Breakdown of Það er kaldur vindur úti.
vera
to be
það
it / there (existential) / the one (n)
úti
outside
kaldur
cold
Questions & Answers about Það er kaldur vindur úti.
Why do we start this sentence with 'Það'?
In Icelandic, just like in English, sentences usually need a subject. When we talk about the weather or general situations where there isn't a specific 'doer', we use það as a placeholder or 'dummy' subject. It fills the subject spot so the sentence is grammatically complete.
Doesn't það normally mean 'it'? Why is it translated as 'there' here?
Yes, það is the pronoun for 'it'. However, Icelandic uses það for both 'It is...' (like Það er rigning - It is raining) and 'There is...' (like in this sentence). You just translate it based on what makes natural English sense for the situation.
I learned earlier that 'cold' is kalt for weather. Why is it kaldur in this sentence?
When you just say 'It is cold' (Það er kalt), the adjective describes the neuter dummy subject það, so it takes the neuter form kalt. But in this sentence, the adjective belongs directly to the noun vindur (wind). Because vindur is a masculine word, the adjective must take the masculine form kaldur.
Why do we use úti for 'outside' here instead of út?
Icelandic uses different words for locations depending on whether there is movement. You use úti when something is already located outside and staying there, like the wind in this sentence. You use út when someone or something is moving towards the outside, like walking out a door.