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10 COMMON ICELANDIC PHRASES THAT MAKE YOU SOUND LIKE A LOCAL

10 COMMON ICELANDIC PHRASES THAT MAKE YOU SOUND LIKE A LOCAL

od Íris OLS Community Manager -
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10 COMMON ICELANDIC PHRASES THAT MAKE YOU SOUND LIKE A LOCAL

10 COMMON ICELANDIC PHRASES THAT MAKE YOU SOUND LIKE A LOCAL.

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If you're learning Icelandic, you may be familiar with some of the more basic expressions like "Góðan daginn" (Good morning) or "takk" (thank you), but what about the phrases that will really help you blend in with the locals?  

Here are 10 common Icelandic expressions and phrases that will make you sound like a local in no time: 

  1. "Þetta reddast" - This phrase roughly translates to "everything will work out in the end" and is a common Icelandic attitude towards life's problems. 

  1. "Jæja" - This expression is very commonly used among Icelandic speakers, it has many different meanings depending on the context. The word translates to “well” but can mean: 

  • “It is time to get going”,  

  • “What is new”,  

  • “Enough!”  

  • “That does it. I can’t take more of this”.  

  • “I’m glad that this is done!” 

  1. "Heyrðu" - This translates to "Listen" but it can mean “May I disturb you for a second?” or is added in front of a sentence when asking for a favor.  

  1. "Geggjað!" - This phrase means "Amazing!" and is commonly used to express approval or excitement.  

  1. "Nenniru?" - This question means "are you up for it?" and is often used when suggesting an activity or outing. 

  1. "Gaman að sjá þig" - This translates to "nice to see you" and is a common greeting between friends and acquaintances. 

  1. "Ha?" - This expression means "I didn’t quite catch what you were saying, could you please repeat?" or “I can’t believe this!”.  

  1. "Hvað segir þú?" - This question translates to "what do you say?" but the meaning behind it is “How are you doing?” 

  1. "Takk fyrir mig" - This phrase translates to "Thank you for me" but the meaning behind it is “Thank you for the food” and is very commonly used to express gratitude to the host or chef.  

  1. "Skreppa" - This expression translates to "shrink" but the meaning is “Run off for a little while” in is used to inform that you will be back in a bit.  

Learning these common Icelandic expressions will not only help you better understand the language but also allow you to connect with locals on a deeper level. 

Practice using them in your everyday conversations and you'll be speaking like a true Icelander in no time! 


--
Íris Líf, OLS Community Manager – Icelandic