Breakdown of Hann notaði klippurnar dögum saman til þess að laga nýja trjágrein.
hann
he
það
it / there (existential) / the one (n)
nýr
new
saman
together / on end (after a dative plural time noun)
að
to (infinitive marker)
nota
to use
laga
to fix
dagurinn
the day (m)
til
to
trjágreinin
the tree branch
klippurnar
the pruning shears
Questions & Answers about Hann notaði klippurnar dögum saman til þess að laga nýja trjágrein.
Why is dögum in the dative case here, and how does it work with saman?
This is the dative of temporal difference. When paired with the adverb saman (which usually means "together"), it creates a phrase meaning "for days on end" or "for days straight". The dative case indicates the measure or duration of time the action lasted.
Why is klippurnar plural if he is only using one tool?
Just like "shears" or "scissors" in English, the Icelandic word klippur is a plural noun used for a single tool. It is in the accusative plural here because it is the direct object of notaði, and the attached definite article makes it klippurnar.
Could I just write til að laga instead of til þess að laga?
Yes, you can. Both til að and til þess að mean "in order to" and are followed by an infinitive verb. Adding the genitive pronoun þess makes the phrase slightly more formal and emphasizes the purpose, but they are fully interchangeable here.
How is the compound word trjágrein formed?
It combines trjá, which is the genitive plural of tré (meaning "of trees"), and the feminine noun grein (branch). It is common in Icelandic to use the genitive plural as the first part of a compound word, even when referring to a single tree's branch. Because it is the direct object of laga, both the adjective nýja and trjágrein are in the accusative case.
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