Learning Icelandic can be a rewarding and enriching experience, especially as you progress to higher levels of proficiency. Reaching a B2 level in Icelandic means you can communicate effectively in a variety of situations and understand the main ideas of complex texts. To help you on this journey, we’ve compiled a list of 50 essential words you need to know for Icelandic at the B2 level. These words will enhance your vocabulary, making it easier to express yourself and understand native speakers.

Everyday Vocabulary

1. **Matur** – Food
– Example: Ég elska íslenskan mat. (I love Icelandic food.)
2. **Veður** – Weather
– Example: Veðrið er mjög kalt í dag. (The weather is very cold today.)
3. **Bíll** – Car
– Example: Ég keypti nýjan bíl. (I bought a new car.)
4. **Fjölskylda** – Family
– Example: Ég eyddi helginni með fjölskyldunni minni. (I spent the weekend with my family.)
5. **Vinna** – Work
– Example: Ég er að leita að nýrri vinnu. (I am looking for a new job.)

Descriptive Words

6. **Stór** – Big
– Example: Þetta er mjög stór hús. (This is a very big house.)
7. **Lítill** – Small
– Example: Hann á lítið barn. (He has a small child.)
8. **Fallegur** – Beautiful
– Example: Hún er mjög falleg. (She is very beautiful.)
9. **Góður** – Good
– Example: Þetta var mjög góður matur. (This was very good food.)
10. **Slæmur** – Bad
– Example: Hann hafði slæman dag. (He had a bad day.)

Action Words

11. **Ganga** – Walk
– Example: Ég geng í vinnuna á hverjum degi. (I walk to work every day.)
12. **Hlusta** – Listen
– Example: Ég hlusta á tónlist á morgnana. (I listen to music in the mornings.)
13. **Læra** – Learn
– Example: Ég læri íslensku á kvöldin. (I learn Icelandic in the evenings.)
14. **Fara** – Go
– Example: Við fórum í bíó í gær. (We went to the cinema yesterday.)
15. **Borða** – Eat
– Example: Við borðuðum á veitingastaðnum. (We ate at the restaurant.)

Common Nouns

16. **Hús** – House
– Example: Við búum í stóru húsi. (We live in a big house.)
17. **Bók** – Book
– Example: Ég les bók á hverju kvöldi. (I read a book every evening.)
18. **Tími** – Time
– Example: Ég hef ekki mikinn tíma. (I don’t have much time.)
19. **Hundur** – Dog
– Example: Ég á hund sem heitir Max. (I have a dog named Max.)
20. **Stóll** – Chair
– Example: Settu þig í stólinn. (Sit in the chair.)

Adjectives

21. **Hápunktur** – Highlight
– Example: Hápunktur dagsins var þegar við fórum í sund. (The highlight of the day was when we went swimming.)
22. **Fljótur** – Fast
– Example: Hún er mjög fljót að hlaupa. (She is very fast at running.)
23. **Sterkur** – Strong
– Example: Hann er mjög sterkur. (He is very strong.)
24. **Ljúfur** – Gentle
– Example: Hún er mjög ljúf við börnin. (She is very gentle with the children.)
25. **Hlýr** – Warm
– Example: Það er mjög hlýtt í dag. (It is very warm today.)

Verbs

26. **Skrifa** – Write
– Example: Ég skrifa dagbók á hverjum degi. (I write a diary every day.)
27. **Lesa** – Read
– Example: Hann les fréttirnar á hverjum morgni. (He reads the news every morning.)
28. **Hlaupa** – Run
– Example: Við hlaupum í garðinum. (We run in the park.)
29. **Synda** – Swim
– Example: Ég syndi í lauginni. (I swim in the pool.)
30. **Horfa** – Watch
– Example: Við horfum á sjónvarpið saman. (We watch TV together.)

Expressions and Phrases

31. **Hvað segirðu gott?** – How are you?
– Example: Hvað segirðu gott? Ég hef það fínt, takk. (How are you? I am fine, thank you.)
32. **Ég skil ekki** – I don’t understand
– Example: Afsakið, ég skil ekki hvað þú ert að segja. (Sorry, I don’t understand what you are saying.)
33. **Gaman að hitta þig** – Nice to meet you
– Example: Gaman að hitta þig, ég heiti Jón. (Nice to meet you, my name is Jón.)
34. **Hvar er…?** – Where is…?
– Example: Hvar er næsti strætisvagn? (Where is the nearest bus stop?)
35. **Ég þarf hjálp** – I need help
– Example: Afsakið, ég þarf hjálp við þetta verkefni. (Excuse me, I need help with this task.)

Prepositions

36. **Á** – On
– Example: Bókin er á borðinu. (The book is on the table.)
37. **Undir** – Under
– Example: Hundurinn er undir rúminu. (The dog is under the bed.)
38. **Í** – In
– Example: Ég er í vinnunni. (I am at work.)
39. **Við** – By/Next to
– Example: Hann sat við mig. (He sat next to me.)
40. **Með** – With
– Example: Ég fer í bíó með vini mínum. (I go to the cinema with my friend.)

Numbers

41. **Einn** – One
– Example: Ég á einn bróður. (I have one brother.)
42. **Tveir** – Two
– Example: Við eigum tvær kettlingar. (We have two kittens.)
43. **Þrír** – Three
– Example: Ég keypti þrjár bækur. (I bought three books.)
44. **Fjórir** – Four
– Example: Hún á fjóra vini. (She has four friends.)
45. **Fimm** – Five
– Example: Við hittumst klukkan fimm. (We meet at five o’clock.)

Days of the Week

46. **Mánudagur** – Monday
– Example: Ég byrja í nýrri vinnu á mánudaginn. (I start a new job on Monday.)
47. **Þriðjudagur** – Tuesday
– Example: Við förum í sund á þriðjudögum. (We go swimming on Tuesdays.)
48. **Miðvikudagur** – Wednesday
– Example: Ég á fund á miðvikudaginn. (I have a meeting on Wednesday.)
49. **Fimmtudagur** – Thursday
– Example: Við höfum kvöldverð saman á fimmtudögum. (We have dinner together on Thursdays.)
50. **Föstudagur** – Friday
– Example: Ég hlakka til föstudagsins. (I look forward to Friday.)

Conclusion

Mastering these 50 essential words will significantly boost your Icelandic language skills at the B2 level. Incorporating them into your daily practice, using them in sentences, and familiarizing yourself with their different contexts will help you achieve fluency faster. Whether you’re reading Icelandic literature, watching Icelandic films, or conversing with native speakers, these words will serve as a strong foundation for your language proficiency. Keep practicing, stay motivated, and enjoy your journey to mastering Icelandic!