fagr
The English word beautiful is translated into Old Norse as fagr.
The term is an adjective used to describe something or someone that is attractive.
Meaning: attractive (adj)
Which one should you use?
The form you choose depends on the gender and number of the noun being described. Use fagr for masculine singular, fǫgr for feminine singular, fagrir for masculine plural and fagrar for feminine plural. The form fagri is a weak declension used specifically after definite articles or demonstratives.
How does it change in a sentence?
The default form fagr is the masculine singular nominative form. For feminine singular nominative, use fǫgr. For masculine plural nominative, use fagrir and for feminine plural nominative, use fagrar. When using a definite article or a demonstrative, use the weak declension form fagri.
Did you know?
- Despite the modern English meaning of 'beautiful', the Proto-Indo-European root of fagr actually meant 'to fasten' or 'to place'.
- In Old Norse poetry, fagr was often used to describe the 'fair' glow of a sword or the brightness of a fire rather than just human faces.
- In Old Norse poetry, calling a person 'fagr' could imply they were not just visually pleasing, but also 'well-formed' or 'proper' in stature.
Example sentences for Old Norse are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Bjorn and Helga are walking through a meadow.
- BjornSé þú þetta fagra land.Look at this beautiful land.
- HelgaJá, þat er mjǫk fagrt.Yes, it is very beautiful.
- BjornÞú ert ok fǫgr, Helga.You are also beautiful, Helga.
- HelgaÞǫkk fyrir, Bjǫrn.Thank you, Bjorn.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “beautiful” translations and entries fagr, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fagr, CC BY-SA 4.0.
