Breakdown of Það er áhyggjuefni ef ríkið einkavæðir heilbrigðiskerfið.
vera
to be
það
it / there (existential) / the one (n)
ef
if
ríkið
the state
einkavæða
to privatize
heilbrigðiskerfið
the healthcare system
áhyggjuefnið
the cause for concern
Questions & Answers about Það er áhyggjuefni ef ríkið einkavæðir heilbrigðiskerfið.
How is the verb einkavæðir constructed, and how does the suffix work?
It is built from the prefix einka- (private) and the productive suffix -væða, which means 'to -ize' or 'to -ify'. This suffix is used to create verbs about systemic or societal changes. Here, it creates einkavæða (to privatize). Because -væða forms weak verbs, the third-person singular present tense is einkavæðir.
Why does the sentence use áhyggjuefni instead of just áhyggja?
While áhyggja means the feeling of 'worry' or 'concern', adding -efni (matter, subject, or material) creates a compound meaning 'a cause for concern' or 'a worrying issue'. In Icelandic, it is much more natural to say a situation is an áhyggjuefni rather than an áhyggja.
Why doesn't the conjunction ef trigger the subjunctive mood in this sentence?
In Icelandic, ef (if) takes the normal indicative mood when you are talking about a real possibility or a direct condition, as seen here with the indicative form einkavæðir. You generally only use the subjunctive with ef when talking about hypothetical, unlikely, or impossible 'what if' scenarios.
How do the parts of heilbrigðiskerfið fit together, and why does it end in -ð?
It combines heilbrigði (health) and kerfi (system). They are joined by a genitive -s- to link them. The word ends in -ð because kerfi is a neuter noun, and -ð is the attached definite article making it 'the healthcare system'.
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