Essential Icelandic Phrases For Talking About The Weather
Author
If there’s one topic that connects every single person in Iceland, it’s the weather. We love talking about it, complaining about it, and being surprised by it. It changes so quickly that the old saying, “If you don’t like the weather in Iceland, just wait five minutes,” is often true!
Learning how to talk about the weather is a fantastic way to start a conversation and sound like a local. This guide will give you the simple, essential phrases you need to get started.
Table of Contents:
How to ask about the weather
Let’s start with the most basic and important question. If you want to know what the weather is like right now, this is what you ask.
Hvernig er veðrið?
If you want to know what the weather will be like later or tomorrow, you can ask about the forecast.
Hver er veðurspáin?
Common phrases for describing the weather
Now for the fun part: answering the question! Icelandic weather is famous for its variety, so here are the most common ways to describe it. Most of these phrases start with Það er… which means “It is…“.
Good weather
When the sun finally appears, we celebrate it!
Það er gott veður.
Það er sól.
Það er logn.
Bad weather
Let’s be honest, you’ll probably use these phrases more often!
Það rignir.
Það er rok.
Það er vont veður.
Winter and cold weather
From about October to April, these will be your go-to phrases.
Það snjóar.
Það er kalt.
Það er hálka.
A special Icelandic concept: Gluggaveður
You might hear Icelanders talk about gluggaveður. This literally means “window weather”. It’s when you look out the window and see bright sunshine, so it looks like a beautiful day. But when you step outside, you realize it’s actually freezing cold and windy! It’s a classic Icelandic trick.
Talking about the temperature
Knowing the temperature is crucial for dressing properly in Iceland. We use Celsius, not Fahrenheit.
Here’s how you ask about the temperature:
Hvað eru margar gráður?
And here’s how you answer:
Það eru tíu gráður.
When the temperature drops below freezing (0°C), we talk about frost (frost).
Það er þriggja stiga frost.
Key Icelandic weather vocabulary
Here is a table of useful words to help you build your own sentences.
| Icelandic | English | Pronunciation Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Veður | Weather | Veh-thur |
| Sól | Sun | Sohl |
| Rigning | Rain | Rig-ning |
| Snjór | Snow | Snyohr |
| Rok | Strong wind | Rohk |
| Vindur | Wind | Vin-dur |
| Ský | Cloud | Skee |
| Þoka | Fog | Thoh-ka |
| Hiti | Heat / Temperature | Hih-tih |
| Kalt | Cold | Kahlt |
| Heitt | Hot | Heytt |
| Hlýtt | Warm | Hleett |
Regional Note: While the weather words are the same everywhere, the weather itself is not! You’ll find it’s often foggier in the East fjords (Austfirðir) and sometimes a bit warmer and calmer in the North (Norðurland) during the summer compared to the windier South (Suðurland).
Putting it all together: a sample conversation
Here is a short, typical chat about the weather between two people.
Hæ! Hvernig er veðrið í dag?
Sæll. Það er frekar vont. Það er rok og það rignir.
Æ, leiðinlegt. Hvað eru margar gráður?
Bara þrjár gráður. Alvöru haustveður!
Já, ég held ég verði bara inni í dag.
Summary
You’re now ready to talk about Iceland’s favorite topic! Start by learning “Hvernig er veðrið?” and a few simple answers like “Það er sól” or “Það rignir.”
A great way to practice is to listen to the Icelandic weather forecast, called the veðurfréttir. You’ll hear these words and phrases over and over again.
