Question 1

This lesson is about using "með" + accusative for transporting things. Why doesn't "hífa" use "með" to show we are moving the piano?

Accepted Answer

The valency-shifting "með" is used to turn intransitive verbs of motion (like fara or koma) into verbs of transporting. But hífa (to hoist) is already a transitive verb that directly takes an object. Because of this, it takes the accusative direct object flygilinn all on its own, without needing með.

Question 2

Could we use "með" in this sentence to talk about using the strap?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but it would be a different grammatical rule. When með is used to indicate a tool or instrument, it triggers the dative case, not the accusative. You could rephrase this as Við hífum flygilinn með ólinni (We hoist the grand piano with the strap). In our current sentence, however, ólina is the direct object of the verb þurfum (we need), so it is in the accusative.

Question 3

Why do we say "til að hífa" instead of just "að hífa"?

Accepted Answer

The phrase til að explicitly means "in order to" and is used to express the purpose of an action or an object. If you just used að here, the sentence would feel grammatically incomplete to an Icelander, because you are explaining the specific purpose for which you need the strap.

Question 4

What is the dictionary form of "flygilinn", and why does it look like it lost a letter?

Accepted Answer

The dictionary form is the masculine noun flygill (grand piano). Masculine nouns ending in -ill drop the second L in the accusative, dative, and genitive singular. So the bare accusative form is flygil, and when you add the definite article -inn, you get flygilinn.

Við þurfum ólina til að hífa flygilinn.

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