Breakdown of Læknirinn krefst þess að hann sofi.
læknirinn
the doctor
hann
he
það
it / there (existential) / the one (n)
sofa
to sleep
að
that (conjunction)
krefjast
to demand
Questions & Answers about Læknirinn krefst þess að hann sofi.
Why is the verb sofi used here instead of the regular present tense sefur?
The verb krefjast (to demand) expresses a strong will or demand for someone else to act. In Icelandic, verbs of volition trigger the subjunctive mood in the following að clause. Since the main verb is in the present tense, we use the present subjunctive sofi.
Where does þess come from, and why can't we just say krefst að?
The verb krefjast governs the genitive case. In Icelandic, you cannot attach an að clause directly to a verb that requires an object in a specific case. Instead, you must insert the dummy pronoun það in the matching case, which gives us the genitive þess right before the að clause.
Why does the main verb krefst end in -st?
This is the middle voice form of the verb. The active verb krefja exists, but the middle voice krefjast is the standard way to say "to demand" in modern Icelandic. Middle voice verbs always end in -st and conjugate slightly differently from active verbs.
If the sentence were in the past tense ("The doctor demanded that he sleep"), how would the subjunctive verb change?
If the main verb shifted to the past tense (Læknirinn krafðist þess), the subjunctive verb in the subordinate clause would also shift to the past subjunctive to match the time frame. The sentence would then become Læknirinn krafðist þess að hann svæfi.
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