Question 1

How does the fá + past participle structure work in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

This structure is used to express having something done by someone else. The verb fá (here in the past tense plural, fengu) is followed by the object receiving the action (gömlu sófana), and finally the past participle of the main action verb (bólstraða).

Question 2

Why does the past participle bólstraða end in -a?

Accepted Answer

In this causative construction, the past participle acts like an adjective and must agree with the object it describes in gender, number, and case. Because sófana (the sofas) is masculine, plural, and in the accusative case, the dictionary form bólstraður (upholstered) changes to its masculine accusative plural form, bólstraða.

Question 3

Why is the adjective for old written as gömlu?

Accepted Answer

When an adjective comes before a noun that has a definite article attached to the end (like sófana, meaning the sofas), it must use the weak declension. For all plural nouns in all genders and cases, the weak adjective ending is simply -u. Therefore, the root word gamall becomes gömlu.

Question 4

What triggers the accusative case for the phrase gömlu sófana?

Accepted Answer

The verb fá takes the accusative case for its direct object. Since the sofas are what the subjects are getting upholstered, the whole noun phrase (along with its agreeing participle) must be placed in the accusative case.

Question 5

Why use Þau for they here instead of þeir or þær?

Accepted Answer

Þau is the neuter plural pronoun. In Icelandic, you use the neuter plural for they when referring to a mixed group of people containing both men and women, or when the genders are unknown. If the group were entirely male, you would use þeir, and if entirely female, þær.

Þau fengu gömlu sófana bólstraða.

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