Breakdown of Við vonumst til að bjargast vel í nýju borginni.
nýr
new
við
we
vel
well
að
to (infinitive marker)
í
in / into / to (before the hour, in telling time) / per (in frequency expressions)
borgin
the city (f)
til
to
vonast
to hope
bjargast
to get by
Questions & Answers about Við vonumst til að bjargast vel í nýju borginni.
Why do we use vonumst here instead of the active verb vonum?
While both vona and vonast mean to hope, they are used differently. The active verb vona is typically followed directly by an að clause. The middle-voice form vonast, however, strongly prefers pairing with the preposition til, as seen here with vonast til að.
How does the -st suffix change the meaning of bjargast compared to its active counterpart?
The active verb bjarga means to save or rescue. By adding the -st suffix to make bjargast, it translates literally as to be saved, but idiomatically it functions as a deponent verb meaning to manage, to cope, or to get by.
Is the til strictly necessary before að bjargast, or could we just say vonumst að bjargast?
The til is strictly necessary. The middle-voice verb vonast requires the preposition til when expressing what you are hoping for. When an infinitive verb follows, it must be linked as vonast til að plus the infinitive verb.
Why is the adjective nýju used instead of nýrri?
This happens because the noun borginni has the definite article attached to it. Whenever an adjective modifies a definite noun, it must use the weak declension. The weak dative feminine singular form of the adjective nýr is nýju.
What determines the dative case of nýju borginni in this sentence?
The preposition í dictates the case. Because the sentence describes a stationary location (getting by inside the city) rather than physical movement into it, í triggers the dative case for borginni and its attached adjective.
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