Local Drinks

1. kaffi

   coffee

   Usage

   Icelanders drink a lot of coffee, in cafés and at home, often served with cake

   Grammar Note

   A neuter noun; "kaffi" can also mean the coffee-and-cake break itself

2. te

   tea

   Usage

   Tea in general, such as black tea and herbal teas

   Grammar Note

   A short neuter noun

3. kakó

   cocoa

   Usage

   The hot cocoa drink

   Grammar Note

   A neuter noun

4. heitt súkkulaði

   hot chocolate

   Usage

   The hot chocolate drink, a common order in cafés on cold days

   Grammar Note

   "Heitt" (hot, neuter) + "súkkulaði" (chocolate, a neuter noun)

5. mjólk

   milk

   Usage

   Milk, widely sold in cartons

   Grammar Note

   A feminine noun

6. kókómjólk

   chocolate milk

   Usage

   Cocoa-flavoured milk sold in cartons, popular with children

   Grammar Note

   A feminine compound: "kókó" (cocoa) + "mjólk" (milk)

7. mysa

   mysa (whey)

   Usage

   The sour liquid left over from making cheese or skyr, an old-fashioned drink

   Grammar Note

   A feminine noun

8. svali

   svali (fruit drink)

   Usage

   A fruit-flavoured drink sold in small cartons, popular with children

   Grammar Note

   A masculine noun; it began as a brand name but is also used like a common noun

9. safi

   juice

   Usage

   Fruit juice, such as orange or apple, sold in cartons

   Grammar Note

   A masculine noun

10. appelsín

    appelsín (orange soda)

    Usage

    An orange-flavoured fizzy drink widely drunk in Iceland

    Grammar Note

    A neuter noun, from "appelsína" (orange)

11. malt

    malt (malt drink)

    Usage

    A sweet drink made from malt, sold as a fizzy soft drink without alcohol

    Grammar Note

    A neuter noun

12. gos

    soft drink

    Usage

    The general word for sweet fizzy drinks; also called "gosdrykkur"

    Grammar Note

    A neuter noun

13. sódavatn

    sparkling water

    Usage

    Water with bubbles

    Grammar Note

    A neuter compound: "sóda" + "vatn" (water)

14. vatn

    water

    Usage

    Water, which restaurants will bring if you ask

    Grammar Note

    A neuter noun

15. orkudrykkur

    energy drink

    Usage

    An energy drink with caffeine, sold in shops and supermarkets

    Grammar Note

    A masculine compound: "orku" (of energy) + "drykkur" (drink)

16. Má drekka kranavatnið?

    Can one drink the tap water?

    Usage

    Asks whether the tap water can be drunk; locals drink it from the tap, and the hot water may smell of sulphur

    Grammar Note

    A question starting with "mega" (may); "drekka" is the infinitive and "kranavatnið" is the neuter noun with the suffixed article. Composed sentence, to be checked by a native speaker

17. Kaffi með mjólk, takk

    Coffee with milk, please

    Usage

    Orders coffee with milk in a café

    Grammar Note

    "Með" takes the dative; the feminine noun "mjólk" has the same form in the dative. The final "takk" does the work of "please". Composed sentence, to be checked by a native speaker

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