Breakdown of Sérhver staðall er strangur ef varan fer í útflutning.
vera
to be
fara
to go
í
in / into / to (before the hour, in telling time) / per (in frequency expressions)
strangur
strict
ef
if
varan
the product
sérhver
every single
staðallinn
the standard
útflutningurinn
the export
Questions & Answers about Sérhver staðall er strangur ef varan fer í útflutning.
Why is sérhver used here instead of allir (all)?
Sérhver translates to 'every single' and is used to emphasize individuals within a group. It takes a singular noun, so sérhver staðall emphasizes that each individual standard is strict, rather than grouping them together as allir staðlar (all standards).
What case is sérhver in here, and how does it decline?
It is in the nominative masculine singular to agree with staðall, which is the subject of the sentence. Sérhver is declined just like the pronoun hver (each/who), with the uninflected prefix sér- firmly attached to the front of it.
Why is the noun staðall in the indefinite form after sérhver?
In Icelandic, sérhver must always be followed by a noun in the indefinite form. Even though we are talking about a specific concept, it is grammatically incorrect to attach the definite article and say sérhver staðallinn.
Why does the preposition í take the accusative case for útflutning (export) instead of the dative?
The preposition í takes the accusative case when it indicates motion or a change of state. Because the product is moving into an export state (fer í), it triggers the accusative. If it were a stationary fact with no movement involved, it would take the dative.
Does the word ef (if) require the subjunctive mood here?
No, because this sentence describes a general, factual condition. Since it states a real-world rule rather than a hypothetical or unlikely situation, the verb fara stays in the normal indicative mood as fer.
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