Question 1

Why does the word for 'because' consist of three words (af því að)?

Accepted Answer

Af því að is a fixed phrase that literally translates to 'from that that' or 'due to the fact that.' The preposition af always triggers the dative case, forcing the pronoun það (it/that) into its dative form, því. The particle að then connects it to the rest of the clause. Together, they function as a single conjunction meaning 'because.'

Question 2

Since this lesson is about það acting as a dummy subject, is því doing the same thing here?

Accepted Answer

Not quite. In a dummy subject sentence like Það er mikilvægt að glósa (It is important to take notes), það is purely a placeholder for the delayed action. In af því að, the word því is actually a real pronoun standing in for the entire reason that follows. It is pointing directly to the fact that you remembered nothing.

Question 3

The past tense here is mundi. Is this from the same verb as the helper verb mun (will)?

Accepted Answer

No, but they look very similar and trip up many learners! This is from the verb muna (to remember). Its present tense is ég man and its past tense is ég mundi. The helper verb munu (will) has the present tense ég mun and the past/conditional form ég myndi. Be careful not to mix up mundi (remembered) and myndi (would).

Question 4

Could I use ekki instead of ekkert at the end of the sentence?

Accepted Answer

You could, but it changes the nuance. Ekki means 'not,' whereas ekkert means 'nothing.' If you say ég mundi ekki, you are simply negating the verb: 'I didn't remember' (which usually implies a specific thing you forgot). Saying ég mundi ekkert is much stronger and means 'I remembered absolutely nothing.'

Ég þurfti að glósa af því að ég mundi ekkert.

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