The -nn is the attached definite article, making it "the to-do list" rather than just "a to-do list". It is in the accusative case because it is the direct object of the verb skrifa (to write). For a masculine noun ending in a vowel like listi, the accusative definite ending is -nn.