# Icelandic: mega and fá að



## CarlitosMS

Hello everybody

I would like to know the difference between these two sentences:
Þú mátt ekki gera það
Þú færð ekki að gera það

Greetings

Carlos


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## NoMoreMrIceGuy

CarlitosMS said:


> Hello everybody
> 
> I would like to know the difference between these two sentences:
> Þú mátt ekki gera það
> *Something, a rule, the law, doesn't allow you to do something.*
> Þú færð ekki að gera það
> *Someone won't give you permission to to something.*
> 
> Greetings
> 
> Carlos


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## Alxmrphi

Is it sortt of like there's a *leyfi *interpreted in the second sentence, NMMIG?
(Þú færð ekki(*leyfi*) [til] að gera það) ?


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## NoMoreMrIceGuy

Yeah like:

Þú mátt ekki brjóta lögin! (but you can)
Þú færð ekki að brjóta lögin! (Because the police is near and will stop you)


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## Alxmrphi

Does "geta" have a closer significance to the second example? 
Like _Þú getur ekki brotið lögin_ (because it's impossible due to the police being there and will stop you) ?


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## NoMoreMrIceGuy

Alxmrphi said:


> Does "geta" have a closer significance to the second example?
> Like _Þú getur ekki brotið lögin_ (because it's impossible due to the police being there and will stop you) ?



Yes, but it can also due to some inability on your own part (conscience, handicap, etc.)


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## Alxmrphi

NoMoreMrIceGuy said:


> Yes, but it can also due to some inability on your own part (conscience, handicap, etc.)


Ah, I thought that could be the case.
Thanks for these confirmations


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## CarlitosMS

Thank you very much for your answers, but I also would like to know how to translate both verbs.

Greetings

Carlos


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## Alxmrphi

CarlitosMS said:


> but I also would like to know how to translate both verbs.


NoMoreMrIceGuy already provided a explanation (which should be enough for a translation).
Either way, in English it'd be "can't" and cover both nuances, so there wouldn't be a clear difference between them then.
Or did you mean into Spanish? (You didn't say).


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## CarlitosMS

I mean into German, for example.


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## Donnerstag

CarlitosMS said:


> I mean into German, for example.



Þú mátt ekki gera það = Du darfst das nicht machen
Þú færð ekki að gera það = Du kannst das nicht machen

mega = dürfen

fá að = können (there's no direct equivalent, but that's the closest)


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