Breakdown of Sakborningurinn viðurkennir allt, en neitar því að hann hafi stolið peningunum.
hann
he
en
but
það
it / there (existential) / the one (n)
að
that (conjunction)
hafa
to have
allur
all / everything / everyone
peningurinn
the money
stela
to steal
sakborningurinn
the defendant
neita
to deny (a claim)
viðurkenna
to admit
Questions & Answers about Sakborningurinn viðurkennir allt, en neitar því að hann hafi stolið peningunum.
Why do we use the subjunctive hafi here instead of the indicative hefur?
The verb neita (to deny) introduces a statement of denial. In Icelandic, verbs expressing doubt, denial, or uncertainty require the following að clause to use the subjunctive mood. Therefore, að hann hafi stolið shows that the stealing is a disputed or denied claim.
Why is the perfect tense (hafi stolið) used here instead of a simple past subjunctive?
The main verb neitar is in the present tense. To show that the denied action happened before the present denial, Icelandic uses the perfect subjunctive. This is formed with the present subjunctive of hafa (hafi) plus the supine form of the main verb (stolið).
Why is there a því after neitar? Can we just say neitar að...?
The verb neita governs the dative case. When a verb that dictates a specific case is followed by an að clause, Icelandic requires a dummy pronoun in that case to bridge the gap. Here, því is the dative form of það (it), acting as a placeholder: the defendant literally denies 'it' that he stole the money.
Why is peningunum in the dative case?
The verb stela (to steal) always requires its object to be in the dative case. Even though the money is the direct thing being stolen, it must take the dative plural definite form peningunum rather than the accusative.
Learn Sakborningurinn viðurkennir allt, en neitar því að hann hafi stolið peningunum and more in Icelandic
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free