Breakdown of Ég á eftir að fá undirskriftina.
ég
I
að
to (infinitive marker)
fá
to get
eftir
after / for (waiting for)
eiga eftir að
to have yet to (do something)
undirskriftin
the signature
Questions & Answers about Ég á eftir að fá undirskriftina.
How does "eiga eftir að" translate to "still have to" here?
The phrase eiga eftir að literally means "to have left to [do something]". So, ég á eftir að fá translates literally as "I have left to get". This is the standard way in Icelandic to express that an action is pending, unfinished, or still needs to be done.
Could I just say "Ég þarf að fá undirskriftina" instead?
Yes, but the meaning shifts slightly. Ég þarf að fá means "I need to get", focusing on the necessity of the action. Using ég á eftir að fá simply states that getting the signature is a task that hasn't been crossed off your to-do list yet.
Why is "undirskriftina" in the accusative case?
It is the direct object of the verb fá (to get/receive), which governs the accusative case. Undirskrift (signature) is a feminine noun, and when you add the definite article (the) in the accusative case, it becomes undirskriftina.
Is the word "undirskrift" a compound word?
Yes, and it translates very literally! It is made of undir (under) and skrift (writing/script). So a signature is literally an "under-writing".
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