til hamingju
The Icelandic phrase for congratulations is til hamingju. Wiktionary also lists gott hjá þér.
Meaning: expressing approbation (intj)
Ways to say it
| Icelandic |
|---|
| til hamingju |
| gott hjá þér |
Til hamingju is the most common way to say congratulations in Icelandic. In contrast, gott hjá þér is used to praise someone's effort or a specific successful attempt, rather than celebrating a milestone like a wedding or a birthday.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase til hamingju literally translates to "to happiness".
Which one should you use?
Til hamingju is the standard way to congratulate someone on an achievement or event, whereas gott hjá þér is more like saying "well done" or "good job" regarding a specific action or performance.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "congratulations on [event]", use the pattern til hamingju með [event].
Did you know?
- The term hamingja is related to words in other North Germanic languages that describe a person's 'guardian spirit' or 'luck'.
- The 'þ' in þér actually originated from a linguistic misunderstanding. It evolved from a 'ð' sound through a process called rebracketing, where speakers misheard the way verb endings and pronouns interacted.
- The word hamingja in til hamingju historically referred to a person's innate luck or destiny rather than just a feeling of joy.
Examples in context
- Til hamingju með nýju vinnuna.Congratulations on your new job.This sentence is useful for congratulating someone on a new job using til hamingju.Tatoeba #4030582 by Bergthor, translation #3264747 by CK
- Til hamingju!Congratulations!This sentence shows how to use til hamingju as a standalone exclamation.Tatoeba #3994508 by Bergthor, translation #1437 by CK
- Til hamingju karlinn. Þetta var flott hjá þér.Congratulations dude. That was well done.This sentence demonstrates the use of til hamingju to congratulate someone.
- Til hamingju með nýja starfiðCongratulations with your new job
Example conversation
Guðrún and Gunnar are celebrating a graduation.
- GuðrúnTil hamingju með lokun námsins, Gunnar!Congratulations on finishing your studies, Gunnar!
- GunnarTakkkærlega fyrir, Guðrún.Thank you very much, Guðrún.
- GuðrúnErtu stoltur af þér?Are you proud of yourself?
- GunnarJá, ég er mjög glaður!Yes, I am very happy!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “congratulations” translations and entries til hamingju, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hjá, til, til hamingju, þér, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
