Breakdown of Við þurfum að finna kettling Páls.
við
we
að
to (infinitive marker)
finna
to find
þurfa
to need
Páll
Páll
kettlingurinn
the kitten
Questions & Answers about Við þurfum að finna kettling Páls.
Why does the name Páll change to Páls?
This is the genitive case, which shows ownership just like the English apostrophe-s. For most masculine nouns and names like Páll, you simply add -s to the end to make it genitive.
Why is the word order kettling Páls instead of the other way around?
In Icelandic, the noun that owns something usually comes right after the thing being owned. Instead of saying Páll's kitten, the sentence is structured as kitten Páll's (kettling Páls).
Why is the word for kitten written as kettling instead of its dictionary form kettlingur?
Because the kitten is the thing being found, it is the direct object of the sentence and takes the accusative case. For most masculine nouns ending in -ur, you just drop the -ur in the accusative.
Why do we need the word að in this sentence?
The word að acts like the English word to. We use it here to link the conjugated verb þurfum (need) with the dictionary form of the verb finna (find), creating the phrase need to find.
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