Breakdown of Í stuttu máli á þessi hópferð að vera ótrúlega skemmtileg.
vera
to be
skemmtilegur
fun
í
in / into / to (before the hour, in telling time) / per (in frequency expressions)
þessi
this (m/f)
stuttur
short
eiga að
to be supposed to
málið
the matter, the case
ótrúlega
incredibly
hópferðin
the group tour
Questions & Answers about Í stuttu máli á þessi hópferð að vera ótrúlega skemmtileg.
How does á ... að vera translate to "is supposed to be" here instead of "has to"?
While eiga að can express obligation (having to do something), it is also the standard way to express hearsay or expectation in Icelandic. When describing the expected qualities of something, like a tour being fun, á að vera translates naturally to "is supposed to be" or "is said to be."
Why is the subject þessi hópferð placed between á and að vera?
This happens because of the V2 (verb-second) rule. The sentence starts with the prepositional phrase Í stuttu máli, which takes up the first position. The conjugated verb á must take the second position. As a result, the subject þessi hópferð gets pushed to the third position, right before the rest of the verbal phrase að vera.
Why is mál in the dative case (máli) in the phrase Í stuttu máli?
The preposition í takes the dative case when referring to a static situation or an abstract concept, rather than physical movement into a place. Í stuttu máli is a common fixed expression that literally means "in short language," used just like "in short" or "briefly" in English.
Why does the sentence use the feminine form skemmtileg instead of the default neuter skemmtilegt?
Predicate adjectives always have to agree with the subject in gender, number, and case. The subject here is þessi hópferð (this group tour). Because the root word ferð is a feminine noun, the adjective takes the feminine nominative singular form skemmtileg.
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