Breakdown of Starfsmenn skulu rýma vinnusvæðið samstundis.
starfsmaðurinn
the employee
rýma
to evacuate
skulu
to shall / to promise to
samstundis
immediately
vinnusvæðið
the work area
Questions & Answers about Starfsmenn skulu rýma vinnusvæðið samstundis.
Why is skulu used here instead of the regular imperative rýmið?
Using the verb skulu followed by a bare infinitive like rýma is the standard way to express formal, written rules or commands in Icelandic. You will see this structure constantly in employee handbooks, contracts, and legal texts, where a direct imperative would sound too conversational.
Why isn't there an að before the infinitive rýma?
The modal verb skulu always takes a bare infinitive, meaning it drops the infinitive marker að. This works exactly like English, where we say 'shall evacuate' instead of 'shall to evacuate.'
Why does the adverb samstundis end in an -s?
The word is built from söm (same) and stund (moment). The -s ending is an old genitive case suffix that is often used in Icelandic to turn a noun phrase into an adverb. Here, it literally translates to 'of the same moment,' giving it the meaning 'immediately.'
What case is vinnusvæðið and why?
It is in the accusative case because it is the direct object of the verb rýma (to clear or evacuate). The word is a compound of vinna (work) and svæði (area), and since svæði is a neuter noun, its accusative definite form simply adds the article -ið.
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