Breakdown of Sveitarstjórnin afturkallaði samþykktina af því að hún var umdeild. Gerði hún það?
vera
to be
hún
she
það
it / there (existential) / the one (n)
gera
to do / to make (something) + adjective
af því að
because
samþykktin
the bylaw
sveitarstjórnin
the local council
afturkalla
to revoke
umdeildur
controversial
Questions & Answers about Sveitarstjórnin afturkallaði samþykktina af því að hún var umdeild. Gerði hún það?
Why does the echo question use Gerði hún það instead of repeating the verb afturkallaði?
When replying to or echoing a statement that uses an action verb, Icelandic uses the verb gera (to do) as a stand-in, much like English. However, unlike English, you must include the object pronoun það (it) to represent the action. You cannot just drop the object and say Gerði hún? (Did it?).
Both sveitarstjórnin (the council) and samþykktin (the bylaw) are feminine nouns. How do we know which one hún refers to in each part?
You have to rely on context! The first hún logically refers to the bylaw (samþykktina) being controversial (umdeild). The second hún in Gerði hún það? refers back to the subject that performed the main action, which is the council. Because both nouns are grammatically feminine, Icelandic uses hún (she/it) for both of them.
Why does the adjective umdeildur (controversial) drop its ending to become umdeild here?
Predicate adjectives must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun or pronoun they describe. Here it describes hún (referring to the bylaw). Since hún is feminine, singular, and in the nominative case, the adjective takes the matching feminine nominative form umdeild.
How is the verb afturkallaði built?
It is a direct, literal compound verb combining aftur (back) and kalla (to call). To 'call back' a decision means to revoke, repeal, or withdraw it. In this sentence, it is conjugated in the past tense, third-person singular to match the council.
Learn Sveitarstjórnin afturkallaði samþykktina af því að hún var umdeild. Gerði hún það 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