Icelandic Names

Icelandic Names

Icelandic naming traditions have not changed much, and most Icelanders still follow the ancient tradition of deriving their last name from their father’s first name, although some like to use the mother’s name. Therefore, the children of someone called Gunnar Jónsson, are likely to have the surnames Gunnarsson and Gunnarsdóttir (Gunnar’s son and Gunnar’s daughter), and are not characterised by a common family name. Interestingly, Icelanders do not address each other by the last name under any circumstances, and doing so would seem unusual. In the case of marriage, Icelandic women do not take their husband’s name, and therefore Icelandic families generally have a mixture of names, with mum, dad and children all having their unique and individual patronymic or matronymic names.

Top Ten in Iceland

Breathtaking landscapes, glaciers, waterfalls and hot springs; the Viking heritage and rich medieval culture, or the vibrant nightlife and abundance of creative artists. Whatever reason brought you to Iceland there are several things above others that will make your stay unforgettable. We have listed a few of Iceland’s treasures that no visitors should miss.

•     The Golden Circle
•     Thermal Swimming Pools
•     Glacier or highland jeep tour
•     Historic and heritage museums
•     Whale- and birdwatching
•     Sightseeing flights
•     The Blue Lagoon
•     Art museums and galleries
•     Hiking and riding tours
•     Fine dining

Icelandic backyard. Photo - Elena

Words and Phrases

Advice on pronunciation: ð as ‘th’ in ‘the’ // Þ,þ as ‘th’ in ‘thunder’ // Æ,æ as ‘i’ in ‘high’. For more information see www.visitorsguide.is

Here are some indispensable words and phrases translated from English and German to Icelandic.

English – German – Icelandic

    Yes – Ja – Já

    No – Nein – Nei

    Maybe – Vielleicht – Kannski

    Good morning – Guten Tag – Góðan dag

    Good evening – Guten Abend – Gott kvöld

    Goodbye – Auf wiedersehen – Bless

    Thank you – Danke – Takk fyrir

    Trip – Ausflug – Ferð

    The weather is good – Das Wetter ist gut – Veðrið er gott

    It rains – Es regnet – Það rignir

    Are you cold? – Ist dir kalt? – Er þér kalt?

    This is beautiful – Das ist schön – Þetta er fallegt

    Mountain – Ein Berg – Fjall

    Glacier – Ein Gletscher – Jökull

    Landscape – Landschaft – Landslag

    Food – Essen – Matur

    Drinks – Getränke – Drykkir

    Beer – Bier – Bjór

    I am a Viking – Ich bin ein Vikinger – Ég er víkingur

    I´m on vacation – Ich bin auf – Urlaub Ég er í fríi

    You are cute! – Du bist süß! – Þú ert sæt(ur)!

    What is your name? – Wie heißt du? – Hvað heitir þú?

    Where do you live? – Wo wohnst du? – Hvar átt þú heima?

    What’s your telephone number – Telefonnummer? – Wie ist deine Hvað er síminn hjá þér?