Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Of the
phrasebooks
, most useful is Berlitz's
Scandinavian Phrase Book and Dictionary
,
which includes a hundred-page section on Icelandic.
Pronunciation
Stress
in Icelandic is always on the first syllable. Below is a guide to the pronunciation
of Icelandic vowels and consonants - some have no equivalent in English, but the
nearest sound has been given to facilitate pronunciation.
VOWELS
a
as in f
a
ther
é
as in y
ea
h
ú
as in f
oo
l
á
as in c
o
w
i
as in h
i
t
y
see “i”, above
e
as in g
e
t or air,
depending on
whether
long or short
í
as in l
ea
n
ý
see “í” above
ö
as in f
u
r
æ
as is
eye
ó
as in s
o
w
au
as in French f
eu
ille
u
like u in c
u
te
ei
as in h
a
y
Consonants
As in English except:
as in
y
et
f before l or n
pronounced
b
, eg Keflavík
ll and rl
like the Welsh
ll
, or
dl
pronounced
together in English as in saddle
rn
pronounced as
dn
Note that Icelandic Þ/þ is the same as English “th” in thing. And Icelandic Ð/ð is the same as English “th” in this.
Useful words and phrases
BASIC PHRASES
Ye s
Já
How much?
Hvað mikið?
No
Nei
I don't know
Ég veit ekki
Hello
Halló/hæ
Do you know
Veistu…?
How are you?
Hvað segirðú?
(a fact)?
Is there/are
there…?
Fine, thanks
Allt fint, takk
Er/eru…?
Goodbye
Bless/bæ
With/without
Með/án
Good morning
/
Góðan dag
And/not
Og/ekki
afternoon
Good night
Something/nothing
Eitthvað/ekkert
Góða nótt
Here/there
Hér/þar
Today/tomorrow
Í dag/á morgun
Near/far
Nálægt/fjarlægt
Tonight
Í kvöld
This/that
Þetta/það
Please
Afsakið
Now/later
Núna/seinna
Thank you
Takk fyrir
More/less
Meiri/minni
I'd like…
Ég ætla að fá
Big/little
Stór/lítill/smár
Excuse me
Fyrirgefðu
Open/closed
Opið/lokað
Here you are
Gerið svo vel (plural)/
gerðu svo vel (singular)
Men/women
Karlmenn/kvenmenn
Toilet
Snyrting
Don't mention it
Ekkert að þakka
Gentlemen/ladies
Herrar/konur
Bank
Banki
Sorry?
Ha?/hvað sagðir þú?
(as in “what did
you say?”)
Where/when?
Post o
ce
Pósthús
Stamp(s)
Frímerki
Hvar/hvenær?
Where are you from?
Hvaðan ertu?
I'm from...
Ég er frá
What/why?
Hvað/hvers vegna?
Who/how?
Hver/hvernig?
…America
…Bandaríkjunum
