Translate Icelandic to English
Icelandic text appears in travel bookings for the Golden Circle and Blue Lagoon, correspondence from Reykjavik offices, Icelandic news sites, labels on Icelandic products like skyr and hardfiskur, and messages from Icelandic friends. The letters þ and ð may look exotic, but the translator reads them without trouble. Paste your text above.
Common Icelandic to English translations
| Icelandic | English | Pronunciation | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Halló | Hello | HOW-loh | ||
| Góðan daginn | Good morning | GOH-than DYE-in | ||
| Takk fyrir | Thank you | tahk FIR-ir | ||
| Vinsamlegast | Please | VIN-sahm-leh-gahst | ||
| Hvað kostar þetta? | How much is this? | kvath KOS-tar THET-ah | ||
| Hvar er klósettið? | Where is the bathroom? | kvar er KLOH-set-ith | ||
| Ég skil ekki | I do not understand | yeh skil EH-key | ||
| Getur þú hjálpað mér? | Can you help me? | GEH-toor thoo HYOWL-path myehr | ||
| Mér langar í kaffi | I would like coffee | myehr LAHNG-ar ee KAH-fee | ||
| Reikninginn, takk | The bill, please | RAYK-ning-in tahk | ||
| Gaman að kynnast | Nice to meet you | GAH-man ath KIN-nahst | ||
| Bless | Goodbye | bless | ||
| Ég þarf lækni | I need a doctor | yeh tharf LYKE-nee | ||
| Fyrirgefðu | Excuse me | FIR-ir-gyev-thoo |
Tips for Icelandic to English translation
The letters þ and ð in Icelandic both represent “th” sounds but are not interchangeable. Þ/þ is voiceless (like “think”) and appears at the beginning of many common words. Ð/ð is voiced (like “that”) and appears in the middle or end of words. Translators handle these correctly, but if you are verifying output, knowing the difference helps.
Icelandic word order follows the V2 rule (verb second) like other Germanic languages, but with more flexibility than German. In subordinate clauses, word order can shift. The extensive case system means that grammatical roles are marked on the words themselves, giving speakers freedom to rearrange for emphasis or style.
Modern Icelandic is remarkably close to Old Norse. Icelanders can read the medieval sagas (written 800 years ago) with relatively little difficulty. This means that some Icelandic words and constructions have an archaic quality that automated translators may not fully capture. If a translation seems oddly formal or old-fashioned, it may reflect the conservative nature of the source language.
Iceland has no standard abbreviations or text-speak conventions like many larger languages. Icelanders tend to write out words fully even in casual text messages. This actually makes Icelandic text easier for translators to process since there are fewer informal shortenings to decipher.
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. Unlimited, no account needed.
Yes. All Icelandic special characters are processed correctly.
Yes. Click the speaker icon.
Very close but not identical. Modern Icelandic has updated vocabulary and some pronunciation shifts while preserving most medieval grammar.
Good for everyday communication. For official or legal use, hire a professional.
Iceland uses patronymics (father-name), not family surnames. Each generation gets a new last name based on their father (or sometimes mother).
Visit our English to Icelandic page.
No. Real-time processing only.
Yes. The grammar is complex with four cases, three genders, and many irregular patterns. But pronunciation is fairly regular once you learn the rules.
Over 60 pairs including Norwegian, Danish, Faroese, Swedish, and more.
Looking for the reverse? Try English to Icelandic translation.
