Breakdown of Ég efast um að þessi sjúkdómur sé banvænn.
vera
to be
ég
I
um
about
þessi
this (m/f)
að
that (conjunction)
efast
to doubt
sjúkdómurinn
the disease
banvænn
fatal
Questions & Answers about Ég efast um að þessi sjúkdómur sé banvænn.
How is sjúkdómur formed using the -dómur suffix?
It comes from the adjective sjúkur (sick) plus the masculine suffix -dómur. This suffix is historically related to the English "-dom" (like in "kingdom" or "wisdom") and is used to create abstract masculine nouns indicating a state, condition, or domain. In this case, "the condition of being sick" gives us the word for "disease". It declines exactly like a regular strong masculine noun.
Why is the verb sé (subjunctive) used here instead of the regular indicative er?
The verb efast (to doubt) expresses uncertainty. In Icelandic, verbs that express doubt, subjective opinion, or uncertainty trigger the subjunctive mood in the following að-clause. Because you are doubting the fact rather than stating it as an absolute truth, the present subjunctive form of vera, which is sé, is required.
Is efast a middle voice verb, and does it always need the preposition um?
Yes, efast is the middle voice (or -st verb) form of the active verb efa. When expressing what exactly it is that you doubt, you must use the preposition um. This can be followed by a noun in the accusative case, or, as in this sentence, by an að-clause.
What is the literal breakdown of the adjective banvænn?
It is a combination of the noun bani (death, or cause of death) and the suffix -vænn, which roughly translates to "-prone" or "-likely". So, a disease that is banvænn is "prone to causing death," which gives us the word for "fatal" or "lethal". Notice it takes a masculine nominative singular form here to agree with sjúkdómur.
Learn Ég efast um að þessi sjúkdómur sé banvænn and more in Icelandic
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free