Funny Literal Translations Of Icelandic Words

Icelandic is supposed to be one of the hardest languages in the world. I deconstruct Icelandic compound words and illustrate them.

Many of these words are very literal, yet somehow poetic at the same time. Other times they can be rather random and a little humorous!

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#1 Penguin (Mörgæs) = Fat + Goose

Mör (fat) + Gæs (goose) = Mörgæs (Penguin)

#2 Zoo (Dýragarður) = Animal + Garden

Dýr (animal) + Garður (garden) = Dýragarður (zoo)

#3 Raccoon (Þvottabjörn) = Washing + Bear

Þvottur (washing) + Björn (bear) = Þvottabjörn (raccoon)

#4 Echo (Bergmal) = Rock + Language

Berg (rock) + Mál (language) = Bergmal (echo)

#5 Planet (Reikistjarna) = To Wander + Star

Að reika (to wander) + stjarna (star) = Reikistjarna (planet)

#6 Wedding (Brúðkaup) = Bride + To Buy

Brúður (bride) + Að Kaupa (to buy) = Brúðkaup (wedding)

#7 Hippopotamus (Flóðhestur) = Flood + Horse

Flóð (flood) + Hestur (horse) = Flóðhestur (hippopotamus)

#8 Rainbow (Regnbogi) = Rain + Arch

Regn (rain) + Bogi (arch) = Regnbogi (rainbow)

#9 Arm (Handleggur) = Hand + Leg

Hand (hand) + Leggur (Leg) = Handleggur (arm)

#10 Placenta (Legkaka) = Womb + Cake

Leg (womb) + Kaka (cake) = Legkaka (placenta)

#11 Quotation Marks (Gæsalappir) = Goose + Feet

Gæs (goose) + Lappir (feet) = Gæsalappir (quotation marks)

#12 Nice Weather To Look At Through The Window (Gluggaveður) = Window + Weather

Gluggi (window) + Veður (weather) = Gluggaveður is weather that’s nice to look through a window, but not so nice to be in. Like when it looks lovely and sunny but then you go outside and it’s actually blistering cold!

#13 Match (Eldspýta) = Fire + Piece Of Wood

Eldur (fire) + Spýta (piece of wood) = Eldspýta (match)

#14 Bra (Brjóstahöld) = Breast + To Hold

Brjóst (breast) + Að halda (to hold) = Brjóstahöld (bra)

#15 Inspiration (Innblástur) = Inn + Breeze

Inn (inside/into) + Blástur (breeze) = Innblástur (inspiration)

#16 Skeleton (Beinagrind) = Bone + Frame/structure

Bein (bone) + Grind (frame/structure) = Beinagrind (skeleton)

#17 Turtle (skjaldbaka) = Shield + Back

Skjöldur (shield) + Bak (back) = Skjaldbaka (turtle)

#18 Idea (Hugmynd) = Mind + Picture

Hugur (mind) + mind (picture) = Hugmynd (idea)

#19 Cello (Knéfiðla) = Knee + Violin

Kné (knee) + Fiðla (violin) = Knéfiðla (cello)

#20 In Love (Ástfanginn) = Love + Captured

Ást (love) + Fanginn (captured) = Ástfanginn (in love)

#21 Aquarium (Fiskabúr) = Fish + Cage

Fiskur (fish) + Búr (cage) = Fiskabúr (aquarium)

#22 Volcano (Eldfjall) = Fire + Mountain

Eldur (fire) + Fjall (mountain) = Eldfjall (volcano)

#23 Earring (Eyrnalokkur) = Ear + Curl

Eyra (ear) + Lokkur (lock of hair/curl) = Eyrnalokkur (earring)

#24 Avalanche (Snjóflóð) = Snow + Flood

Snjór (snow) + Flóð (flood) = Snjóflóð (avalanche)

#25 Lightbulb (Ljósapera) = Light + Pear

Ljós (light) + Pera (pear) = Ljósapera (lightbulb)

#26 Computer (Tölva) = Number + Prophetess

#27 Honey Bee (Hunangsfluga) = Honey + Fly

Hunang (honey) + Fluga (fly) = Hunangsfluga (honey bee)

#28 Customer (Viðskiptavinur) = Business + Friend

Viðskipti (business) + Vinur (friend) = Viðskiptavinur (customer)

#29 Chickpeas (Kjúklingabaunir) = Chicken + Beans

Kjúklingur (chicken) + Baunir (beans) = Kjúklingabaunir (chickpeas)

