Verbs describe movement or action. You’ll need them whenever you want to talk about what you, somebody or something else does, did or wants to do. Essential stuff. Memorize the verbs below and you’ll be well equipped for most basic Icelandic conversations.

This lesson is part of the chapter “Learning Icelandic“.

Basic Words & Phrases: Verbs

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Important verbs

EnglishIcelandicPronunciation
(Audio)
(to) be(að) vera
(to) have(að) hafa
(to) do / (to) make(að) gera
can / (to) know how to(að) geta
(að) kunna
(to) know (how)(að) kunna
(to) know / (to) be acquainted with(að) þekkja
(to) understand(að) skilja
(to) speak / (to) talk(að) tala
(to) listen to(að) hlusta
(to) hear(að) heyra
(to) see(að) sjá
(to) feel(að) finna
(to) live(að) lifa
(to) want(að) vilja
(to) need(að) þurfa
(to) like(að) líka
(to) love(að) elska
(to) give(að) gefa
(to) take(að) taka
(to) play(að) leika
(to) laugh(að) hlæja
(to) come(að) koma
(to) go(að) fara
(to) go by […] (e.g. by car)(að) fara framhjá [...]
(to) write(að) skrifa
(to) read(að) lesa
(to) count(að) telja
(to) pronounce(að) bera fram
(to) spell(að) stafa
(to) conjugate(að) beygja
(to) remember(að) muna
(to) forget(að) gleyma
(to) eat(að) borða [2]
(að) éta
(to) try(að) reyna
(to) use(að) nota
(to) open(að) opna
(to) close(að) loka
(to) greet / (to) welcome(að) heilsa
(to) begin(að) byrja
(to) end(að) ljúka

Notes:

1 borða is used for people, éta is used for animals

Vocabulary trainer: Basic Verbs in Icelandic

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in Icelandic?

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