Breakdown of Maður þarf ýmist að sigla eða bíða þegar sjórinn er svona úfinn.
vera
to be
að
to (infinitive marker)
bíða
to wait
þurfa
to need
eða
or
svona
so, like this
þegar
when
sigla
to sail
maður
one (impersonal pronoun)
sjórinn
the sea
ýmist
sometimes / alternately (by turns)
úfinn
rough
Questions & Answers about Maður þarf ýmist að sigla eða bíða þegar sjórinn er svona úfinn.
How does ýmist ... eða work in this sentence?
It translates to "sometimes [A] and sometimes [B]" or "alternately [A] or [B]". Here, it connects the two actions the person must alternate between: að sigla (to sail) and bíða (wait). It efficiently shows that the situation requires shifting back and forth between the two.
Why is there no að before the second verb, bíða?
When two infinitives are connected by a conjunction like eða (or) or og (and), the infinitive marker að is usually dropped before the second verb. You already have it before sigla, so saying ýmist að sigla eða bíða is the most natural phrasing.
What does the word úfinn mean here?
Úfinn means "rough", "choppy", or "ruffled". It is the standard adjective used to describe the sea (sjórinn) when it is stormy and wavy. Interestingly, you can also use it to describe messy, uncombed hair!
Could I just use stundum ... og stundum instead of ýmist ... eða?
Yes, you could say stundum að sigla og stundum að bíða. However, ýmist ... eða is a much more elegant and concise way to express that two contrasting states alternate. It is highly characteristic of good B2-level Icelandic.
Why is maður translated as "one" instead of "a man"?
In Icelandic, maður is heavily used as an impersonal pronoun, exactly like the general "you" or "one" in English. When making a general statement about what someone has to do in rough seas, starting with maður þarf is the most idiomatic choice.
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