I’ve Just Updated My Guide to Key Icelandic Phrases — and Made It Actually Useful

When I first wrote my Icelandic phrases guide back in 2021, the idea was simple: give visitors a friendly nudge towards a few words they could use on their trip. It’s been one of the most-read articles on Stuck in Iceland ever since.

But re-reading it recently, I realized something. It explained the phrases, but it didn’t really help you say them. And if you’ve ever stood in front of an Icelandic word like Hvernig hefur þú það? with no idea where to even start, you know what I mean.

So I’ve given it a proper refresh.

What’s new in the updated guide

Every phrase now has a plain English “say it like” pronunciation — no linguistics, no funny symbols, just the way you’d actually read it out loud. Góðan daginn becomes GOH-than DYE-in. Skál becomes skowl. You get the idea.

I’ve also grouped the phrases by the moments you’ll actually use them: arriving at a café, ordering a beer, getting someone’s attention, asking for help. There are small “try this today” nudges so you can practice in context rather than memorizing a list.
A few new additions, too — numbers 1 to 10, basic emergency phrases (and the 112 number you’ll hopefully never need), and a screenshot-friendly cheat sheet at the bottom of the article that you can save to your phone before you fly.

Why this matters

You won’t need to speak Icelandic in Iceland — almost everyone you meet speaks good English. But a góðan daginn on the way into a bakery, or a takk on the way out, will earn you a warmer welcome than you might expect. It’s a small effort that goes a long way.

Read the updated guide