Basic Vocabulary for Time and Dates in Icelandic
Days of the Week
The days of the week in Icelandic are:
- Mánudagur – Monday
- Þriðjudagur – Tuesday
- Miðvikudagur – Wednesday
- Fimmtudagur – Thursday
- Föstudagur – Friday
- Laugardagur – Saturday
- Sunnudagur – Sunday
Months of the Year
The Icelandic names for the months are quite similar to their English counterparts:
- Janúar – January
- Febrúar – February
- Mars – March
- Apríl – April
- Maí – May
- Júní – June
- Júlí – July
- Ágúst – August
- September – September
- Október – October
- Nóvember – November
- Desember – December
Numbers and Ordinals
When discussing dates, you’ll need to use both cardinal and ordinal numbers. For instance, the first (fyrsti), second (annar), third (þriðji), and so on. These are essential for saying the date, like “the third of March” (þriðji mars).
How to Ask and Tell the Time in Icelandic
Asking for the Time
The most common way to ask for the time is:
Hvað er klukkan? – What time is it?
Telling the Time
To reply, you’ll use:
Klukkan er… – The time is…
For example:
- Klukkan er tvö. – It is two o’clock.
- Klukkan er hálf þrjú. – It is half past two. (Literally: Half to three)
- Klukkan er korter í fjögur. – It is quarter to four.
- Klukkan er korter yfir fimm. – It is quarter past five.
Time Expressions
- í morgun – in the morning
- í dag – today
- í kvöld – this evening
- í nótt – tonight
- á morgun – tomorrow
- í gær – yesterday
How to Talk About Dates in Icelandic
Dates in Icelandic are usually written day-month-year. When speaking, you might say:
Það er tuttugasti og fyrsti mars. – It is the twenty-first of March.
To ask for the date, use:
Hvaða dagsetning er í dag? – What is the date today?
To answer, you might say:
Í dag er… – Today is…
Example: Í dag er þriðjudagur, tuttugasti og sjöundi júní. – Today is Tuesday, the twenty-seventh of June.
Useful Phrases for Scheduling in Icelandic
- Hvenær hittumst við? – When do we meet?
- Við hittumst klukkan fjögur. – We meet at four o’clock.
- Geturðu komið á fimmtudaginn? – Can you come on Thursday?
- Ég á afmæli í ágúst. – My birthday is in August.
Tips for Mastering Time and Dates in Icelandic
- Practice saying the days of the week and months aloud to get used to their pronunciation.
- Listen to Icelandic radio or watch Icelandic TV to hear how natives use time and dates in context.
- Use language learning tools like Talkpal to reinforce your knowledge through interactive exercises.
- Try writing your daily schedule in Icelandic to practice both vocabulary and sentence structure.
Conclusion
Being able to discuss time and dates in Icelandic will make your conversations smoother and help you navigate daily life in Iceland. With regular practice and the right resources—like those offered here on Talkpal’s blog—you’ll soon find these expressions becoming second nature. Keep practicing, and you’ll be scheduling meetings, planning trips, and celebrating birthdays in Icelandic with confidence!
