Question 1

How does the phrase sama hvað work to mean "no matter what"?

Accepted Answer

The word sama literally means "same". When paired with an interrogative (question) word like hvað, it creates a phrase meaning "it is the same what..." or "no matter what". In this structure, sama acts as an invariable adjective, meaning it never changes its ending regardless of the surrounding words.

Question 2

Is gerum in the indicative or subjunctive mood here?

Accepted Answer

It is in the indicative mood. Even though English speakers might expect a subjunctive in "no matter what" hypothetical scenarios, modern Icelandic typically uses the standard indicative after sama clauses. For example, with a "he" subject, you would use the indicative gerir, not the subjunctive geri.

Question 3

Why use andvaka for "awake" instead of vakandi?

Accepted Answer

While vakandi just means "awake" in a neutral sense, andvaka specifically means "sleepless" or "lying awake unable to sleep" (like having insomnia). Using andvaka here paints a picture of a restless night where neither the humans nor the cat can get to sleep. It is also an indeclinable adjective, meaning its ending never changes.

Question 4

Can I put the sama hvað clause at the beginning of the sentence?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can say Sama hvað við gerum, er kötturinn líka andvaka. Just remember the V2 (verb-second) rule: if the subordinate clause comes first, it takes up the first "slot" of the sentence, so the main clause immediately following the comma must start with the verb, which is why er jumps in front of kötturinn.

Kötturinn er líka andvaka, sama hvað við gerum.

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