Learn Icelandic: Brottfarartíminn á að vera klukkan átta. - The departure time is supposed to be at eight o'clock.

While eiga usually means to own, the structure eiga að plus an infinitive (here, vera) is used to express expectation or hearsay. In this sentence, it means the departure time is supposed to be or is scheduled to be at eight, rather than expressing a strict command or ownership.

Could á að vera imply a strict obligation here, like the departure time must be at eight?

It can sometimes lean toward obligation depending on tone, but with inanimate subjects like brottfarartíminn, it almost always expresses an expected state or a plan. To express a strict rule or obligation, you would typically use verður að vera (has to be).

How is the compound word Brottfarartíminn put together?

It is made of two words: brottför (departure) and tíminn (the time). The first part is put into the genitive (possessive) case, becoming brottfarar, which links the two words together. Literally, it translates to the time of departure.

Why isn't there a preposition before klukkan átta to say at eight o'clock?

Unlike English, Icelandic does not need a preposition to say at a specific time. The phrase klukkan átta directly translates to at eight o'clock in this context. If you added a preposition like um, it would change the meaning to around eight o'clock.