Festivals & Events

1. Hverju er fagnað í dag?

   What is being celebrated today?

   Usage

   Asks what the occasion is when the town is in a festive mood

   Grammar Note

   "Fagna" (to celebrate) takes the dative, so the question word is the dative "hverju"; "er fagnað" is an impersonal passive, "is being celebrated". Composed sentence, to be checked by a native speaker

2. Hvenær byrjar hátíðin?

   When does the festival start?

   Usage

   Asks when a festival or event begins

   Grammar Note

   "Hátíðin" is the feminine noun "hátíð" with the suffixed article; the verb comes right after the question word. Composed sentence, to be checked by a native speaker

3. Hvenær lýkur hátíðinni?

   When does the festival end?

   Usage

   Asks when a festival or event ends

   Grammar Note

   "Ljúka" (to end) takes the dative, so "hátíðinni" is in the dative with the article. Composed sentence, to be checked by a native speaker

4. Hvar er skrúðgangan?

   Where is the parade?

   Usage

   Asks where the parade is

   Grammar Note

   "Skrúðganga" is a feminine noun; "skrúðgangan" is the nominative with the article. Composed sentence, to be checked by a native speaker

5. Mega ferðamenn taka þátt?

   Can tourists take part?

   Usage

   Asks whether visitors may join in a festival or event

   Grammar Note

   In a yes/no question the verb "mega" (may) comes first; "taka þátt" = "take part". Composed sentence, to be checked by a native speaker

6. Hvað kostar miðinn á hátíðina?

   How much is the ticket for the festival?

   Usage

   Asks the price of a ticket for a festival that charges admission

   Grammar Note

   "Miðinn" is the masculine noun "miði" with the article; "á" with a destination takes the accusative, "hátíðina". Composed sentence, to be checked by a native speaker

7. Hvar er áramótabrennan?

   Where is the New Year's bonfire?

   Usage

   Asks where the bonfire held on New Year's Eve is

   Grammar Note

   "Áramótabrenna" is a feminine compound: "áramót" (turn of the year) + "brenna" (bonfire). Composed sentence, to be checked by a native speaker

8. Þorrablót

   Þorrablót (the midwinter feast)

   Usage

   A feast of traditional foods (þorramatur) held in the month of Þorri, mid-January to mid-February, by towns, workplaces and clubs

   Grammar Note

   A neuter compound: "þorri" (a winter month) + "blót" (feast). Capitalised as the name of an event

9. Bóndadagur

   Bóndadagur (Husband's Day)

   Usage

   The first day of the month of Þorri, a Friday, when women traditionally treat their husbands and the men in their lives

   Grammar Note

   A masculine compound: "bóndi" (farmer, also husband) + "dagur" (day)

10. Konudagur

    Konudagur (Women's Day)

    Usage

    The first day of the month of Góa, a Sunday, when men give women flowers and similar gifts

    Grammar Note

    A masculine compound: "konu" (of the woman/wife) + "dagur" (day)

11. Bolludagur

    Bolludagur (Cream Bun Day)

    Usage

    The Monday before Lent, when people eat cream-filled buns (bollur)

    Grammar Note

    A compound: "bollu" (a form of "bolla", bun) + "dagur" (day)

12. Sprengidagur

    Sprengidagur (Bursting Day)

    Usage

    The Tuesday before Lent, when people eat salted meat and pea soup (saltkjöt og baunir)

    Grammar Note

    The name relates to bursting, from eating until you are full; it is a masculine noun

13. Öskudagur

    Öskudagur (Ash Wednesday)

    Usage

    Ash Wednesday. In Iceland children dress up, visit shops and sing for sweets

    Grammar Note

    A compound: "ösku" (a form of "aska", ash) + "dagur" (day)

14. Sumardagurinn fyrsti

    The first day of summer

    Usage

    A Thursday between 19 and 25 April and a public holiday; it is the start of summer in the old calendar, and it is often still cold

    Grammar Note

    "Fyrsti" (first) is the weak masculine form placed after the noun; "sumardagurinn" has the suffixed article

15. Til hamingju með þjóðhátíðardaginn!

    Happy National Day!

    Usage

    A greeting for 17 June, the national holiday, which marks the founding of the republic in 1944 and the birthday of Jón Sigurðsson

    Grammar Note

    "Til hamingju með" is followed by the accusative; "þjóðhátíðardaginn" is the masculine accusative with the suffixed article. Composed sentence, to be checked by a native speaker

16. Sjómannadagurinn

    Seamen's Day

    Usage

    A Sunday in early June, with events at the harbour in fishing towns

    Grammar Note

    A compound: "sjómanna" (of seamen) + "dagurinn" (the day)

17. Verslunarmannahelgi

    Verslunarmannahelgi (the first weekend in August)

    Usage

    The first weekend of August, with a public holiday on the Monday; it is a big summer holiday with outdoor festivals and trips around the country

    Grammar Note

    A feminine compound: "verslunarmanna" (of shop workers) + "helgi" (weekend, holy day)

