Breakdown of Við skiljum ekki svona asnaleg uppátæki.
ekki
not
við
we
skilja
to understand
svona
so, like this
asnalegur
silly
uppátækið
the stunt
Questions & Answers about Við skiljum ekki svona asnaleg uppátæki.
Why doesn't the word svona have a plural or neuter ending to match uppátæki?
The word svona (meaning "such" or "like this") is an invariable determiner. This means it never changes its form, no matter the gender, number, or case of the noun it describes.
Does svona make the adjective asnaleg weak or strong?
It takes the strong form. Unlike pointing words such as þessi (this), invariable words like svona and þannig do not force the following adjective into the weak form. Because uppátæki is a neuter plural noun, asnaleg takes the standard strong neuter plural ending.
Why is the noun uppátæki in the accusative case here?
It is the direct object of the verb skilja (to understand), which always requires the accusative case. Neuter nouns that end in -i, like uppátæki, conveniently look exactly the same in both their nominative and accusative plural forms.
Could I use þannig instead of svona in this sentence?
Yes, you absolutely could. Við skiljum ekki þannig asnaleg uppátæki also translates to "We do not understand such silly stunts." Svona generally means "like this" (referring to something close or just mentioned), while þannig means "like that," but they are very often used interchangeably in contexts like this.
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