Essential Icelandic Phrases

While many Icelanders speak excellent English, knowing a few essential phrases in Icelandic can enhance your travel experience. Here are some useful phrases with their phonetic spellings:

Basic Greetings

• Hello: Halló (ha-loh)

• Good morning: Góðan daginn (goh-than da-yin)

• Good evening: Gott kvöld (goh-t kwehld)

• Goodbye: Bless (bles)

• Thank you: Takk (tahk)

• Yes: Já (yow)

• No: Nei (nay)

• Please: Vinsamlegast (vin-sam-leh-gast)

• Excuse me: Afsakið (af-sa-kith)

• Sorry: Fyrirgefðu (fi-rir-gev-thu)

Getting Around

• Where is...?: Hvar er...? (kvar er)

• How much does this cost?: Hvað kostar þetta? (kvath koh-star thet-tah)

• I don't understand: Ég skil ekki (yeh skihl eh-kee)

• Do you speak English?: Talarðu ensku? (tah-lar-thu en-sku)

• Help!: Hjálp! (hyaulp)

At a Restaurant

• Menu: Matseðill (maht-seh-thill)

• Water: Vatn (vahtn)

• Beer: Bjór (byor)

• Wine: Vín (veen)

• Cheers!: Skál! (sk-owl)

• Bill, please: Reikninginn, vinsamlegast (rayk-nin-yin, vin-sam-leh-gast)

Emergency Phrases

• Call the police: Hringdu í lögregluna (hring-du ee luh-greh-gluh-na)

• I need a doctor: Ég þarf lækni (yeh tharf layk-ni)

• I'm lost: Ég er týndur/týnd (yeh er teen-dur/teent)

Numbers

• One: Einn (ayn)

• Two: Tveir (tvayr)

• Three: Þrír (three-r)

• Four: Fjórir (fyo-rir)

• Five: Fimm (fim)

These phrases should help you navigate your travels in Iceland more smoothly!