Breakdown of Kunna þær að tala frönsku?
þær
they (f)
tala
to speak
að
to (infinitive marker)
kunna
to know how to
franska
French
Questions & Answers about Kunna þær að tala frönsku?
Why is there an að before tala?
The modal verb kunna (meaning 'to know how to' or 'can' as a skill) requires the infinitive marker að before the next verb. This is different from other helping verbs like vilja (to want) or ætla (to intend), which are followed directly by the infinitive without að.
Why is 'they' translated as þær instead of þeir or þau?
In Icelandic, the word for 'they' changes depending on the gender of the people you are talking about. Þær is the feminine plural, so this sentence is specifically asking if a group of women knows how to speak French. If it were a group of men, you would use þeir, and for a mixed group, you would use þau.
Why is the verb kunna instead of kann?
Kunna is the plural form used for 'they' (þeir, þær, þau) as well as 'we' (við). If the subject were singular, like 'she' (hún), the verb would change to match it: Kann hún að tala frönsku?
Why is it frönsku instead of franska?
Frönsku is the accusative case of the noun franska (French). The verb tala (to speak) requires its object, the language being spoken, to be in the accusative case.
Could I use geta here to say 'can they speak French'?
You use kunna when talking about a learned skill or knowledge, like knowing a language. Geta is used for physical ability or possibility, like asking if someone is physically able to speak right now. Additionally, geta requires a different grammar structure, whereas kunna is followed by að plus the infinitive verb.
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