Breakdown of Það er flókið að læra málfræðina.
vera
to be
það
it / there (existential) / the one (n)
læra
to study
að
to (infinitive marker)
flókinn
complicated
málfræðin
the grammar
Questions & Answers about Það er flókið að læra málfræðina.
Why do we use Það at the start of this sentence?
Það acts as a placeholder or dummy subject. The real subject of the sentence is the entire phrase að læra málfræðina (to learn the grammar). Because that phrase is a bit long, Icelandic prefers to tuck it at the end of the sentence and put Það at the beginning, very similar to how we use 'It' in English for extraposition sentences.
Why is the adjective flókið instead of flókinn or flókin?
In this sentence structure, the adjective always agrees with the dummy subject Það, which is neuter. Therefore, we use the neuter singular form flókið. Even though the word málfræði (grammar) is feminine, the adjective is describing the whole action (the 'It'), not the grammar itself.
Could I change the word order and say Að læra málfræðina er flókið?
Yes, grammatically that is perfectly correct! However, just like in English, starting a sentence with a long infinitive phrase often sounds a bit formal, heavy, or poetic. Using the Það er... að... structure is much more natural and common for everyday conversation.
Why does málfræðina end in -na?
The base word is málfræði (grammar), which is a feminine noun. Because it is the direct object of the verb að læra, it must be in the accusative case. The accusative form of málfræði doesn't change from the nominative, but when we add the feminine accusative definite article (the suffix for 'the'), it becomes málfræðina.
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