Breakdown of Hversu hratt versnar sjónin?
hratt
fast
hversu
how (to what degree)
sjónin
the eyesight
versna
to worsen
Questions & Answers about Hversu hratt versnar sjónin?
Why do we use Hversu here instead of Hvernig?
While hvernig translates to 'how', it is used to ask 'in what way' or 'by what means'. When you want to ask about the degree of an adjective or adverb, like 'how fast' or 'how old', you must use hversu or hvað followed by that descriptive word.
Can I use Hvað instead of Hversu in this sentence?
Yes, you can absolutely say Hvað hratt versnar sjónin? Both mean 'how quickly', but hversu is a bit more formal and common in written Icelandic, while hvað is very frequently used in everyday spoken conversations.
Why is the word for 'fast' written as hratt here rather than hraður?
Because it is acting as an adverb describing how the eyesight worsens. To turn the adjective hraður (fast) into the adverb 'fast' or 'quickly', you use its neuter singular form, which is hratt.
Is the verb versnar related to the word for 'worse'?
Exactly. It is related to verri (worse). In Icelandic, verbs ending in -na often describe a change of state, meaning 'to become [adjective]'. So að versna literally means 'to become worse' or 'to deteriorate'.
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