Language
Icelandic is a Teutonic language of the Nordic group distantly related to Norwegian. It is believed to have changed little from the original tongue spoken by the Norse settlers.
As the country only gained full independence from Denmark in 1944, Danish is still spoken among the older generation. ‘Video English’ has slipped into the slang language of the city’s younger inhabitants, although generally they have a good command of English, as it is an integral part of the schooling system.
Despite this trend for foreign words, Reykjavikians are fiercely proud of their language and will always look to use an Icelandic expression or word rather than use an outside replacement: ‘computer’, for example, is tölva, a combination of the words tala (‘number’) and völva (‘sage’).
Some of the Reykjavikians’ expressions seem archaic when translated, as they stem from their rural heritage – if something is ‘not much good’, it is ekki epp á marga fiska (‘not worth many fish’); and sauddrukkinn is to be ‘as drunk as a sheep’ – both colloquial expressions still used today.
Phrases
Yes - Já
No - Nei
Hello - Halló
Goodbye - Bless
Please - Viltu gjöra svo vel
Thank you - Takk (takk fyrir)
My name is … Ég heiti …
How are you? - Hvernig hefurdu thad?
I’m very well - Ég hef thad ágætt
I feel ill - Ég er lasin
How much does it cost? - Hvad kostar thetta?
Do you speak English? - Talardu ensku?
I don’t understand - Ég skil ekki
Where is …? - Hvar er …?
Entrance - Inngangur
Exit - Útgangur
Danger - Hætta
Open - Opid
Closed - Lokad
Toilets - Salerni
Doctor - Læknir
Hotel - Hótel
Restaurant - Veitingastadur
Beer - Bjór
Wine - Vín
Menu - Matsedill
Today - Í dag
Tomorrow - Á morgun
Monday- Mánudagur
Tuesday - Thridjudagur
Wednesday - Midvikudagur
Thursday - Fimmtudagur
Friday - Föstudagur
Saturday - Laugardagur
Sunday - Sunnudagur
One - Einn
Two - Tveir
Three - Thrír
Four - Fjórir Five Fimm
Six - Sex
Seven - Sjö
Eight - Átta
Nine - Níu
Ten - Tíu
Twenty - Tuttugu
Thirty - Thrjátíu
Forty - Fjörtíu
Fifty - Fimmtíu
Sixty - Sextíu
Seventy - Sjötíu
Eighty - Áttatíu
Ninety - Nítíu
One Hundred - Eitt hundrad
One Thousand - Eitt thúsund
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