Breakdown of Vinnustaðurinn skal tryggja að allur öryggisbúnaðurinn sé tilbúinn.
vera
to be
að
that (conjunction)
allur
all / everything / everyone
tilbúinn
ready
skulu
to shall / to promise to
vinnustaðurinn
the workplace
tryggja
to ensure
öryggisbúnaðurinn
the safety equipment
Questions & Answers about Vinnustaðurinn skal tryggja að allur öryggisbúnaðurinn sé tilbúinn.
How does skal tryggja act as a command here instead of the imperative form?
Using skulu (here in the 3rd person singular skal) plus the bare infinitive tryggja is the standard way to express formal written commands or obligations in Icelandic. You will see this constantly in rules, contracts, and laws, where in English we would write 'shall'.
Why do we use the subjunctive sé rather than the indicative er in the second half of the sentence?
The verb tryggja (to ensure) expresses an intention, goal, or requirement rather than a simple statement of fact. In Icelandic, stating that someone must ensure a condition is met triggers the subjunctive mood (sé) in the following að clause.
Why does allur pair with the definite noun öryggisbúnaðurinn?
To say 'all the [something]' in Icelandic, you use the adjective allur (inflected to match the noun) followed by the noun with the definite article attached. Since öryggisbúnaður is a masculine singular noun, it takes the masculine singular form allur and the definite suffix -inn.
What is the makeup of the compound word öryggisbúnaðurinn?
It is made of öryggi (safety) and búnaður (equipment or gear). When joining nouns like this, the first word often takes the genitive (possessive) form, adding the -s to become öryggis-. Finally, the definite article -inn is attached to the end.
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