Breakdown of Hún byrjaði að æfa klettaklifur þrátt fyrir öll meiðslin.
hún
she
að
to (infinitive marker)
byrja
to start
allur
all / everything / everyone
æfa
to practice
þrátt fyrir
despite (+ Accusative)
klettaklifrið
the rock climbing
meiðslin
the injuries
Questions & Answers about Hún byrjaði að æfa klettaklifur þrátt fyrir öll meiðslin.
Why are öll meiðslin in the accusative case here?
The preposition phrase þrátt fyrir (despite) always requires the noun that follows it to be in the accusative case. Because of this, both the pronoun öll (all) and the noun meiðslin (the injuries) are in the accusative.
Since the translation says 'the injuries' (plural), why does meiðslin end in -in? Isn't that a feminine singular ending?
This is a common trap! While -in is the definite article for feminine singular words, it is also the definite article for neuter plural words in the nominative and accusative cases. The base word here is meiðsl (injuries), which is a neuter plural noun, so adding the definite article makes it meiðslin.
The English translation says 'started rock climbing', so why is að æfa included here?
Literally, byrjaði að æfa klettaklifur means 'started to practice rock climbing'. When talking about taking up a sport, hobby, or regular activity, Icelanders naturally use the verb æfa (to practice or train) rather than just saying they 'started' the activity itself.
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