Breakdown of Sumir fuglar virðast svífa en aðrir detta.
en
but
fuglinn
the bird
annar
other, another; second
detta
to fall
sumur
some (sumir, sumar, sum)
virðast
to seem (general impression)
svífa
to hover
Questions & Answers about Sumir fuglar virðast svífa en aðrir detta.
Why is there no að before the infinitive svífa?
When the middle-voice verb virðast (to seem) is used with a nominative subject, it behaves somewhat like a modal verb and takes a bare infinitive. You drop the að, which is why we say virðast svífa rather than virðast að svífa.
How does "subject raising" affect the verb virðast in this sentence?
In subject raising, the logical doers of the action (sumir fuglar) are "raised" to become the grammatical subject of the main verb (virðast). Because sumir fuglar is plural, the verb virðast must be conjugated in the third-person plural to match it, rather than staying in a default singular form.
Is detta in the infinitive form to match svífa?
It looks identical to the infinitive, but it is actually the third-person plural present form (they fall). The translation "but others fall" (rather than "seem to fall") tells us it is a fully conjugated verb belonging to the second subject, aðrir, instead of another infinitive governed by virðast.
Why use detta for a bird falling instead of falla?
While both mean "to fall," detta specifically describes a sudden, accidental, or uncontrolled drop (like tripping or losing your balance). Using detta here creates a sharp, almost comical contrast to the graceful gliding (svífa) of the first group of birds. Falla is generally used for a more steady or continuous descent, like falling snow.
Why do sumir and aðrir end in -ir?
These are pronouns acting as adjectives, so they must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they modify or refer back to. The noun fugl (bird) is masculine, and since they are the subjects of their respective clauses, both words take the nominative masculine plural form.
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