Word
Ef sögumaðurinn les reglubókina, þá getum við byrjað.
Meaning
If the storyteller reads the rulebook, then we can start.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Lesson
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?