Breakdown of Gætirðu einblínt á hvaða fagsvið þú vilt velja?
þú
you
vilja
to want (to will, be willing)
velja
to choose
hvaða
which, what
gætirðu
could you
einblína á
to focus on
fagsviðið
the professional field
Questions & Answers about Gætirðu einblínt á hvaða fagsvið þú vilt velja?
Why is there no það after the preposition á here?
In Icelandic, prepositions usually need a dummy pronoun like það before a clause (as in einblína á það að...). However, when the clause is an indirect question starting with a question word like hvaða, it is standard to drop the það. You could say einblínt á það hvaða fagsvið, but dropping it makes the sentence flow more naturally.
Why is the verb einblínt in this specific form?
It is in the supine form, which is the form you normally use after hafa. It is required here because of the modal verb geta (appearing here as gætir). Unlike most other auxiliary verbs in Icelandic which take the infinitive, geta always takes the supine.
How does the case system work with the dropped það and the word fagsvið?
The phrase einblína á governs the accusative case. If the dummy það were included, it would be in the accusative. Inside the indirect question, fagsvið (professional field) is also in the accusative, but that is because it is the direct object of the verb velja (to choose).
How is the verb einblína formed?
It is a compound of einn (one) and blína (to stare). Literally meaning to one-stare, it is a great descriptive word for focusing or zeroing in on a single issue or topic.
Why does the sentence use gætirðu instead of geturðu?
Gætirðu is the past subjunctive form of geta merged with the pronoun þú. Just like in English, using the past subjunctive changes a direct question (Can you focus?) into a softer, more polite request (Could you focus?).
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