Breakdown of Við höldum áfram að varðveita vinskapinn.
við
we
að
to (infinitive marker)
halda áfram
to continue, keep going
varðveita
to preserve
Questions & Answers about Við höldum áfram að varðveita vinskapinn.
I see the suffix -skapur in vinskapinn. How does that suffix work here, and what case is this word in?
The suffix -skapur is added to the root of vinur (friend) to form the abstract noun vinskapur (friendship). All nouns ending in -skapur are masculine. Here, it is in the accusative case because it is the direct object of varðveita. In the accusative, the nominative ending -ur drops to become vinskap, and adding the definite article gives us vinskapinn.
Why does höldum áfram take að here?
The phrasal verb halda áfram means to continue or to keep going. When you want to say you continue doing an action, it is followed by að plus the infinitive verb, which in this sentence is að varðveita.
Varðveita translates to maintain here, but doesn't it usually mean to preserve?
Yes, varðveita literally means to preserve or keep safe. While you might use a phrase like halda við for physically maintaining a building or a machine, varðveita is perfect for abstract concepts like friendship, culture, or peace, where the sense is about preserving them from decaying or being lost.
Can the -skapur suffix attach to words other than nouns, like vinur?
Yes, it is highly productive and can also attach to adjectives. For example, the adjective galinn (crazy) becomes the noun galskapur (craziness or nonsense). It functions very similarly to the English suffixes -ship and -ness.