Breakdown of Set glasið varlega á borðið!
borðið
the table
á
onto / on / in (static location) / on (a day of the week)
glasið
the glass
varlega
carefully
Questions & Answers about Set glasið varlega á borðið!
Why is the verb set instead of a normal conjugated form like setur?
Because this is a command! Set is the imperative (command) form of the verb setja (to put), used when telling one person to do something. You will also frequently hear commands with the word for "you" (þú) attached to the end (which would make it settu), but set is the base command form.
How does the word glasið get its meaning of "the glass"?
In Icelandic, "the" attaches directly to the end of the noun. Glas is a neuter noun, and its ending for "the" is -ið, making it glasið. It stays exactly the same in the accusative case, which is required here because the glass is the direct object (the thing you are putting).
Why is borðið (the table) in the accusative case here? Doesn't the preposition á take the dative case?
It depends on whether there is movement! The preposition á (on) takes the accusative case when it describes motion towards a destination. Because you are actively moving the glass onto the table, we use the accusative borðið. If the glass were already resting on the table (a fixed location), we would use the dative case (á borðinu).
Is the ending on varlega (carefully) a common pattern?