Greetings and Goodbyes
Hello: hæ, halló, góðan daginn, gott kvöld. Goodbye: bless, bæ, sjáumst, góða nótt.
How It Works
Saying hello
- Hæ and Halló (hi): friendly and used with everyone.
- Góðan daginn (good morning, good day): from morning until about six in the evening, with friends, strangers and shop staff.
- Gott kvöld (good evening): when you meet someone in the evening.
- Komdu sæll / Komdu sæl: a more traditional greeting that changes with the person. See Greetings That Agree (sæll, sæl).
Saying goodbye
- Bless or Bless bless, and Bæ (bye).
- Sjáumst (see you), Sjáumst á morgun (see you tomorrow).
- Hafðu það gott (take care, literally have it good).
- Góða nótt (good night): when someone goes to bed, or when you part late at night. It is not a hello.
Why góðan and góða?
These greetings are short for a wish, (I wish you) a good day, so the words are in the accusative: góðan daginn, not góður dagurinn. Góða nótt is accusative too: the basic form is góð nótt. In gott kvöld the accusative looks the same as the basic form. See The Accusative (þolfall).
After hello, people often ask How Are You? (hvað segirðu).
Examples (6)
- Góðan daginn! Hvað segirðu?
Hello! How are you?
Word by Word: Good the-day! What say-you?
Góðan daginn works from morning until evening.
- Hæ, ég heiti Anna.
Hi, my name is Anna.
Word by Word: Hi, I am-called Anna.
- Gott kvöld, hvernig hefurðu það?
Good evening, how are you?
Word by Word: Good evening, how have-you it?
- Góða nótt, sofðu vel.
Good night, sleep well.
Word by Word: Good night, sleep-you well.
Said when someone is going to bed.
- Bless, sjáumst á morgun!
Bye, see you tomorrow!
Word by Word: Bye, see-each-other tomorrow!
- Bless bless, hafðu það gott!
Bye-bye, take care!
Word by Word: Bye bye, have-you it good!
Common Mistakes
Putting the greeting in the nominative.
Góður dagur!Góðan daginn!The greeting is a wish, so it is in the accusative: góðan daginn. Góðan dag, without the article, is also correct and a little more formal.
Using góða nótt as an evening hello.
Góða nótt! Velkominn á hótelið.Gott kvöld! Velkominn á hótelið.góða nótt is only for parting at night or going to bed. To greet someone in the evening, say gott kvöld.
How It Connects
Related Patterns
- sæll / sælGreetings That Agree (Sæll, Sæl)
Komdu sæll and Komdu sæl are more traditional greetings that agree with the person.
Level 1 - hvað segirðuHow Are You? (Hvað Segirðu)
Hvað segirðu? usually follows the greeting.
Level 1 - takkThanks (Takk)
Takk fyrir mig and takk fyrir í dag often come right before a goodbye.
Level 1 - The Accusative (þolfall)
Góðan daginn and góða nótt are in the accusative.
Level 2 - Commands (komdu, farðu)
Hafðu það gott and sofðu vel are commands with þú joined to the verb.
Level 2 - Verbs Ending in -st
sjáumst (see you) is an -st form of sjá meaning see each other.
Level 2
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice Greetings and Goodbyes in Bubblegum
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