Breakdown of Þetta er frídagurinn hennar og hún fær að velja eftirréttinn.
þetta
this
vera
to be
og
and
hún
she
að
to (infinitive marker)
fá
to get
hennar
her / hers (genitive)
velja
to choose
frídagurinn
the day off
eftirrétturinn
the dessert
Questions & Answers about Þetta er frídagurinn hennar og hún fær að velja eftirréttinn.
How does fær að velja differ from just using a modal verb like má velja (may choose)?
The structure fá að + infinitive means to "get to" or "be allowed to" do something. While má implies direct permission (she may choose), fær að emphasizes receiving an opportunity or privilege, perfectly matching the English translation "she gets to choose." Here, fær is the third-person singular present form of fá.
Why is it frídagurinn hennar with the definite article ("the day off her") instead of hennar frídagur?
In Icelandic, the most natural and common way to show possession is to make the noun definite (adding -inn) and put the possessive pronoun after it. Saying hennar frídagur is grammatically correct but puts heavy emphasis on "her" and sounds a bit formal or dramatic for everyday speech.
Why does eftirréttinn end in -inn instead of -urinn?
The word is the direct object of the verb velja (to choose), so it must be in the accusative case. The dictionary form (nominative) is eftirréttur, which becomes eftirrétturinn with the definite article. However, in the accusative case, the masculine ending -ur is dropped, leaving eftirrétt. Adding the accusative definite article to that gives us eftirréttinn.
How is the compound word eftirréttur formed?
It is built from the preposition eftir (after) and the noun réttur (dish or course). It literally translates to the "after-course," which is exactly what a dessert is!
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