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Minnið er óskýrt. Hvað er að gerast?

Minnið er óskýrt. Hvað er að gerast?
The memory is blurry. What is happening?
From Lesson 298:Accusative subjects of memory (mig minnir)·Icelandic

Questions & Answers about Minnið er óskýrt. Hvað er að gerast?

I thought this lesson was about the verb "minna" (to recall). Is "minnið" a form of that verb?
No, minnið is actually a noun here! While the verb minna is used in quirky subject phrases like mig minnir (I recall), minnið in this sentence is the neuter noun minni (memory) with the definite article -ð attached. It simply means "the memory".
Why does "óskýrt" end in a "-t" and how does the word break down?
It ends in -t because it has to agree with minnið, which is a neuter noun. The base adjective is skýr (clear), and adding the prefix ó- (un- / not) makes it óskýr (unclear or blurry). With the neuter ending, it becomes óskýrt.
Why is it "gerast" instead of just "gera"?
The -st ending is the middle voice marker. While the active verb gera means "to do" or "to make", the middle voice gerast means "to happen". It shifts the focus from someone doing an action to an event simply occurring.
Is "er að gerast" the standard way to say that something is happening right now?
Yes! This uses the continuous present tense structure: the verb vera (to be) + að + the infinitive verb. Hvað er að gerast? is the standard equivalent of the English "What is happening?".

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