Breakdown of Þetta veldur mér miklum óþægindum.
þetta
this
mér
me (dative)
mikill
great, much (adjective: snjórinn er mikill)
valda
to cause
óþægindin
the inconvenience
Questions & Answers about Þetta veldur mér miklum óþægindum.
Why are both mér and miklum óþægindum in the dative case here?
What is the infinitive of the verb veldur, and why does the vowel change?
The infinitive is valda. It undergoes a vowel shift in the present tense singular, changing the stem vowel a to an e. This makes the present tense singular conjugation ég veld, þú veldur, and það veldur.
Why is óþægindum plural when the English translation uses the singular word inconvenience?
The neuter noun óþægindi (inconvenience or discomfort) is almost exclusively used in the plural form in Icelandic. Because the verb valda forces it into the dative case, it takes the dative plural ending to become óþægindum.
How do we know which ending to use for the adjective miklum?
The adjective mikill (great) must agree with the noun it modifies in gender, number, and case. Since óþægindum is neuter, dative, and plural, the adjective takes the standard dative plural ending for all genders, becoming miklum.
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