Breakdown of Það er fullyrt að forsætisráðherrann sé nýbúinn að samþykkja frumvarpið.
vera
to be
það
it / there (existential) / the one (n)
að
to (infinitive marker)
samþykkja
to accept
nýbúinn
just finished
fullyrða
to claim
forsætisráðherrann
the prime minister
frumvarpið
the bill (legislation)
Questions & Answers about Það er fullyrt að forsætisráðherrann sé nýbúinn að samþykkja frumvarpið.
Why is the neuter form fullyrt used here instead of agreeing with the prime minister or the bill?
This is the impersonal reporting passive taught in this lesson. The dummy subject það (it) is neuter singular, so the past participle fullyrt (claimed) must also be neuter singular. It sets up the clause without specifying who is making the claim.
Why is the subjunctive sé used instead of the indicative er?
The main verb fullyrða (to claim/assert) triggers the subjunctive mood in the að clause. Because this is reported speech, it adds a degree of distance or uncertainty to what is being claimed, so the indicative er becomes the subjunctive sé.
How does the phrase sé nýbúinn að samþykkja translate to "has just approved"?
Icelandic expresses "has just done something" by using the verb vera (here as sé) + nýbúinn (newly finished) + að + the infinitive verb. Because nýbúinn behaves like an adjective, it must agree with the subject. Here it is masculine, singular, and nominative to match forsætisráðherrann.
Why is frumvarpið (the bill) in the accusative case?
It is the direct object of the verb samþykkja (to approve). Even though the main clause is passive (Það er fullyrt), the subordinate clause is active, so the verb assigns its normal case to its object.
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