Breakdown of Núna eru þeir að skoða rauðu kúluna.
vera
to be
þeir
they (m)
núna
now
að
to (infinitive marker)
skoða
to look at
rauður
red
kúlan
the sphere
Questions & Answers about Núna eru þeir að skoða rauðu kúluna.
Why is the word order eru þeir instead of þeir eru?
This is due to the V2 (verb-second) rule. In Icelandic, the main verb must usually be the second element in a sentence. Because this sentence starts with the time adverb Núna (now), the verb eru has to come next, pushing the subject þeir (they) into the third spot.
Why is the adjective rauðu instead of a basic form like rauður or rauð?
When an adjective describes a definite noun (a noun with the article "the" attached, like kúluna), it must use its "weak" declension. Kúla is a feminine noun, and for a feminine noun in the accusative case, the weak form of the adjective is rauðu.
What case is kúluna in, and what triggers it?
It is in the accusative case. The verb skoða (to look at, to examine) requires its object to be in the accusative. The base word is kúla (a sphere or ball), which stays kúlu in the accusative, and adding the feminine accusative definite article -na gives us kúluna.
Could I just say Núna skoða þeir... instead of using eru... að skoða?
Yes, you could, but using the vera að + infinitive structure (the continuous form) specifically emphasizes that the action is ongoing right at this exact moment. Combined with Núna (now), eru þeir að skoða is the most natural way to say they "are looking" at it right now.
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