Breakdown of Mætingarstaðurinn á að vera fyrir utan gististaðinn.
vera
to be
eiga að
to be supposed to
fyrir
on the ... side of (with directional adverbs)
utan
from the outside
mætingarstaðurinn
the meeting point
gististaðurinn
the lodging
Questions & Answers about Mætingarstaðurinn á að vera fyrir utan gististaðinn.
How does á að vera illustrate the concept of expectation in this sentence?
The construction eiga að plus an infinitive (here, vera) is the standard way to express an expectation ("is supposed to") or hearsay ("is said to"). Instead of just stating that the meeting point is there as an absolute fact, it communicates that this is the arranged plan or what you have been told.
Could á að vera also mean "has to be" in this context?
Yes, eiga að can express obligation or a command. However, in the context of travel arrangements or directions, it usually leans toward expectation ("is supposed to be") rather than a strict obligation, though the practical outcome is the same.
What dictates the case of gististaðinn at the end of the sentence?
It is in the accusative case because of the compound preposition fyrir utan (outside), which always governs the accusative. If the word were in the nominative case, it would be gististaðurinn.
Why do we need the word fyrir here instead of just saying utan gististaðinn?
When you are explicitly stating the object that something is physically outside of, you must use the compound preposition fyrir utan. The word utan on its own is typically used as an adverb for direction or location and does not take a direct object.
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