Learning a new language can often feel like an overwhelming challenge, especially when it comes to understanding how to express time. One way to become more proficient in Icelandic is by mastering time tracking and calendar words. In this article, we will dive into some essential Icelandic vocabularies related to time and date, along with their definitions and examples to help you incorporate them into everyday conversation.

Dagur – (Day)
This is the word for ‘day’ in Icelandic, a fundamental unit of time.
Hvað gerir þú í dag? (What are you doing today?)

Vika – (Week)
The term ‘vika’ refers to a period of seven days, known universally as a week.
Næsta vika er ég í fríi. (I am on vacation next week.)

Mánuður – (Month)
A ‘mánuður’ is a specific division of a year, typically consisting of 30 or 31 days (or 28 to 29 in February).
Það eru tólf mánuðir í ári. (There are twelve months in a year.)

Ár – (Year)
The word ‘ár’ is used for a complete cycle of the seasons, encompassing twelve months.
Hvaða ár fæddir þú? (What year were you born?)

Klukkustund – (Hour)
‘Klukkustund’ denotes sixty minutes, an hour on the clock.
Þetta tók bara eina klukkustund. (This only took one hour.)

Mínúta – (Minute)
One-sixtieth of an hour, ‘mínúta’ is used for expressing minutes.
Bíddu í eina mínútu. (Wait for one minute.)

Sekúnda – (Second)
The smallest standard measure of time used in Iceland as in other places, ‘sekúnda’, is a second.
Taktu djúpan andardrátt og telja til tíu sekúndur. (Take a deep breath and count to ten seconds.)

Morgunn – (Morning)
The time period between midnight and noon is ‘morgunn’.
Góðan morgunn, hvernig hefurðu það? (Good morning, how are you?)

Miðdagur – (Noon)
‘Miðdagur’ is the middle of the day, that is, 12:00 pm or noon.
Hittumst á miðdegi. (Let’s meet at noon.)

Kvöld – (Evening)
The period of twilight, or end of the day, before the night is ‘kvöld’.
Verður þú heima í kvöld? (Will you be home this evening?)

Nótt – (Night)
The period after evening and before morning is defined as ‘nótt’.
Ég verð að fara fyrr en venjulega í nótt. (I have to leave earlier than usual tonight.)

Helgi – (Weekend)
Weekends in Icelandic are referred to as ‘helgi’, encompassing typically Saturday and Sunday.
Hvað ætlarðu að gera um helgina? (What are you going to do this weekend?)

Dagatal – (Calendar)
A ‘dagatal’ is a system of organizing days for social, religious, commercial, or administrative purposes.
Geturðu athugað dagatalið og sagt mér hvenær þú ert laus? (Can you check the calendar and tell me when you are free?)

Árstíð – (Season)
A division of the year, ‘árstíð’ is marked by changes in weather, ecology, and the amount of daylight.
Sumar er uppáhalds árstíðin mín. (Summer is my favorite season.)

Ég – (I)
Though not directly related to time, knowing how to say ‘I’ in Icelandic, which is ‘ég’, is crucial.
Ég lærir íslensku. (I am learning Icelandic.)

Time-related vocabulary is vital for everyday interactions in any language, including Icelandic. By understanding and using these words, you can effectively communicate schedules, appointments, and events, laying an essential foundation for conversations about daily routines and plans. Remember to incorporate these words into your Icelandic practice, and over time they will become second nature in your language repertoire. Keep exploring and expanding your Icelandic vocabulary, and time will surely be on your side.