Pronunciation Guide
Icelandic inflections are difficult to get the hang of, but rules of pronunciation are relatively straightforward. Stress usually falls on the first syllable of each word. The Icelandic alphabet has 36 letters, with 12 vowels. Two consonants, the eth (ð) and the thorn (þ,), were borrowed from Old English. For the most part, Icelandic letters are pronounced as in English; the most notable exceptions are listed below.
Vowels
á: ow as in plow
é: ye as in yellow
i, y: i as in big
í, ý: ee as in teen
ó: o as in tone
ö: i as in whirl
ú: oo as in pool
æ: i as in wine
au: uh-ee, as in hurry(without the h or rr)
Consonants
ð: th as in bathe
þ: th as in thought
dj: j as in junk
hv: kv as in kvetch, but softer
j: y as in yes
ll: ddl as in cuddle
r: rolled, as in Spanish
Basic Vocabulary & Phrases
Yes -- Já
No -- Nei
Hello -- Hallo or Góðan daginn
Goodbye -- Bless
Excuse me -- Fyrirgefðu
Please -- Vinsamlegast or Takk
Thank you -- Takk or Takk fyrir
You're welcome -- Þú ert velkominn
Do you speak English? -- Talar þú ensku?
I don't understand -- Ég skil ekki
My name is . . . -- Ég heiti . . .
What is your name? -- Hvað heitir þú?
Nice to meet you -- Gaman að kynnast þér
Cheers! -- Skál!
Where is the . . . ? -- Hvar er . . . ?
Tourist information office -- Upplýsingaþjónustu fyrir ferðafólk
Toilet -- Snyrting
Bank -- Banki
ATM -- Hraðbanki
Restaurant -- Veitingahús
Bus -- Strætisvagn or Rúta
Airport -- Flugvöllur
Post office -- Pósthús
Police station -- Lögureglustöð
Pharmacy -- Apótek
Hospital -- Sjúkrahús
Doctor -- Læknir
Help -- Hjálp
Left -- Vinstri
Right -- Hægri
North -- Norður
South -- Suður
East -- Austur
West -- Vestur
Map -- Kort
Passport -- Vegabréf
How much is it? -- Hvar koster þetta?
Do you have . . . -- Hefur þú . . .
Do you have any vacancies? -- Eru herbergi laus?
Room -- Herbergi
Reservation -- Bókun
Sleeping bag/sleeping bag accommodation -- Svefnpoka/svefnpoka gisting
Today -- Í dag
Tomorrow -- A morgun
Open -- Opið
Closed -- Lókað
Numbers, Days & Months
Zero -- Núll
One -- Einn
Two -- Tveir
Three -- Þrír
Four -- Fjórir
Five -- Fimm
Six -- Sex
Seven -- Sjö
Eight -- Átta
Nine -- Níu
Ten -- Tíu
One hundred -- Eitt hundrað
One thousand -- Eitt þúsund
Monday -- Mánudagur
Tuesday -- Þriðjudagur
Wednesday -- Miðvikudagur
Thursday -- Fimmtudagur
Friday -- Föstudagur
Saturday -- Laugardagur
Sunday -- Sunnudagur
January -- Janúar
February -- Febrúar
March -- Mars
April -- Apríl
May -- Maí
June -- Júní
July -- Júlí
August -- Ágúst
September -- September
October -- Október
November -- Nóvember
December -- Desember
Glossary of Geographical Terms
Icelandic place names are usually pieced together from local geographical features and other landmarks. The village of Kirkjubæjarklaustur, for example, means "Church Farm Cloister," while Jökulsárgljúfur is "Glacial River Canyon." Farm names are usually inspired by nearby topography; Rauðaskriða, for instance, is surrounded by slopes of red scree (rauða skriða). Identifying the components of place names provides a key to local environments, both scenically and historically, as you travel through Iceland.
á -- river
alda -- ridge of several hills
bær -- farm, small settlement
bakki -- riverbank
berg -- rock, cliff
bjarg -- cliff
brekka -- slope, scree
brú -- bridge
bruni -- lava
dalur -- valley
djúp -- long coastal inlet
eiði -- isthmus
ey -- island (plural eyjar)
eyri -- spit of land, point
fell -- hill, mountain
fjall -- mountain, (plural fjöll)
fjörður -- broad inlet or fjord
fljót -- wide river
flói -- large bay
foss -- waterfall
gil -- gorge
gjá -- fissure
gljúfur -- canyon
gnúpur -- steep mountain, promontory
hæð -- hill
háls -- ridge
heiði -- heath, moor
hlíð -- mountainside
höfði -- promontory, headland
höfn -- harbor
hóll -- rounded hill (plural hólar)
hólmur -- small island
hraun -- lava flow
hver -- hot spring
jökull -- glacier
jökulsá -- glacial river
kirkja -- church
klauster -- cloister
klettur -- cliff, crag (plural klettar)
laug -- hot spring (plural laugar)
múli -- headland
nes -- headland, peninsula, point
ós -- estuary, mouth of river
reykur -- smoke, steam
sandur -- sands, beach
sjór -- ocean, sea
skagi -- peninsula, cape, headland
skarð -- mountain pass
sker -- rocky islet, reef, skerry
skógur -- woodland, scrubland
skriða -- scree, rockslide
staður -- place, stead (plural staðir)
stapi -- crag
tangi -- spit of land, point
tindur -- peak
tjörn -- small lake, pond
tunga -- spit of land, point
vað -- ford
vatn -- lake, water (plural vötn)
vegur -- path, road, way
vellir -- plains (singular völlur)
vík -- small inlet, bay, cove
vogur -- inlet, creek, cove
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
