Breakdown of Það eru þrjú skjöl og tvö þar af eru mikilvæg fyrir heildina.
vera
to be
og
and
það
it / there (existential) / the one (n)
tveir
two
þrír
three
mikilvægur
important
fyrir
for (fyrir þig)
skjalið
the document
þar af
thereof
heildin
the entirety
Questions & Answers about Það eru þrjú skjöl og tvö þar af eru mikilvæg fyrir heildina.
What exactly does þar af mean here, and how is it different from saying af þeim?
Þar af translates to 'thereof' or 'of those'. It is a pronominal adverb formed by combining þar (there) and af (of). In written or formal Icelandic, these compound words are often used to replace a preposition and a pronoun. You would typically hear og tvö af þeim in casual spoken Icelandic, but using og tvö þar af elevates the register and is very common in written texts.
Why do we use the plural verb eru right after the singular pronoun Það?
In this sentence, Það acts as a placeholder or dummy subject, much like 'there' in the English phrase 'there are'. The actual grammatical subject is þrjú skjöl (three documents). In Icelandic, the verb must agree in number with the true subject, which is why the plural eru is used instead of the singular er.
Why do we use the neuter forms tvö and mikilvæg in the second half of the sentence?
Even though the noun is not repeated, both words must agree with the implied noun skjöl (documents), which is neuter. Therefore, the number two takes the neuter form tvö (rather than masculine tveir or feminine tvær), and the adjective mikilvægur takes its strong neuter plural form, mikilvæg.
Why is heildina in the accusative case after the preposition fyrir?
The preposition fyrir governs either the accusative or the dative case depending on its meaning. When it translates to 'for' in the sense of benefit, purpose, or relevance (such as being important for the entirety), it requires the accusative case. Heildina is the accusative form of the feminine noun heild with the definite article attached.
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