Breakdown of Flutningsmaðurinn þinn gengur varlega með hann í gegnum karminn.
hann
he
ganga
to walk
þinn
your (sg.)
varlega
carefully
með
with
í gegnum
through (+ Accusative)
flutningsmaðurinn
the mover (m)
karmurinn
the doorframe (m)
Questions & Answers about Flutningsmaðurinn þinn gengur varlega með hann í gegnum karminn.
Why is hann in the accusative case here instead of the dative?
The preposition með can take either the dative or the accusative. In this lesson's context, it takes the accusative because it combines with the intransitive verb of motion ganga (to walk) to create a transitive meaning: transporting or carrying the object. If the mover were just walking alongside a person as a companion, you would use the dative (með honum).
Why does the sentence use hann for "it" instead of það?
In Icelandic, pronouns match the grammatical gender of the noun they replace. Even though "it" is an inanimate object in English, the noun being moved (such as a sofa, sófi, or a refrigerator, ísskápur) must be grammatically masculine in Icelandic, so it is referred to as hann.
Does the phrase í gegnum always take the accusative case?
Yes, the compound preposition í gegnum (meaning "through") always governs the accusative case. That is why the masculine noun karmur (doorframe) is written in its accusative definite form, karminn, here.
How is the word varlega formed?
It is an adverb meaning "carefully." It is formed by adding the common adverbial suffix -lega (which is very similar to "-ly" in English) to the root adjective var, which means wary or careful.
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