Breakdown of Maðurinn var nærri því drukknaður í ánni.
vera
to be
maðurinn
the man
í
in / into / to (before the hour, in telling time) / per (in frequency expressions)
því
it (dative)
Questions & Answers about Maðurinn var nærri því drukknaður í ánni.
Why do we use the past participle drukknaður here instead of an infinitive?
In Icelandic, the phrase vera nærri því (to be almost/close to) can be followed directly by a past participle to describe a state that was narrowly avoided. This structure treats the past participle almost like an adjective describing the subject's near-state.
Since drukknaður acts like an adjective here, does it change based on the subject?
Yes! The past participle must agree with the subject in gender, number, and case (Nominative). Because the subject is Maðurinn (masculine singular), we use drukknaður. If it were Konan (the woman), it would be Konan var nærri því drukknuð.
Can I also say Maðurinn var nærri því að drukkna?
Yes, using að + infinitive is very common and completely correct. The difference is subtle: the infinitive (að drukkna) emphasizes the action, while the past participle (drukknaður) emphasizes the final state or result. In everyday speech, they are often interchangeable.