Breakdown of Forvörðurinn er að miklu leyti búinn að lagfæra strigann.
vera
to be
að
to (infinitive marker)
mikill
great, much (adjective: snjórinn er mikill)
búinn
finished
lagfæra
to fix (repair, correct)
leytið
the extent
forvörðurinn
the conservator
striginn
the canvas
Questions & Answers about Forvörðurinn er að miklu leyti búinn að lagfæra strigann.
Why is the adjective miklu used instead of mikið in the phrase að miklu leyti?
The fixed frame að ... leyti requires the dative case because of the preposition að. The noun leyti (extent/regard) is a neuter word. Since adjectives must agree with the noun they describe in gender, number, and case, the neuter dative form of the adjective mikill (much/great) is used, which is miklu.
Why does the phrase að miklu leyti interrupt the verb structure er búinn að?
In Icelandic, sentence adverbs and adverbial phrases usually directly follow the finite (conjugated) verb. Placing að miklu leyti right after the conjugated verb er and before the participle búinn is the standard word order, very similar to placing largely between has and finished in English.
The translation says has finished, but the sentence uses er (is). Is this a set phrase?
Yes. The construction vera búinn að followed by an infinitive verb (in this case, lagfæra) is the standard Icelandic way to express that someone has completed an action. Although it literally translates to is finished to repair, it is the equivalent of saying has repaired or has finished repairing.
What parts make up the word forvörðurinn?
It is a compound of the prefix for- (meaning fore- or pre-) and vörður (guard or keeper), followed by the masculine definite article -inn. While it literally translates to the fore-guard, it is the standard vocabulary word for a restorer or conservator of historical artifacts and art.
Why is the word for canvas, strigann, in the accusative case here?
It acts as the direct object of the verb lagfæra (to fix/repair), which governs the accusative case. The base word is the masculine noun strigi, which becomes striga in the accusative. Adding the attached definite article makes it strigann.
Learn Forvörðurinn er að miklu leyti búinn að lagfæra strigann 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