Breakdown of Ég hef vandamál og ég veit ástæðuna.
og
and
ég
I
vita
to know (a fact, information)
hafa
to have
vandamálið
the problem
ástæðan
the reason
Questions & Answers about Ég hef vandamál og ég veit ástæðuna.
Why do we use hef for "have" here instead of á?
In Icelandic, the verb hafa (here as ég hef) is used for abstract things you have, like a problem, an idea, or time. The other verb for "to have", eiga (which becomes ég á), is used for owning physical property like a car, or for having family members. Since a problem (vandamál) is abstract, we use hafa.
Is hef following the normal rules for verbs?
No, hafa is an irregular verb. Regular verbs usually end in a vowel like -a or -i for the "I" form in the present tense, but hafa becomes ég hef. Because it is one of the most common verbs in the language, you will see this form very often and get used to it quickly.
Why does the word for "know" look so different from its dictionary form?
The dictionary form of the verb is vita, but it is highly irregular. The "I" form changes the vowel completely to become ég veit. This belongs to a small group of very old verbs in Icelandic, so forms like "I know" (ég veit) just have to be memorized as vocabulary.
What does the -na at the end of ástæðuna do?
It adds the word "the". The base word is ástæða (a reason). In Icelandic, "the" is attached to the end of the noun. It becomes ástæðuna (the reason) because it is the direct object of the verb veit. This forces the feminine noun into the accusative case, changing the ending before adding the attached article.
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