Breakdown of Ég veit ekki hvar maðurinn getur fundið farmiðann.
ég
I
maðurinn
the man
ekki
not
hvar
where
finna
to find
vita
to know (a fact, information)
geta
to be able to
farmiðinn
the ticket (for travel)
Questions & Answers about Ég veit ekki hvar maðurinn getur fundið farmiðann.
Why does the verb getur come after maðurinn here? In a normal question, doesn't the verb come right after hvar?
Yes! In a direct question, the verb comes immediately after the question word: Hvar getur maðurinn fundið farmiðann? But in an indirect question, which is what is happening in the second half of this sentence, the word order changes back to a normal statement order: subject (maðurinn) followed by the verb (getur).
Why is the verb fundið used instead of the infinitive finna (to find)?
The verb geta (can) is special in Icelandic. Unlike most other helping verbs that take a normal infinitive, geta always requires the next verb to be in the supine form (the same form you use with the verb for 'have'). The supine form of finna is fundið.
What case is farmiðann, and how is it formed?
It is in the accusative case because it is the direct object being found. The base word is the masculine noun farmiði (ticket). Its accusative form is farmiða, and when you add the attached definite article for 'the', it becomes farmiðann.
Could I use þekki instead of veit for the word 'know' in this sentence?
No, you must use veit (from vita). In Icelandic, vita is used for knowing facts or information, such as knowing where a ticket is. The other word for knowing, þekkja, is only used for being personally familiar with a person, a place, or a thing.
Learn Ég veit ekki hvar maðurinn getur fundið farmiðann and more in Icelandic
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free