Breakdown of Ég prófaði nýju leikjatölvuna. Ég get ekki fundið stýripinnann þó.
ég
I
nýr
new
ekki
not
finna
to find
prófa
to try
geta
to be able to
þó
though, nevertheless
leikjatölvan
the game console
stýripinninn
the controller
Questions & Answers about Ég prófaði nýju leikjatölvuna. Ég get ekki fundið stýripinnann þó.
Wait, is it grammatically correct to put þó at the very end of the sentence like this?
In formal, written Icelandic, no. Traditionally, þó is used as a conjunction (usually þó að meaning "although") at the start of a clause, or as an adverb earlier in the sentence. However, placing þó at the very end to mean "though" is extremely common in modern colloquial Icelandic, heavily influenced by spoken English. You will hear it constantly in casual speech, but you should avoid it in formal writing.
Why does this sentence use fundið instead of the infinitive finna after get?
The verb geta (can / to be able to) is unique among Icelandic auxiliary verbs. While other modals like vilja (want) or ætla (intend) take the infinitive form of the main verb, geta always requires the supine form (which looks identical to the neuter singular past participle). That is why we use fundið (supine) rather than finna (infinitive).
Why is the adjective nýju used here instead of nýja?
Because the noun it modifies, leikjatölvuna (the game console), is definite (it has the "the" suffix attached). When an adjective comes before a definite noun, it must take the weak declension. For a feminine accusative singular noun like this one, the weak form of nýr (new) is nýju.
How does the word stýripinnann break down to mean "controller"?
It is a compound of stýri (steering, or a steering wheel) and pinni (pin or peg). A stýripinni is literally a "steering pin", which is the standard Icelandic word for a joystick or a video game controller. Here it is in the accusative definite form, stýripinnann, because it is the direct object of the sentence.
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