Formal and Everyday Registers

Level 5

Viltu kaffi? (Would you like coffee?) is everyday. Hefur þú lesið skilmálana? (Have you read the terms?) is formal. Both are correct.

How It Works

Common pairs (everyday → formal):

  • Plans and the future: Ég ætla að fara → Fundurinn mun hefjast klukkan tvö.
  • Questions: Hefurðu séð þetta? → Hefur þú séð þetta? (forms, surveys and letters)
  • Begin: Tónleikarnir byrja klukkan átta. → Tónleikarnir hefjast klukkan átta.
  • Help: hjálpa → aðstoða
  • Wait for: bíða eftir svari → bíða svars (a genitive object)
  • Not: ekki → eigi (laws and very formal texts)

Speech. Everyday speech uses vera með for having something with you (Ertu með penna?) and small words like bara and sko. These are normal Icelandic, but they are rare in formal writing.

Greetings and letters. Friends say Hæ and Bless. A formal letter starts with Góðan dag or Kæri and ends with Með kveðju or Virðingarfyllst (Respectfully).

The formal style is not a different grammar. It uses the same cases and genders. What changes is mostly the choice of words and forms, such as munu or a genitive object.

Examples (5)

  1. Ég ætla að fara til Akureyrar á morgun.

    I'm going to go to Akureyri tomorrow.

    Word by Word: I intend to go to Akureyri on morning.

    Everyday: ætla að for a plan.

  2. Fundurinn mun hefjast klukkan tvö.

    The meeting will begin at two o'clock.

    Word by Word: The-meeting will begin clock two.

    Formal: munu and hefjast.

  3. Viltu kaffi?

    Would you like some coffee?

    Word by Word: Want-you coffee?

    Everyday: the joined form viltu.

  4. Hefur þú lesið skilmálana?

    Have you read the terms?

    Word by Word: Have you read the-terms?

    Formal: the full form hefur þú, as on a website form.

  5. Beðið er svars frá ráðuneytinu.

    A reply from the ministry is awaited.

    Word by Word: Waited is reply's from the-ministry.

    Formal: bíða with a genitive object, in the impersonal passive.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting að after munu.

    Það mun að rigna á morgun.
    Það mun rigna á morgun.

    munu takes the infinitive without að: mun rigna.

  • Leaving out að after ætla.

    Ég ætla fara heim.
    Ég ætla að fara heim.

    ætla needs að before the infinitive: ætla að fara.

How It Connects

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Formal and Everyday RegistersLevel 5

Learn This First

Registers build on joined forms and munu.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

ætlavera meðmunu