Essential Icelandic Phrases You Should Learn

Every Icelander you meet speaks English. This is not an exaggeration. Iceland ranks among the highest countries in the world for English proficiency, and anyone working in tourism, hospitality, or retail in any part of the country will switch to English seamlessly before you have finished your first sentence.

So the honest reason to learn some Icelandic is not that you need it. It is that attempting it changes how locals respond to you. Walking into a guesthouse in the highlands and saying "góðan daginn" instead of launching straight into English signals something. It says you are interested in where you are rather than just passing through it. Icelanders notice that, and the conversation that follows tends to be warmer.

This guide covers the phrases that actually come up on a trip to Iceland, organized by situation, with pronunciation written for English speakers rather than linguists.

A Note on Icelandic Pronunciation

Icelandic has several sounds that do not exist in English. Two letters appear constantly and are worth knowing before anything else.

Þ / þ (called "thorn") is pronounced like the "th" in "think." So "Þingvellir" sounds like "Thing-vet-lir."

Ð / ð (called "eth") is pronounced like the "th" in "the" or "that." It is a softer sound than Þ.

The accent on the first syllable. In Icelandic, stress always falls on the first syllable of a word. This is one of the more useful rules because it is consistent without exception.

R is rolled. A single rolled R, not the American soft R or the British silent one.

Do not let the unfamiliar letters discourage you. The phonetic guides below are written to get you close enough that Icelanders understand what you are trying to say, which is all that matters.

Basic Greetings and Polite Expressions

These are the phrases you will use most frequently. They cost almost nothing to learn and produce immediate results.

Góðan daginn (GOH-dan DY-in) Good day. The standard formal greeting is used throughout the day, morning and afternoon. Most visitors should start here.

Halló (HA-loh) Hello. The casual version, borrowed from English but fully Icelandic in everyday use. Interchangeable with góðan daginn in informal settings.

Gott kvöld (GOT kvölt) Good evening. Use this after about 6 PM.

Bless (bless) Goodbye. Identical in spelling to the English word, but used as a standard farewell. You will hear it constantly at the end of every transaction, conversation, and interaction. Say it when you leave a shop, a restaurant, or a conversation.

Bless bless (bless bless) A slightly warmer goodbye, the way "bye bye" works in English. Very common.

Takk (tahk) Thank you. The single most useful word in this guide. Use it constantly: when someone holds a door, when a server brings your food, when a guide explains something. It requires no pronunciation difficulty and produces immediate warmth.

Takk fyrir (tahk FIH-rir) Thank you very much. A more complete expression of thanks than takk alone.

Gjörðu svo vel (GYÖR-du svoh vel) You're welcome. Said in response to takk. Literally means "please do so."

Fyrirgefðu (FIH-rir-gev-ðu) Excuse me / Sorry. Use this to get someone's attention or to apologize. The pronunciation is easier than it looks: "fih-rir-gev-thuh."

Já (yow) Yes.

Nei (nay) No.

Introductions and Basic Conversation

Hvað heitir þú? (kvatH HEY-tir thoo) What is your name?

Ég heiti... (yekh HEY-tih) My name is...

Hvar ert þú frá? (kvar ert thoo frow) Where are you from?

Ég er frá... (yekh er frow) I am from...

Talar þú ensku? (TAH-lar thoo EN-skuh) Do you speak English? Useful in the rare situations where you are uncertain.

Ég tala ekki íslensku (yekh TAH-lah EH-kih EES-len-skuh) I do not speak Icelandic. Honest and immediately understood.

Getur þú hjálpað mér? (GEH-tur thoo HYOWL-pah myer) Can you help me? A useful phrase in any situation where you need assistance.

Getting Around

Hvar er...? (kvar er) Where is...? The most useful construction for navigation. Follow it with the place you are looking for.

Hvar er klósettið? (kvar er KLOH-set-ith) Where is the toilet? Essential at any attraction or restaurant.

