Icelandic Phrase Guide
Essential Icelandic phrases for your trip with pronunciation guide
Hello
Halló
/HAL-loh/
Hi (informal)
Hæ
/Hi/
Good morning
Góðan daginn
/GOH-thahn DAH-yinn/
Good evening
Gott kvöld
/goht KVUHLD/
Goodbye
Bless
/BLESS/
Yes
Já
/yow/
No
Nei
/nay/
Please
Gjörðu svo vel
/GYUR-thu svoh vel/
Thank you
Takk (fyrir)
/tahk (FIH-rir)/
You're welcome
Það var ekkert
/thahth vahr EH-kehrt/
Excuse me
Afsakið
/AHF-sah-kith/
Sorry
Fyrirgefðu
/FIH-rir-GEV-thu/
🗣️ Pronunciation Tips
Þ/þ = "th" as in "think"
Ð/ð = "th" as in "this"
Æ/æ = "i" as in "life"
Ö/ö = "u" as in "fur"
J/j = "y" as in "yes"
R/r = rolled R
LL = "tl" sound
Double consonants = held longer
💡 Did You Know?
- • Icelandic has barely changed since the Viking Age - modern Icelanders can read 1000-year-old sagas!
- • There's no word for "please" - Icelanders use verb forms and "takk" (thank you) instead
- • Most Icelanders speak excellent English, but locals appreciate even basic attempts at Icelandic
- • Icelanders use patronymic names (e.g., Jónsson = son of Jón) rather than family surnames
📱 Quick Reference Card
Hello = Halló
Thank you = Takk
Goodbye = Bless
Cheers! = Skál!
Help! = Hjálp!
Beautiful = Fallegt