Breakdown of Okkur voru boðnir kaldir drykkir þegar við fórum inn í spilavítið.
vera
to be
við
we
fara
to go
í
in / into / to (before the hour, in telling time) / per (in frequency expressions)
kaldur
cold
inn
in (motion inwards)
bjóða
to invite
þegar
when
drykkurinn
the drink
spilavítið
the casino
Questions & Answers about Okkur voru boðnir kaldir drykkir þegar við fórum inn í spilavítið.
Why are voru and boðnir in the plural form when the subject Okkur acts as a single entity?
In this passive construction, okkur is a dative subject. The auxiliary verb vera (to be) and the past participle boðnir (offered) do not agree with dative subjects. Instead, they agree with the nominative object, kaldir drykkir (cold drinks), which is masculine plural. That is why we use the plural verb voru and the masculine plural nominative participle boðnir.
Why is Okkur in the dative case here instead of the nominative Við?
The active version of this verb is bjóða einhverjum eitthvað (to offer someone something), which takes a dative recipient and an accusative object. When we turn this into a passive sentence, the dative recipient (okkur) moves to the subject position but stubbornly keeps its dative case. Meanwhile, the accusative thing being offered becomes a nominative object.
Why is spilavítið in the accusative case here when the preposition í often takes the dative?
The preposition í takes the accusative case when it indicates movement or direction towards a destination (going into the casino). This motion is heavily emphasized by the phrase fórum inn í. If the sentence were describing you standing still inside the casino, í would take the dative case instead.
What is the literal translation of the word spilavítið?
It literally translates to the gambling hell. The first part comes from spila (to play or gamble), and víti means hell or torment. Despite the intense literal meaning, it is just the standard, everyday Icelandic word for a casino.
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