Breakdown of Getur þú gert mér greiða núna?
þú
you
núna
now
gera
to do / to make (something) + adjective
mér
me (dative)
Questions & Answers about Getur þú gert mér greiða núna?
Why is mér in the dative case here when the main object is greiða?
This is the dative of advantage. The action of doing a favor is being done for the benefit of someone. While the verb gera takes an accusative object for the thing being done (greiða), the person benefiting from the action takes the dative (mér).
Why is the verb gert used instead of the infinitive gera?
The auxiliary verb geta (can, to be able to) is special in Icelandic because it is always followed by the supine form of the main verb, not the infinitive. The supine is identical to the neuter singular past participle, which is why we use gert.
What case is greiða in?
It is in the accusative case because it is the direct object of the verb gera (the thing being done). The base form is the weak masculine noun greiði, which becomes greiða in the accusative, dative, and genitive singular.
Could I use nú instead of núna at the end of this sentence?
Yes, but núna is much more natural here. Núna refers to this exact moment in time, which fits a direct, immediate request. Nú is often used for a broader timeframe or as a filler word, similar to the English well or now then.