Breakdown of Rannsóknarmaðurinn fann nýtt spor á slóðinni.
nýr
new
finna
to find
á
onto / on / in (static location) / on (a day of the week)
rannsóknarmaðurinn
the researcher
sporið
the footprint (track, step)
slóðin
the trail
Questions & Answers about Rannsóknarmaðurinn fann nýtt spor á slóðinni.
How would you change this sentence to say 'The researcher might find a new footprint' using the grammar from this lesson?
You use the verb kunna in the present tense (kann) followed by að and the infinitive of the main verb (finna). The sentence becomes: Rannsóknarmaðurinn kann að finna nýtt spor á slóðinni.
The original sentence is in the past tense (fann). How would you express 'The researcher might have found a new footprint'?
To express this kind of past possibility, you use kann að hafa (might have) followed by the supine form of the main verb (fundið). The sentence becomes: Rannsóknarmaðurinn kann að hafa fundið nýtt spor á slóðinni.
How is the compound word rannsóknarmaðurinn constructed?
It is built from rannsókn (research or investigation) and maður (man or person), plus the masculine definite article -inn. Notice the -ar- in the middle; this is the genitive singular ending of rannsókn, literally making it a 'person of research'.
Why does the preposition á take the dative case here (slóðinni)?
The preposition á takes the dative case when it indicates a stationary position or location (where something is located). If it were indicating movement towards a destination (onto the trail), it would take the accusative case.
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