Breakdown of Flugmaðurinn og sjómaðurinn máttu ekki tala saman.
og
and
ekki
not
saman
together / on end (after a dative plural time noun)
tala
to speak
Questions & Answers about Flugmaðurinn og sjómaðurinn máttu ekki tala saman.
Why is the verb máttu used here, and what is its base form?
Máttu is the simple past tense, plural form of the modal verb mega (to be allowed to, may). Because the subject of our sentence is two people (the pilot and the sailor), we use the plural form.
Does máttu ekki always mean 'were not allowed to'?
Yes! While mega often translates to 'may', using it with ekki expresses a strict prohibition. In the past tense, máttu ekki perfectly translates to 'were not allowed to'.
How does the word order work with the modal verb and the word ekki?
In an Icelandic sentence like this, the conjugated modal verb (máttu) takes the second position. The negative word ekki comes directly after it, followed by the main action verb in its infinitive or dictionary form (tala).
I recognize maðurinn in both subjects. How do these compound words work?
Icelandic builds many professions from compound words. Flug means flight, so a flugmaður is a pilot. Sjór means sea, making a sjómaður a sailor. The -inn at the very end of both words is the attached definite article, giving us 'the pilot' and 'the sailor'.