Breakdown of Hver sem er getur endurvakið áhugann.
vera
to be
hver
who / what / which (one)
áhuginn
the interest
sem
who / which / that
geta
to be able to
endurvekja
to rekindle
Questions & Answers about Hver sem er getur endurvakið áhugann.
How does the prefix endur- change the meaning of the verb here?
The prefix endur- means "re-" or "again," and is highly productive in Icelandic. Here it attaches to the verb vekja (to wake or awaken). Together, endurvekja literally means "to reawaken," which translates smoothly to "rekindle" when discussing abstract things like interest.
Why does the verb end in -vakið instead of the infinitive -vekja?
The auxiliary verb geta (can or to be able to) is special in Icelandic because it always requires the following verb to be in the supine form (sagnbót), never the infinitive. The supine of vekja is vakið, so the prefixed version naturally becomes endurvakið.
How do you decline the phrase hver sem er (anyone) if it isn't the subject?
Only the first word declines, while sem er remains fixed. In this sentence, hver is in the nominative case because "anyone" is the subject. If "anyone" were the direct object, it would change to hvern sem er (accusative), hverjum sem er (dative), or hvers sem er (genitive).
Why does áhugann end with a double n?
The base word is áhugi (interest), which is a weak masculine noun. Because it is the direct object being rekindled, it takes the accusative form áhuga. When you add the masculine accusative definite article -nn, it attaches directly to that final vowel, forming áhugann (the interest).
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