Practical Icelandic: Greetings

How do you say hello in Icelandic? Turns out there's way more than one way... editor-in-chief of Reykjavík Grapevine, Valur Grettisson, takes you through some of the many complicated ways to greet people in Icelandic - an in the end, gives you a quick and easy option that you will already recognise!
Words to learn from this video:
Sæll - literally means 'happy', used for greeting a man
Sæl - greeting a woman or a mixed group
Sælir - greeting more than one man
Sælar - greeting more than one woman
(Komdu) blessaður - (come,) be blessed (singular, masculine)
(Komdu) blessuð - (come,) be blessed (singular feminine, or plural mixed gender)
Komdu heill og sæll - literally 'be healthy and happy' (singular, masculine)
Komið heil og sæl - (singular feminine, or plural mixed gender)
Sæll og blessaður - literally 'happy and blessed' (singular, masculine)
Sæl og blessuð - (singular feminine, or plural mixed gender)
Góðan daginn - good day
Góða kvöldið - good evening
Sælinú - literally 'hello now'
Halló - 'hello', mostly used when answering the phone
And finally, the simple solution:
Hæ hæ, or just hæ - hi!
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Want an even simpler way to get your hotdog? You can buy our ‘má ég fá eina pylsu’ T-shirt here, and just point to it when you’re ordering in Iceland! shop.grapevine.is/products/ma...
Interested in learning more Icelandic? We have a range of books available in the Grapevine Bookshop to help you out: shop.grapevine.is/collections...
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The Reykjavík Grapevine is a free, alternative magazine in English published in Reykjavík every month. We cover everything Iceland-related, with a special focus on news, human interest stories, music, culture, food, travel and events.
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[@kerrydavis3681]

I love these language videos! Please keep them coming if you can. This one seems complicated but I grasped the others so here goes……😅

[@Utgardaloki76]

@2:31 "Komdu heill og sæll". This is one of the most common and really old Old Norse greetings. "Kom þú heill ok sǽll" in Old Icelandic. Kom þú héll/hæill ok sǽll in Old Swedish and so on. Modern Icelandic is quite fantastic.

[@marie-annemoors2133]

It is so funny when you say Icelandic is not complicated. I tried to learn Icelandic and stumbled over al the different endings of the words. We don't know that in Dutch. But it is a very beautiful language and I love to listen and sometimes there are words I understand. I stick to hi/hæ. I am curious to you're next lesson. Bless bless.

[@ellenpa2000]

Oooh what a treat on Wednesday! Good to learning some Icelandic. So related to Dutch too. 😍🙋🇨🇦

[@chezmanya]

Thanks so much for this ! this explains a greeting that I heard on the TV show Katla. In this show, many of the characters greeted each other with the words “sæl” or “sæll”. I was confused about that until I saw this video. By the way, one can learn a lot of Icelandic just by watching these serials. I have not learned to speak in sentences but I have picked up a lot of vocabulary. I enjoy these language videos a lot so please keep doing them! Sjaumst!

[@nancybarnes7109]

Oh my! I think if I ever get to come to Iceland, I will just have to go with your version of "hi", or maybe just wave! But at least I feel confident ordering a hot dog! 😄 But seriously, these short language videos are one of my favorite features of the membership!

[@heartwings2517]

I can order a cup of cocoa LOL!

[@juliocean1331]

Many Thanks for the Icelandic Language Lessons Valur. It's always best to hear the correct pronunciation from a local. Much appreciated. 💕🙏

[@user-mrfrog]

Íslenska er virkilega flott tungumál. Kveðja frá Québec-fylki! Gleðilega hátíð líka!

[@coryjorgensen622]

Takk fyrir þetta! Ég er útlendingur sem hef ekki nokkurn tímann búað á Íslandi, en samt ákvað ég einn dag að læra íslensku, þannig að ég byrjaði að hlusta á hverjum einasta degi á tvo til þrjá tíma af íslenskunni. Nú get ég talað, lesið, og skilið íslensku mjög gott held ég. Takk aftur fyrir vidéóið. Bless bless (not in a religiously fanatical way!).

[@freyjulundr]

greetings from your ancient ancestors from norway/sweden

[@srstrand01]

I miss Valur and Polly on the Reykjavík Grapevine. In fact I hardly ever visit the Grapevine since you lift>

[@cynthiarowley719]

Great camera, beautiful tour!

[@kathleenriveraspencer4136]

love it ..l thank you

[@albrussell7184]

I think I'm going to stick with Hi when go to Iceland on holiday in 10 days time; can't wait!. I've learned some Icelandic geological terms but knew nothing else until a few minutes ago.

