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Hvort sem við erum í meðlæti eða mótlæti, fylgi ég þér.

Hvort sem við erum í meðlæti eða mótlæti, fylgi ég þér.
Whether we are in prosperity or adversity, I follow you.
From Lesson 416:Whether or not (hvort sem ... eða)·Icelandic

Questions & Answers about Hvort sem við erum í meðlæti eða mótlæti, fylgi ég þér.

How does hvort sem ... eða work in this sentence?
Hvort sem translates to "whether" in the sense of "regardless of whether". It sets up a concessive clause, meaning the outcome in the main clause happens no matter what. It is paired with eða (or) to present the contrasting alternatives.
Why is the verb erum in the indicative mood here rather than the subjunctive?
Clauses starting with hvort sem generally take the indicative mood in Icelandic when stating general facts or actual situations. You only use the subjunctive with hvort sem if the scenario is completely hypothetical.
How are the words meðlæti and mótlæti formed?
They are built from the noun læti (which here relates to a state of affairs or how things fare) combined with opposite prefixes. Með- means "with" or "favorable", creating meðlæti (prosperity), while mót- means "against", creating mótlæti (adversity).
Why does the main clause say fylgi ég instead of ég fylgi?
This is a classic example of the V2 (verb-second) rule. The entire hvort sem clause counts as the first piece of information in the sentence. Therefore, the main verb fylgi must come immediately after the comma to take the second position, pushing the subject ég after it.
Why is the pronoun þér used instead of þig?
The verb fylgja (to follow) governs the dative case. It requires its object to be dative, so you must use þér rather than the accusative þig.

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