Breakdown of Það er hægt að fá prufu.
vera
to be
það
it / there (existential) / the one (n)
að
to (infinitive marker)
fá
to get
hægt
possible
prufan
the sample
Questions & Answers about Það er hægt að fá prufu.
I learned that hægt means 'slowly.' Why does it mean 'possible' in this sentence?
The adjective hægur originally meant 'convenient' or 'easy,' which evolved in two different directions. In impersonal structures like Það er hægt að..., it means 'It is possible to...' or 'It can be done.' When used as a regular adverb of manner, hægt means 'slowly'.
Since we are learning about analytical comparison, can I use meira to say it is 'more possible' to get a sample?
You generally wouldn't say Það er meira hægt. You also cannot use the standard comparative form hægara, because that specifically means 'slower.' If you want to express that a sample is 'more possible' to get, you would rephrase using a different adjective, like auðveldara (easier) or líklegra (more likely).
What case is prufu in this sentence, and why?
Prufu is in the accusative case because it acts as the direct object of the verb fá (to get/receive). The base word is the weak feminine noun prufa (a sample), which changes to prufu in the accusative, dative, and genitive singular.
If I want to turn this into a question ('Is it possible to get a sample?'), do I keep the dummy pronoun það?
You can, but it is much more natural and common in spoken Icelandic to drop það when forming this question. You would typically just ask: Er hægt að fá prufu?
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