Breakdown of Strákurinn þorir að horfa á mig, þó að hann roðni alltaf.
ég
I
hann
he
strákurinn
the boy
alltaf
always
að
to (infinitive marker)
horfa
to watch
á
to/at (with verbs of perception: hlusta á, horfa á)
þó að
although / even though
þora
to dare
roðna
to blush
Questions & Answers about Strákurinn þorir að horfa á mig, þó að hann roðni alltaf.
Does the verb þora (to dare) work exactly like other modal verbs?
Not quite. While it expresses a mental disposition, þora requires the infinitive marker að before the next verb (að horfa). True modals like vilja or munu drop the að. Also, note that þora takes a normal nominative subject (Strákurinn), unlike some other 'mental state' verbs that force the subject into the dative or accusative case.
Why is the verb roðni used here instead of the regular present tense roðnar?
The conjunction þó að (although) always triggers the subjunctive mood. Roðni is the present subjunctive form of the regular verb roðna (to blush), used here to express a concession.
Could I use the single word þótt instead of the phrase þó að?
Yes, þótt and þó að mean the exact same thing and are completely interchangeable in everyday Icelandic. Both of them will require the following verb to be in the subjunctive.
Why is the pronoun ég (I) in the accusative form mig in this sentence?
The verb horfa (to look) is paired with the preposition á to mean 'to look at'. When á is used for directing your gaze at someone or something, it governs the accusative case, changing ég to mig.
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