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Mér finnst þessi litur of fölur.

Mér finnst þessi litur of fölur.
I find this color too pale.
From Lesson 422:Verbs of change (-na)·Icelandic

Questions & Answers about Mér finnst þessi litur of fölur.

How does this sentence's adjective relate to this lesson's topic on '-na' verbs?
The adjective fölur (pale) can be turned into an inchoative verb meaning "to become pale" or "to fade" by dropping the masculine -ur ending and adding the -na suffix. This gives us the verb fölna, which you would use to say something like "the color is fading" (liturinn er að fölna).
Why is the subject Mér in the dative case?
The verb finnast (to find/seem) is a middle-voice verb that requires a "quirky subject". The person experiencing the opinion is placed in the dative case (Mér), while the thing being evaluated (þessi litur) acts as the complement and stays in the nominative case.
Why does the adjective fölur take the -ur ending?
Adjectives must agree with the noun they describe in gender, number, and case. Since litur (color) is a masculine noun in the nominative singular, the adjective takes the strong masculine nominative singular ending -ur.
Could I use the verb þykja instead of finnast here?
Yes, you could say Mér þykir þessi litur of fölur. Both verbs express a personal opinion and take a dative subject, but finnast is much more common in modern everyday spoken Icelandic.

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