Breakdown of Ef sögumaðurinn les reglubókina, þá getum við byrjað.
við
we
lesa
to read
byrja
to start
ef
if
geta
to be able to
þá
then
sögumaðurinn
the storyteller
reglubókin
the rulebook
Questions & Answers about Ef sögumaðurinn les reglubókina, þá getum við byrjað.
Why does the verb getum come right after þá instead of the subject við?
The word þá acts as the first element of the main clause. Because Icelandic strictly follows the V2 (verb-second) rule, the verb getum must sit in the second position, pushing the subject við right after it.
Is it mandatory to include þá in this sentence?
No, you can drop it and say Ef sögumaðurinn les reglubókina getum við byrjað. If you drop þá, the entire 'if' clause acts as the first element of the whole sentence, so the V2 rule still forces the verb getum to come immediately after the comma. Using þá just makes the transition feel a bit more anchored, much like adding 'then' in English.
Why is the verb byrjað used here instead of the infinitive byrja?
As a B2 refresher, remember that the modal verb geta (can / to be able to) is unique in Icelandic because it always requires the following verb to be in the supine form (the neuter past participle), not the infinitive. So it is getum við byrjað, never getum við byrja.
How is the word sögumaðurinn put together?
It is a compound of saga (story) and maður (man/person), plus the definite article -inn. When combining them, the first noun takes its genitive form sögu, literally meaning 'the man of the story' or the narrator/storyteller.
Why does reglubókina end in -a here?
The verb lesa (to read) governs the accusative case for its direct object. Reglubók (rulebook) is a feminine noun, and its definite accusative form is reglubókina.
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