[@OccamsSledgehammer]

I hope you are safe with the volcano situation!

[@jimkellynzioka1664]

Just came here to express how much I miss this phenomenal man and Polly! I only knew of the Reykjavík Grapevine newscast and podcast about a month ago. Absolutely loved Valur's storytelling, coupled with his unmatched enthusiasm for delivering the news to us. However, I hadn't known he'd already left the company until a few weeks ago. It was crushing to discover that, and nothing short of heartbreaking. Now I cannot watch any of these past videos wherein Valur is a host without tears welling up my eyes 😢

[@samhughes23]

I love your language. It has always had a Welsh lilt to me.And you pronounce 'll' the same as in Welsh 😊

[@slkzil]

I like your videos very much! Especially in time like this..thank you. I hope, the weather is ok…stay safe, stay warm.. Ps: I hope, all power outages are fixed by now…greetings from Oklahoma

[@corrineboxkicklove7942]

These videos are great. Thank You for creating this series. Any chance you could do a video about how to ask about the weather? ( Thought about it after reading the FB/Grapevine of more Red/Orange warnings of upcoming storms. Be Safe Everyone. 🙏🏼❄️ 🇮🇸 )

[@TheReykjavikGrapevine]

That is a great suggestion!

[@quietone748]

having learned German and Norwegian, I am ready for declensions, genders and everything. I've been working on "crash course for immigrants" online but have to say I have been depending on all of you folk who are making broadcasts on KZbin to help me with pronunciations. :)

[@malcolm20091000]

Amazing. All that snow melted in one day. Heat wave!

[@SDRsUnited]

Always perfect, Valur... Always beautiful Laugavegur... I can't wait to see Reykjavik again, looks beautiful always.

[@nyakaisikijamila0]

Hi j hve learnt that ,and thanks for teaching us

[@krissullivan6313]

Love these! Even tho' I know I'll never speak Icelandic... it's fun to try a few words! My mother's parents were first generation Americans coming from Norway. In their home, as many others where she grew up, they spoke only the language of the old country! All church services were the same way. It wasn't until she started grade school that she became a good English speaker. I wish now I had learned more from her! Where I live is mostly people of Nordic ancestry and there are many words that still have a Norwegian lilt to them.

[@smeegle213]

It’s just not the same without him 🥺 But I still love and respect The Grapevine!

[@stuw4943]

Ah, now I understand. I couldn’t work out what it was Valur was saying to Polly when he was calling her. Now it makes sense. Thanks guys 👍🏼

[@svolfron6496]

3:12 The word 'kvöld' means evening, not night! To say 'good evening' in Icelandic is to say 'gott kvöld' or 'góða kvöldið' (with the article). One can use 'kveld' instead of 'kvöld', which is an old and proper form of 'kvöld'. The word 'aftann' is synonymous to 'kveld'/'kvöld', but it is rarely used.

[@colleenpye4204]

Thanks for more Icelandic language tips. If I'm ever fortunate your beautiful country maybe I.ll have some ability to greet people in Icelandic without sounding as though I'm strangling. I'm not poking fun at Icelandic language, just at my pathetic attempts at pronunciation. More please!

[@ptournas]

Oh I'm going to love this series. I can make another of my many unsuccessful attempts to learn Icelandic! At 2:50 into the video you brought me flashbacks of my trip to Iceland in 2019. On Saturday, July 20, I was sitting on that round bench in front of Gullkúnst Helgu playing my guitar and harmonicas along with an old friend who was also playing his guitar. We were singing quite a few songs while our other two friends were taking pictures and mingling about the crowd that had gathered about us. There was also a crowd watching us from across the street in front of Le Bistro. We were kind of shocked when a waitress came out of the Le Bistro and asked us if we would like free drinks. We thanked her and ordered beers. I guess maybe the crowd was good for business! Anyway, we thought that was really cool. We purposely left our guitar cases closed, because we were just having a great time and not looking for tips, but some people were insistent about tipping us and would just open the cases and throw money in. A young girl, maybe about 16 years old, came over and gave me an excellent sketch of me playing my guitar and singing. So sweet! I made her sign it before I accepted it :) We played several other times during the ten days we were there. I love Iceland. That was my bucket list trip. I have another trip on my bucket list now - to return to Iceland for a fourth time! 😁

[@TheReykjavikGrapevine]

What a lovely story Peter!

[@gilhalle9226]

Great video, more language lessons please! And walking us through Reykjavik is a bonus!

