Breakdown of Hurðin opnast og það hræðir mig.
og
and
ég
I
það
it / there (existential) / the one (n)
hurðin
the door
hræða
to scare
opnast
to open (by itself)
Questions & Answers about Hurðin opnast og það hræðir mig.
Why is the verb opnast with an -st ending instead of just opnar?
This is the middle voice! The base verb opna means to open something. If you use the active form, you have to say who is opening the door. By adding the -st ending to make opnast, the verb means the door opens all on its own, without mentioning who or what is opening it.
Could I use an -st verb for the second part too, like hræðist?
Yes, but it flips the meaning! The base verb hræða means to scare someone, which is why það hræðir mig means it scares me. If you use the middle voice hræðast, it means to be afraid of. So ég hræðist það means I am afraid of it. Both forms are very common!
Where is the word for the in hurðin?
In Icelandic, the word for the is usually not a separate word. Instead, it gets attached to the end of the noun. The base word for door is hurð. By adding the definite article ending -in, it becomes hurðin (the door).
Why do we use mig at the end of the sentence instead of ég?
Mig is the accusative (object) form of ég (I). Because it (það) is doing the action of scaring, it is the subject. You are the one receiving the scare, so you are the object of the sentence. This means you must use mig (me).
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