Translate English to Icelandic
Icelandic is spoken by about 370,000 people, almost all of them in Iceland. Despite its small speaker population, Icelandic is one of the most linguistically conservative Germanic languages, preserving grammar and vocabulary that date back to the Viking age. Whether you are preparing for a trip to Reykjavik, reading an Icelandic saga, or communicating with an Icelandic business, paste your text above.
Common English to Icelandic translations
| English | Icelandic | Pronunciation | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hello | Halló | HOW-loh | ||
| Good morning | Góðan daginn | GOH-than DYE-in | ||
| Thank you | Takk fyrir | tahk FIR-ir | ||
| Please | Vinsamlegast | VIN-sahm-leh-gahst | ||
| How much is this? | Hvað kostar þetta? | kvath KOS-tar THET-ah | ||
| Where is the bathroom? | Hvar er klósettið? | kvar er KLOH-set-ith | ||
| I do not understand | Ég skil ekki | yeh skil EH-key | ||
| Can you help me? | Getur þú hjálpað mér? | GEH-toor thoo HYOWL-path myehr | ||
| I would like coffee | Mér langar í kaffi | myehr LAHNG-ar ee KAH-fee | ||
| The bill, please | Reikninginn, takk | RAYK-ning-in tahk | ||
| Nice to meet you | Gaman að kynnast | GAH-man ath KIN-nahst | ||
| Goodbye | Bless | bless | ||
| I need a doctor | Ég þarf lækni | yeh tharf LYKE-nee | ||
| Excuse me | Fyrirgefðu | FIR-ir-gyev-thoo |
Tips for English to Icelandic translation
Icelandic preserves two letters from the Old Norse runic alphabet that have disappeared from all other Germanic languages: þ (thorn, pronounced like “th” in “think”) and ð (eth, pronounced like “th” in “that”). These are not decorative; they are standard Icelandic letters that appear in everyday words like það (it/that) and þú (you).
Icelandic has four grammatical cases (nominative, accusative, dative, genitive) and three grammatical genders (masculine, feminine, neuter). Nouns, adjectives, and pronouns all decline for case, gender, and number. This means a single Icelandic noun can appear in over 16 different forms. The complexity is similar to German but with more irregular patterns.
Icelandic actively resists borrowing foreign words. Instead of adopting “computer,” Icelandic created tölva (from tala, number, and völva, prophetess). “Telephone” became sími (thread). This linguistic purism means that technical and modern vocabulary in Icelandic looks nothing like its English equivalent, making translation less predictable for technical content.
Icelandic names follow a patronymic system, not a family surname system. A man named Jón, son of Ólafur, is Jón Ólafsson. His daughter Guðrún would be Guðrún Jónsdóttir (not Ólafsdóttir). Icelanders are listed alphabetically by first name in the phone book. When translating documents, keep this naming convention in mind.
About the Icelandic language
Icelandic is a North Germanic language descended directly from Old Norse, the language brought to Iceland by Viking settlers in the 9th century. Unlike Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish, which have undergone significant simplification over the centuries, Icelandic has preserved most of its medieval grammar, making it the most conservative of the living Germanic languages.
Iceland has a population of about 370,000 and a literary culture that punches far above its weight. The medieval Icelandic sagas are among the foundational texts of European literature. Modern Iceland publishes more books per capita than any other country in the world. The annual Christmas book flood (Jólabókaflóð) is a cultural tradition where Icelanders exchange books on Christmas Eve and spend the night reading.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. No registration, no fees.
Þ/þ (thorn) is voiceless “th” as in “think.” Ð/ð (eth) is voiced “th” as in “that.” Both are standard Icelandic letters.
Yes. Click the speaker icon. Icelandic pronunciation has several sounds not found in English.
Yes. Both descend from Old Norse. But Icelandic preserved the medieval grammar while Norwegian simplified significantly.
Good for everyday text. For legal, academic, or official content, use a professional.
Iceland has a policy of linguistic purism, creating new Icelandic words from old roots instead of borrowing from English or other languages.
Visit our Icelandic to English page.
Yes. Nothing saved.
Largely yes. Medieval Icelandic sagas are readable with some effort.
Over 60 pairs including Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, German, and more.
Need the reverse? Try Icelandic to English translation.
