Breakdown of Slökktu á tölvunni áður en þú ferð að sofa.
þú
you
sofa
to sleep
fara
to go
tölvan
the computer
á
onto / on / in (static location) / on (a day of the week)
áður en
before
slökkva
to turn off, to extinguish (slökkva á + Dat)
Questions & Answers about Slökktu á tölvunni áður en þú ferð að sofa.
Why does the verb form Slökktu end in -tu?
This is the imperative (command) form of the verb slökkva (to turn off) combined with the pronoun þú (you). In Icelandic, it is very common to attach the pronoun directly to the imperative verb. The letters assimilate, so slökk plus þú becomes slökktu.
Why use the preposition á here, and what case does it trigger?
The verb slökkva originally means to extinguish, like a fire. When talking about turning off electronic devices, you must pair it with the preposition á. This specific combination always requires the following noun to be in the dative case, which is why we see the dative definite form tölvunni.
Why do we need en after áður? Can we just use áður for before?
You must use áður en here because it acts as a conjunction introducing a completely new clause with its own subject and verb (þú ferð). You would use áður by itself only when it functions as a standalone adverb, for instance when saying you have done something before.
Does fara að sofa translate exactly to go to sleep?
Yes, it translates directly to go to sleep, with að acting as the infinitive marker. However, it is worth noting for a B2 learner that the structure fara að followed by an infinitive is also a very common grammatical pattern used to express that you are starting an action or are about to do something.
Learn Slökktu á tölvunni áður en þú ferð að sofa 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