18. Þjóðhátíð í Vestmannaeyjum

    The national festival in the Westman Islands

    Usage

    A big outdoor festival held on Heimaey over the Verslunarmannahelgi weekend, known for music and camping

    Grammar Note

    "Í Vestmannaeyjum" is the dative plural, "in the Westman Islands". Composed sentence, to be checked by a native speaker

19. Menningarnótt

    Culture Night

    Usage

    A city-wide cultural event in Reykjavík on a Saturday in August, with concerts and stalls by day and fireworks at night

    Grammar Note

    A feminine compound: "menningar" (of culture) + "nótt" (night); capitalised as an event name

20. Hinsegin dagar

    Hinsegin dagar (Reykjavík Pride)

    Usage

    Reykjavík's Pride festival in August, ending with a parade called the Gleðigangan

    Grammar Note

    "Hinsegin" is the Icelandic word for queer, covering sexual and gender diversity; "dagar" is the plural of "dagur" (day)

21. Réttir

    Réttir (the autumn sheep round-up)

    Usage

    In September, sheep brought down from the highland pastures are sorted by owner in a round pen; some places welcome visitors

    Grammar Note

    "Rétt" is the sheep pen; "réttir" is its plural, also used as the name of the event

22. Dagur íslenskrar tungu

    Icelandic Language Day

    Usage

    The 16th of November, the birthday of the poet Jónas Hallgrímsson, celebrating the Icelandic language

    Grammar Note

    "Íslenskrar tungu" is feminine genitive (adjective and noun), "of the Icelandic language". Composed sentence, to be checked by a native speaker

23. Gleðileg jól!

    Merry Christmas!

    Usage

    The Christmas greeting, used with friends and shop staff alike

    Grammar Note

    "Gleðileg" is the neuter plural adjective agreeing with "jól" (Christmas), a noun that exists only in the plural

24. Aðfangadagur

    Aðfangadagur (Christmas Eve)

    Usage

    The 24th of December; in Iceland Christmas is celebrated in the evening of this day

    Grammar Note

    A masculine compound: "aðfanga" (of the preparation, genitive) + "dagur" (day)

25. Jólasveinarnir

    The Yule Lads (the thirteen Christmas lads)

    Usage

    The thirteen Yule Lads of folk tales, who come down from the mountains one by one from the night of 12 December; children put a shoe in the window

    Grammar Note

    "Jólasveinar" is a masculine plural: "jóla" (of Christmas) + "sveinar" (lads); "-nir" is the plural article

26. Þorláksmessa

    Þorláksmessa (23 December)

    Usage

    The 23rd of December. By tradition people eat fermented skate (skata), which has a strong smell; it is also a busy shopping day

    Grammar Note

    Named after Saint Þorlákur: "Þorláks" (of Þorlákur) + "messa" (mass)

27. Gamlárskvöld

    Gamlárskvöld (New Year's Eve)

    Usage

    The night of 31 December, with bonfires around the towns and fireworks at midnight

    Grammar Note

    A neuter compound: "gamlárs" (of the old year, genitive) + "kvöld" (evening)

28. Gleðilegt nýtt ár!

    Happy New Year!

    Usage

    The New Year greeting, used with friends and shop staff alike

    Grammar Note

    "Ár" is neuter, so the adjectives "gleðilegt" and "nýtt" are neuter singular

29. Þrettándinn

    Þrettándinn (6 January)

    Usage

    The 6th of January, the last day of the Christmas season, with bonfires and gatherings in many places

    Grammar Note

    "Þrettándi" (thirteenth) with the suffixed article: the thirteenth day after Christmas

30. Gleðilega páska!

    Happy Easter!

    Usage

    The Easter greeting; chocolate eggs (páskaegg) are given at Easter

    Grammar Note

    "Gleðilega" is the adverb form; "páska" is the accusative of the plural noun "páskar" (Easter)

31. Jólabókaflóðið

    The Christmas book flood

    Usage

    The custom of publishing many new books before Christmas and giving books as gifts, which fills bookshops from autumn to the end of the year

    Grammar Note

    A compound: "jóla" (of Christmas) + "bóka" (of books) + "flóð" (flood) with the suffixed article

32. Reykjavíkurmaraþon

    Reykjavík Marathon

    Usage

    The marathon held in Reykjavík in August, with shorter distances besides the full marathon, a big event for the whole city

    Grammar Note

    A single compound: "Reykjavíkur" (of Reykjavík) + "maraþon" (marathon)

33. Aldrei fór ég suður

    Aldrei fór ég suður (the Ísafjörður music festival)

    Usage

    A music festival in Ísafjörður in the Westfjords around Easter; the name means "I never went south"

    Grammar Note

    "Aldrei" (never) is followed by the verb "fór" (went); "suður" means "to the south". Composed sentence, to be checked by a native speaker

34. LungA

    LungA (the Seyðisfjörður arts festival)

    Usage

    An annual arts festival for young people in Seyðisfjörður in the east

    Grammar Note

    A proper name, made from "Listahátíð ungs fólks á Austurlandi" (the arts festival of young people in the East)

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