Breakdown of Lesum fundargerðina saman.
saman
together / on end (after a dative plural time noun)
lesa
to read
fundargerðin
the meeting minutes
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Questions & Answers about Lesum fundargerðina saman.
How do we know Lesum means 'Let's read' instead of just 'We read'?
It is all about the word order! When an Icelandic sentence starts with a verb in the 'we' form (first person plural), it acts as a suggestion or command meaning 'Let's...'. If it were a regular statement, the subject would come first, as in Við lesum (We read).
Could I use við skulum instead to say 'Let's read' here?
Yes, absolutely! You could say Við skulum lesa fundargerðina saman. Both ways are extremely common, though using just the verb first (Lesum) can sometimes sound a bit more direct or energetic.
How is the long word fundargerðina built?
It is a compound word made of fundar (the genitive or possessive form of fundur, meaning 'meeting') and gerðina (the definite accusative form of gerð, meaning 'making' or 'document'). Literally, it means 'the meeting-document', which is how you say 'meeting minutes'.
Why does this sentence use fundargerðina rather than fundargerðin?
The verb lesa (to read) requires the thing being read to be in the accusative case. Because gerð is a feminine noun, its attached definite article changes from -in in the nominative to -ina in the accusative, giving us fundargerðina.