Breakdown of Græðgin lét hann falsa leyniskjalið.
hann
he
láta
to let
leyniskjalið
the secret document
græðgin
the greed
falsa
to forge
Questions & Answers about Græðgin lét hann falsa leyniskjalið.
Why does lét translate to "made" here instead of "let"?
The verb láta is frequently used as a causative verb in Icelandic, meaning "to make" someone do something or "to have" something done. When followed by an object and a bare infinitive, like lét hann falsa, it usually translates to "made him forge" or "had him forge".
Why is there no að before the infinitive falsa?
Just like the middle-voice verbs segjast and þykjast that you are focusing on in this lesson, the causative verb láta requires a bare infinitive. You must say lét hann falsa, without the infinitive marker að.
Why does the sentence use the definite form Græðgin (the greed) when English just says "Greed"?
In Icelandic, abstract nouns like græðgi (greed), ást (love), or reiði (anger) often take the definite article when they are the subject of a sentence acting as a driving force or general concept. English usually leaves these abstract concepts indefinite.
How is the word leyniskjalið constructed?
It is a compound noun made from the prefix leyni- (secret or hidden) and the definite neuter noun skjalið (the document). You will see leyni- attached to many words, such as leyniþjónusta (secret service) or leyniorð (password).
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