#30 Music (Tónlist) = Tone + Art

Tón (tone) + List (art) = Tónlist (music)

#31 Cauliflower (Blómkál) = Flower + Cabbage

Blóm (flower) + Kál (cabbage) = Blómkál (cauliflower)

#32 Handshake (Handaband) = Hand + String/yarn

Hönd (hand) + Band (string/yarn) = Handaband (handshake)

#33 Computer (Tölva) = Number + Prophetess

Tala (number) + Völva (prophetess) = Tölva (computer)

#34 Constellation (Stjörnumerki) = Star + Sign

Stjarna (star) + Merki (sign) = Stjörnumerki (constellation)

#35 Saliva (Munnvatn) = Mouth + Water

Munnur (mouth) + Vatn (water) = Munnvatn (saliva)

#36 Midwife (Ljósmóðir) = Light + Mother

Ljós (light) + Móðir (mother) = Ljósmóðir (midwife)

#37 Scallop (Hörpuskel) = Harp + Shell

Harpa (harp) + Skel (shell) = Hörpuskel (scallop)

#38 Rocket (Eldflaug) = Fire + To Fly

Eldur (fire) + Að fljúga (to fly) = Eldflaug (rocket)

#39 Donut (Kleinuhringur) = Icelandic Fried Pastry + Circle

Kleina (Icelandic fried pastry) + Hringur (circle) = Kleinuhringur (donut)

#40 Cookie (Smákaka) = Small + Cake

Smár (small) + Kaka (cake) = Smákaka (cookie)

#41 Cell Phone (Farsími) = To Go + Telephone

Að fara (to go) + Sími (telephone) = Farsími (cell phone)

#42 Grape (Vínber) = Wine + Berry

Vín (wine) + Ber (berry) = Vínber (grape)

#43 Graffiti (Veggjakrot) = Wall + Scribble

Veggur (wall) + Krot (scribble) = Veggjakrot (graffiti)

#44 Internet (Veraldarvefurinn) = World + Web

Veröld (world) + Vefur (web) = Veraldarvefurinn (Internet)

#45 Dinner (Kvöldmat) = Evening + Food

Kvöld (evening) + Matur (food) = Kvöldmat (dinner)

#46 Furniture (Húsgögn) = House + Data

Hús (house) + Gögn (data) = Húsgögn (furniture)

#47 Breakfast Cereal (Morgunkorn) = Morning + Grain

Morgun (morning) + Korn (grain) = Morgunkorn (breakfast cereal)

#48 Pirate (Sjóræningi) = Sea + Robber

Sjór (sea) + Ræningi (robber) = Sjóræningi (pirate)

#49 Journalist (Blaðamaður) = Page/newspaper + Man

Blað (page/newspaper) + Maður (man) = Blaðamaður (journalist)

#50 Reflection (Spegilmynd) = Mirror + Picture

Spegill (mirror) + Mynd (picture) = Spegilmynd (reflection)

#51 Necropants (Nábrók) = Corpse + Pants

Nár (corpse) + Brók (pants) = Nábrók (necropants)

#52 Omelet (Eggjakaka) = Egg + Cake

Egg (egg) + Kaka (cake) = Eggjakaka (omelet)

#53 Airplane (Flugvél) = Flight + Machine

Flug (flight) + Vél (machine) = Flugvél (airplane)

#54 Eggplant (Eggaldin) = Egg + Fruit

Egg (egg) + Aldin (fruit) = Eggaldin (eggplant)

#55 Menu (Matseðill) = Food + Note/leaflet

Matur (food) + Seðill (note/leaflet) = Matseðill (menu)

#56 Cafe (Kaffihús) = Coffee + House

Kaffi (coffee) + Hús (house) = Kaffihús (cafe)

#57 Skateboard (Hjólabretti) = To Cycle + Board

Að hjóla (to cycle) + Bretti (board) = Hjólabretti (skateboard)

#58 Panorama Or Openmindedness (Víðsýni) = Wide + View

Við (wide) + Sýn (view) = Víðsýni can mean panorama or openmindedness

#59 Refrigerator (Ísskápur) = Ice + Closet

Ís (ice) + Skápur (closet) = Ísskápur (refrigerator)

#60 Pancake (Pönnukaka) = Pan + Cake

Panna (pan) + Kaka (cake) = Pönnukaka (pancake)

#61 Toothpaste (Tannkrem) = Tooth + Cream

Tönn (tooth) + Krem (cream) = Tannkrem (toothpaste)