Question 1

Why does the sentence start with Mig vantar instead of Ég vanta?

Accepted Answer

The verb vanta (to need or lack) is an impersonal verb. It requires the person who needs something to be in the accusative case (mig). The thing that is needed is also in the accusative case (nýja vörulistann).

Question 2

Why is the adjective form nýja used here instead of nýjan?

Accepted Answer

Because the noun it describes (vörulistann) has the definite article attached to it (the -nn at the end). When a noun is definite, the adjective modifying it must take the weak form. For a masculine accusative noun, the weak form of nýr is nýja. If the noun were indefinite (a new catalog), you would use the strong form: nýjan vörulista.

Question 3

The current lesson is about using á + dative for completion time. Why don't we use á for the time expression here?

Accepted Answer

The phrase það tekur tíma translates to "it takes time." Here, tíma is simply the direct object of the verb að taka (to take). You only use á + dative when stating the specific duration it takes to complete a task, such as saying "I prepared it in an hour" (ég útbjó hann á einum klukkutíma).

Question 4

Why does the sentence end with hann (him) if we are talking about a catalog?

Accepted Answer

In Icelandic, pronouns must match the grammatical gender of the noun they replace, even for inanimate objects. Vörulisti (catalog) is a masculine noun, so you must use the masculine accusative pronoun hann to refer back to it.

Mig vantar nýja vörulistann, en það tekur tíma að útbúa hann.

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