Breakdown of Það að taugakerfið hans er svona flókið þýðir að hann skynjar sársaukann.
vera
to be
hann
he
það
it / there (existential) / the one (n)
hans
his
að
that (conjunction)
þýða
to mean
svona
so, like this
sársaukinn
the pain (general or emotional)
flókinn
complicated
skynja
to perceive
taugakerfið
the nervous system
Questions & Answers about Það að taugakerfið hans er svona flókið þýðir að hann skynjar sársaukann.
How exactly does Það að work at the start of this sentence?
It turns the entire clause taugakerfið hans er svona flókið into a single noun phrase, which then acts as the subject for the main verb þýðir. You can translate it literally as "It, that..." but in English, we usually say "The fact that...".
Could we just start the sentence with Að instead of Það að?
Yes, you could say Að taugakerfið hans er svona flókið þýðir... ("That his nervous system is so complex means..."). However, adding Það creates a stronger anchor for the subject clause, and this structure is extremely natural and common in spoken and written Icelandic.
Why is the adjective flókið in this specific form?
It describes taugakerfið (the nervous system). Because the root word kerfi (system) is a neuter noun, the adjective must match it, taking the neuter nominative singular form flókið rather than the masculine flókinn or feminine flókin.
What is the difference between using svona and svo here for "so"?
While both translate to "so," svona carries the meaning of "like this" or "to this specific degree." Using svona flókið implies that we are talking about the specific complexity of this nervous system, whereas svo flókið is a slightly more generic "so complex."
What case is sársaukann and why?
It is in the accusative case because it is the direct object of the verb skynjar (perceives). The base dictionary form is the masculine noun sársauki (pain). With the definite article added to the accusative form, it becomes sársaukann (the pain).
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