Breakdown of Hún spyr hvernig við rötum á flugvöllinn.
hún
she
við
we
hvernig
how
spyrja
to ask
á
onto / on / in (static location) / on (a day of the week)
flugvöllurinn
the airport
rata
to find one's way
Questions & Answers about Hún spyr hvernig við rötum á flugvöllinn.
How does the indirect question work in this sentence?
In Icelandic, just like in English, you can introduce an indirect question using a question word like hvernig (how). Notice that the word order after it stays exactly the same as a normal statement: the subject (við) comes right before the verb (rötum).
What does the verb rötum mean exactly?
Rötum comes from the verb rata, which means to find one's way or to know how to get somewhere. While English uses the whole phrase "find our way", Icelandic uses this single, handy verb for navigating.
Why do we use the preposition á instead of til for "to the airport"?
In Icelandic, you generally go á (onto) an airport rather than til (to) it. Because you are traveling there (showing movement or direction), the preposition á triggers the accusative case for the noun that follows.
How do you break down the word flugvöllinn?
It is a compound word made of flug (flight) and völlur (field), giving us flugvöllur (airport). Because it is in the accusative case here, the attached definite article (the "the" at the end) changes the word to flugvöllinn.
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