Question 1

Both undrumst and aðlögumst end in -st. Are they passive here?

Accepted Answer

No, these are middle-voice verbs. While the -st suffix sometimes forms a passive, here it changes the meaning or acts as a deponent verb (a verb that looks passive or middle but has an active meaning). Undrast means 'to marvel at' (while the active undra means 'to surprise'), and aðlagast means 'to adapt oneself' (while the active aðlaga means 'to adjust something').

Question 2

Why does undrumst take the accusative hávaðann, but aðlögumst takes the dative umhverfinu?

Accepted Answer

Just like regular active verbs, -st verbs dictate the case of their objects. Undrast governs the accusative case, making hávaði become hávaðann. Meanwhile, aðlagast governs the dative case, changing umhverfi to umhverfinu. You have to memorize the case each -st verb takes just like you do with normal verbs.

Question 3

How is the við (we) form created for these -st verbs?

Accepted Answer

You take the regular active við form and simply add -st. For instance, the active 'we adjust' is við aðlögum. To make it middle voice ('we adapt'), you just attach the suffix to get aðlögumst. The same rule applies to undrum, which becomes undrumst.

Question 4

Could I put samt at the very end of the sentence, like in English?

Accepted Answer

You will sometimes hear it at the end in casual speech, but the most natural and grammatically standard placement for an adverb like samt (still/anyway) is immediately after the verb. Since the subject við is dropped in the second clause, the verb aðlögumst comes first, followed directly by samt.

Við undrumst hávaðann en aðlögumst samt umhverfinu.

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