Language/Icelandic/Vocabulary/Telling-Time
If you're planning a trip to Iceland, it's essential to learn how to tell time in Icelandic. In this lesson, we'll cover the basics of telling time, including how to ask for the current time and a few time-related vocabulary words.
Learning Numbers 1-20
Before we begin, let's quickly review numbers 1-20 in Icelandic:
| Icelandic | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| eitt | ayht | one |
| tveir | tvey-r | two |
| þrír | three-r | three |
| fjórir | fyoh-rir | four |
| fimm | fihm | five |
| sex | s(ə)x | six |
| sjö | syoh | seven |
| átta | auh-tah | eight |
| níu | nee-yu | nine |
| tíu | tee-yu | ten |
| ellefu | eht-leh-vu | eleven |
| tólf | tohl-f | twelve |
| þrettán | thret-tawn | thirteen |
| fjórtán | fyohr-tawn | fourteen |
| fimmtán | fim-tawn | fifteen |
| sextán | sex-tawn | sixteen |
| sautján | soy-tyaw-n | seventeen |
| átján | auh-tyaw-n | eighteen |
| nítján | neet-tyaw-n | nineteen |
| tuttugu | tuh-tuh-gu | twenty |
Note that Icelandic grammar requires a different form of the number 2 when used with a masculine noun. For example, "two cars" would be "tveir bilar". If the noun is feminine or neuter, the form TVEIR can be used for the number 2.
Now that you've reviewed the numbers let's move on to telling time.
Telling Time
To ask for the time in Icelandic, you can use the following phrase:
- Hvað er klukkan? (What time is it?)
To respond to this question, you can use the following format:
- Klukkan er <hour> <minutes> (It is <hour> <minutes>)
For example:
- Hvað er klukkan? (What time is it?) - Klukkan er hálf sjö (It is half past six)
Here are some common vocabulary words related to telling time:
| Icelandic | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| klukka | kluk-kah | clock / watch |
| mínúta | mee-noo-tah | minute |
| hálft | hawlf-t | half |
| átta | auh-tah | eight |
| tíu | tee-yu | ten |
| hálf | hawlf | half |
To express "quarter past" and "quarter to", you can use the following phrases:
- Áttund mínútur yfir <hour> (Quarter past <hour>)
- Áttund mínútur í <hour> (Quarter to <hour>)
For example:
- Klukkan er hálf sex (It is half past six) - Klukkan er tuttugu mínútur yfir sex (It is twenty past six) - Klukkan er fimm mínútur í hálfa átta (It is five to half past seven)
It's important to note that in Icelandic, the 24-hour clock is used more frequently than the 12-hour clock. When using the 24-hour clock, you can simply state the hour and minutes, separated by a colon.
For example:
- Klukkan er 18:30 (It is 6:30 PM)
Conclusion
In this lesson, you have learned the basics of telling time in Icelandic, including how to ask and provide information about the current time and some time-related vocabulary words. Keep practicing to make sure you master this important skill. Congratulations on completing the "Complete 0 to A1 Icelandic Course" lesson on telling time!
Videos
Icelandic Lesson #32: What time is it? - Telling time in Icelandic ...
Other Lessons
- Introducing Yourself
- Information about origins
- Fruits and Vegetables
- General Home
- Common words and Greetings
- Express Surprise
- Seasons and Months
- asking for help
- Geography
- Holiday Wishes Phrases
Sources