Breakdown of Með hverju vilt þú laga skömmina?
þú
you
hvað
what
vilja
to want (to will, be willing)
laga
to fix
með
with
skömmin
the shame
Questions & Answers about Með hverju vilt þú laga skömmina?
Why is the question word hverju instead of hvað for 'what'?
The preposition með dictates the case of the word that follows it. In this sentence, it requires the dative case. Hverju is the dative neuter form of the interrogative pronoun hvað (what).
How do we know með should take the dative case here instead of the accusative?
The preposition með can take either the accusative or the dative case. When it means 'bringing' or 'carrying', it takes the accusative. However, when it implies 'by means of' or using something as an instrument (like asking 'what tool will you use to fix the shame?'), it takes the dative case.
Why is the subject þú placed after the verb vilt?
Icelandic is a 'verb-second' language, meaning the main verb is usually the second element in a clause. Because the question phrase Með hverju takes up the first slot, the verb vilt must come second, pushing the subject þú right after it.
What is the base form of skömmina, and why does it have this ending?
The base word is skömm, a feminine noun meaning 'shame'. It acts as the direct object of the verb laga (to fix), putting it in the accusative case. For feminine nouns, the accusative singular definite article (meaning 'the') is -ina, which attaches to the end to form skömmina.
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