Breakdown of Nemendafélagið skipuleggur oft partíið.
oft
often
skipuleggja
to organize
partíið
the party (informal)
nemendafélagið
the student association
Questions & Answers about Nemendafélagið skipuleggur oft partíið.
How does the plural genitive linking vowel '-a' apply to the word nemendafélagið?
This word is a compound of nemandi (student) and félag (association). To connect them, we use the genitive (possessive) plural of the first word. The genitive plural of nemandi is nemenda, and its final -a acts as the linking vowel, literally making this the "association of students". The -ið at the end is simply the neuter definite article belonging to félag.
Wait, the singular genitive of nemandi is nemanda. Why does the compound use nemenda with an 'e'?
nemandi is a weak masculine noun derived from a present participle (literally "one who learns"). While the singular genitive is indeed nemanda (a student's), a student association belongs to multiple students, so we must use the plural genitive. The genitive plural of these -andi nouns changes the stem vowel slightly, resulting in nemenda.
Is skipuleggur a regular verb, and how do I find its infinitive?
The infinitive is skipuleggja (to organize). It is a compound built around the core verb leggja (to put or lay). Whenever you see a long compound verb like this, you only need to conjugate the final root verb. Just as leggja becomes leggur in the third-person singular present, the compound naturally becomes skipuleggur.
Why is oft placed after the verb, unlike the English translation "often organizes"?