Hvar er bensínstöðin? (kvar er ben-SEEN-stö-ðin) Where is the petrol station? Particularly useful on the Golden Circle and South Coast where fuel stops are infrequent.

Hvernig kemst ég til...? (KVER-nig kemst yekh til) How do I get to...?

Beint áfram (beynt OW-vram) Straight ahead.

Til vinstri (til VIN-strih) To the left.

Til hægri (til HY-grih) To the right.

Hversu langt er það? (KVER-suh langt er thaD) How far is it?

Er vegurinn opinn? (er VEH-gur-in OH-pin) Is the road open? Useful in winter when road closures are common.

Dining and Food

Get ég fengið matseðilinn? (get yekh FENG-ið MAT-seh-ðil-in) Can I have the menu?

Ég er með ofnæmi fyrir... (yekh er með OFV-ney-mih FIH-rir) I am allergic to... Follow with the relevant food.

Ég er grænmetisæta (yekh er GRYN-meh-tis-eye-tah) I am vegetarian.

Þetta var mjög gott (THEH-tah var myög goht) This was very good. Say it when you mean it. Icelanders working in restaurants appreciate it.

Reikninginn, takk (REYK-ning-in tahk) The bill, please. Literally "the bill, thanks."

Skál! (skohl) Cheers! The Icelandic toast. Said when raising a glass.

Shopping

Hvað kostar þetta? (kvaD KOS-tar THEH-tah) How much does this cost?

Er þetta til sölu? (er THEH-tah til SÖ-luh) Is this for sale?

Get ég borgað með korti? (get yekh BOR-gað mED KOR-tih) Can I pay by card? Nearly always the answer is yes. Iceland is almost entirely cashless.

Þetta er of dýrt (THEH-tah er ohf durt) This is too expensive.

Emergency and Safety

Hjálp! (hyowlp) Help!

Hringdu á sjúkrabíl! (HRING-du ow SYOOK-ra-beel) Call an ambulance!

Hringdu á lögregluna! (HRING-du ow LÖG-reg-luh-nah) Call the police!

Ég þarf hjálp (yekh tharf hyowlp) I need help.

The Icelandic emergency number is 112. Save it in your phone before you travel.

Icelandic Words You Will See Everywhere

These are not phrases to speak but words you will encounter on signs, menus, and maps throughout Iceland.

Gata — Street. Laugavegur is a "vegur" (road/way). Many Reykjavik streets end in "-gata."

Foss — Waterfall. Gullfoss, Skógafoss, Seljalandsfoss: all end in "foss."

Fjall — Mountain. Snæfellsjökull contains "fjall" compressed into the compound word.

Jökull — Glacier. Vatnajökull, Mýrdalsjökull: the suffix tells you there is ice.

Nes — Peninsula or headland. Seltjarnarnes, Reykjanes: the land that juts into the sea.

Á — River. Often part of place names.

Vatn — Lake or water. Þingvallavatn is the lake at Þingvellir.

Dalur — Valley. Reykjadalur, the hot spring river valley, is literally "smoke valley."

Holt — Rough lava field or hillock.

Phrases That Capture Something About Iceland

Þetta reddast (THEH-tah RED-ahst) It will all work out. Iceland's most famous expression and the closest thing the country has to a national motto. Used when things go sideways, plans change, or the weather turns. Not ironic or resigned. Genuinely optimistic. It is the cultural attitude toward uncertainty: things sort themselves out. Say it when your tour gets delayed or the road is closed and watch Icelanders smile.

Náttúrulega (NOW-tyur-uh-leh-gah) Naturally / Of course. Used constantly in everyday Icelandic to affirm something or agree. You will hear it everywhere.

Frábært! (FROW-byrt) Excellent / Fantastic! The word Icelanders use when something is genuinely impressive. Pronounced roughly "frow-byrt" with the emphasis on the first syllable.

Gaman (GAH-man) Fun / Enjoyable. When something is gaman, it is good and worth doing.