Breakdown of Ég þekki náungann sem býr þarna.
ég
I
þekkja
to know
þarna
over there (pointing)
búa
to live (in a place), to dwell
sem
who / which / that
náunginn
the fellow, the guy
Questions & Answers about Ég þekki náungann sem býr þarna.
Why is 'know' translated as þekki here, rather than veit?
In Icelandic, you use þekkja when you are talking about knowing a person, a place, or being familiar with something. You use vita for knowing facts or information. Since you know a person in this sentence, þekkja is the right choice.
What is the base form of náungann and why does it have this ending?
The base word is náungi, a masculine noun meaning 'fellow' or 'guy'. It is in the accusative case here because it is the direct object of the verb þekkja. The accusative form of this weak noun is náunga, and adding the attached definite article makes it náungann.
Does the word sem change depending on who it refers to?
No, sem is an invariable relative pronoun, meaning it stays exactly the same no matter the gender, number, or case of the noun it refers to. It works just like 'who', 'which', or 'that' in English.
What is the difference between þarna and þar, since both mean 'there'?
While both translate to 'there', þarna is used when you are pointing something out or when the place is physically visible to you and the listener. Þar is more general and is usually used for places that are out of sight or just being discussed abstractly.
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