Breakdown of Bóndinn heldur áfram að rækta kornið á akrinum.
að
to (infinitive marker)
á
onto / on / in (static location) / on (a day of the week)
halda áfram
to continue, keep going (halda áfram)
bóndinn
the farmer
rækta
to breed / to grow, cultivate (crops)
akurinn
the field
kornið
the grain
Questions & Answers about Bóndinn heldur áfram að rækta kornið á akrinum.
How does the phrase heldur áfram að work in this sentence?
The verb halda normally means 'to hold' or 'to think'. But when combined with the adverb áfram (forward or onward), it forms the phrasal verb halda áfram meaning 'to continue'. Add the infinitive marker að plus an infinitive verb (like rækta) to express the continuative aspect, meaning someone 'keeps doing' or 'continues to do' an action.
Why does the verb rækta (to grow) use the accusative case for kornið?
Rækta is a transitive verb that requires the accusative case for the object being cultivated. Because korn (grain) is a neuter noun, its definite accusative form, kornið, looks exactly the same as its nominative form.
Why is the word for 'field' written as akrinum instead of akurinum?
The base word is the masculine noun akur (a cultivated field). The preposition á triggers the dative case here because it describes a fixed location where the action happens. When akur takes the dative endings, it drops the second 'u' (a common vowel drop in Icelandic), making the definite dative form akrinum.
Can I use akur for any kind of field, like a grassy meadow?
No, akur specifically refers to an agricultural field used for growing crops, like grain or potatoes. For a natural grassy meadow or a pasture for animals, you would use words like engi or tún.
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