Aðalsetningurinn

Aðalsetningurinn is the Icelandic term for a main clause in grammar. A main clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought. It can stand alone as a sentence. In Icelandic, like in many other languages, main clauses are fundamental building blocks of sentences. They form the core of most declarative sentences, questions, and commands.

The typical word order in an Icelandic main clause is subject-verb-object, although variations exist for emphasis or stylistic reasons. For instance, if an adverbial phrase is placed at the beginning of the sentence for emphasis, the verb often comes next, followed by the subject, creating an inverted order (verb-subject). This inversion is a common feature in Icelandic sentence structure.

Aðalsetningurinn is distinct from a subordinate clause (or aukasetningurinn), which cannot stand alone as a complete sentence and is dependent on the main clause for its full meaning. Subordinate clauses are often introduced by subordinating conjunctions or relative pronouns. Understanding the difference between a main clause and a subordinate clause is crucial for comprehending sentence structure and constructing grammatically correct Icelandic sentences. The ability to identify and construct aðalsetningar is a basic requirement for fluency in the language.