Questions & Answers about Ég sé þig ekki oft.
How does sé relate to the middle voice verbs we are learning in this lesson?
Sé is the normal, active form of the verb sjá (to see), meaning I see. The middle voice form is sést, which translates to is seen or can be seen. Because this sentence is about someone actively seeing another person, we use the regular base verb instead of the middle voice.
Why do we use þig instead of þú for you?
Because you are the direct object of the sentence, meaning you are the one being seen. The verb sjá forces its object into the accusative case, so the subject form þú changes to the object form þig.
Why does ekki come after þig instead of before it?
In Icelandic, when the object of a sentence is a personal pronoun like þig (you) or mig (me), the negative word ekki usually comes right after it. If the object were a regular noun, like a dog (hund), ekki would come before the object: Ég sé ekki hund.
Is sé a regular verb?
No, the dictionary form is sjá (to see), and it is highly irregular. Sé is the I form. For comparison, the you form is sérð (you see) and the he/she/it form is sér.
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