Breakdown of Þau sjást og kyssast í dag.
og
and
þau
they (n)
í dag
today
kyssast
to kiss each other
sjást
to see each other
Questions & Answers about Þau sjást og kyssast í dag.
Why do the verbs end in -st here, and could I just use the base verbs sjá and kyssa?
The -st ending creates the middle voice. In this sentence, it gives the verbs a reciprocal meaning, which means doing something to each other. If you used the active base verbs sjá (to see) and kyssa (to kiss), you would need to add an object. A listener would wait to hear who they are seeing and kissing! The -st ending packs the "each other" meaning right into the verb itself.
How do you form this -st ending for plural pronouns like þau?
For plural pronouns like við, þið, and þau in the present tense, it is very straightforward. The regular active forms for þau are simply the base verbs sjá and kyssa. To make them middle voice, you just attach -st to the end, giving you sjást and kyssast.
Why does this sentence use þau for "they" instead of þeir or þær?
Why is "today" written as two words (í dag)?
Unlike English, which combines the concept into one word, Icelandic expresses "today" as a short phrase: the preposition í (in/on) plus the noun dag (day). You will see this same pattern used for other time expressions, such as í kvöld (tonight / in the evening).
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