[@cloud811]

Man... I miss valur videos... And polly

[@freedomstonemycology9894]

THÆNKS TÆÆMS 🎉

[@Norfolk250]

How about Polly? In Ontario, it would be: Woof Arf Bark Yipe

[@TheReykjavikGrapevine]

Haha, good point. In Icelandic it's Voff!

[@vdubz243]

I always say hello.

[@randallmckinney5152]

50 years ago I spent a year in your wonderful country! I tried to learn Icelandic but I’m afraid I didn’t get very far past “Godin dain” 🤷 Back then, the population was only 125k people, and the Icelandic government feared that your unique language and culture might be overwhelmed by americanization. Hopefully that didn’t happen. I enjoy your video walks thru the city. Reykjavik sure has changed! Scritches to Polly!

[@freedomstonemycology9894]

0:19 yes doggy that used to be a tree 🌲🌴

[@kirstyriley2809]

Anyone else think Icelandic is very similar sounding to Welsh ?? I’m inflection and rhythm

[@mickgudgeon6402]

Thanks Valur.. keep reporting, a career as a language teacher doesn’t bode well. Having said that, at least I now know how to say Hi in Icelandic…Hæ!

[@RookwingsKirk]

These Icelandic lessons are fantastic, thank you! Did I miss the video where the pictures painted on the tarmac were explained?

[@petebeatminister]

I think I would stick to Hi.... :) Thats what the swedes do as well, isn't it? :)

[@BlueMtsDreamer]

I would love to teach my dog her basic commands in Icelandic

[@leandabee]

I can see you guys aren't immune from crappy graffiti 😆🤦🏼‍♀️.

[@elizabethlascurain5294]

Please, read something in Islandic!! Go to La Poblana and ask for mole poblano. You won’t regret it! Love your wonderful videos and information.

[@WhiteTiger333]

Did you pass the Einstök bar on purpose to include your sponsor? 😀 If you say 'Hæ hæ' in Japan, you are saying 'Yes, yes'.

[@svolfron6496]

0:57 It is 'sæl' in the neuter plural in the nominative and accusative case. It is 'sælt' in the neuter singular in the nominative and the accusative case. It is only 'sælir' in the masculine plural in the nominative case.

[@danielparrott8339]

OK.....sæll to a male, sæl to a female. I'm still confused about mixed groups- I thought it was sæl to a mixed group, but sælir is new- is that masculine plural, or can it used for any group? I love the Icelandic language- it's like travelling back in a linguistic time machine (but in a good way), but also like chasing the horizon trying to learn it. I live in Wales, (UK) where the Welsh language is similar to Icelandic in that it is an ancient tougue that has survived in quite a pure form- there is a bit of in Nordic the mix though- I work in the City of Swansea- or should I say Sveinnseyjar (original Norse name) or Abertawe (Mouth of the rivare Tawe- in Welsh).

[@TheReykjavikGrapevine]

Yeah, Sælir is a plural masculin, and something you say too you're two male friends. If there is a women and men together, you can say sæl.

[@liljabjorkgumundsdottir8831]

@@TheReykjavikGrapevine and if there are two females you would say sælar 😃

[@GoCoyote]

Polly is not a shy dog!

[@KraftRacingandMore]

Það er svo mikið graffiti-merking í bænum svo sorglegt.

[@KraftRacingandMore]

There is so much graffiti tagging in town so sad.

[@kathleenriveraspencer4136]

😊🙁

[@glenwarrengeology]

Well I can throw English letter pronunciation out the window.

[@lionelalias4561]

Laugavegur?

[@kohno214]

Polly makes me SAELL.

[@Gambol_25]

Icelandic language has one of the weirdest pronunciations I've ever seen. But it's still easier than Danish xD

[@Jah_Rastafari_ORIG]

The rolling 'R's notwithstanding, Icelandic pronunciation sounds like a piece of cabbage leaf is stuck to the roof of the mouth... (I expect my American accent sounds equally goofy to other people!)

[@human_isomer]

No offence, but to German ears, Icelandic sounds a bit like a speech defect 😁 But to be honest, I've heard the same rating about the German language from others 😆

[@channarosenblatt8197]

Don't speak for all German ears. Speak for yourself, dude.

[@human_isomer]

@@channarosenblatt8197 you're right, some German ears don't work well anyway, dudette 🤣

[@heartwings2517]

Why is there so much graffiti in Iceland? OMG it's everywhere!

[@PenDragonsPig]

Double L similar to the Welsh double L

[@svolfron6496]

4:09 This is simply wrong!

[@RaymondTorres.49ers]

Im 😂 laughing cause he was teaching us his language and had a hatd time trying to explain that its not complicated to learn but has no examples to refer to .