afsakið
In Icelandic, 'excuse me' can be expressed through several forms, primarily afsakið. Wiktionary also lists fyrirgefðu and afsakaðu mig.
Meaning: sorry, as apology (noun)
Ways to say it
| Icelandic | Note |
|---|---|
| afsakið | |
| fyrirgefðu | |
| afsakaðu mig | singular |
| afsakið mig | plural |
The forms of excuse me are used to get a stranger's attention, to politely interrupt someone or to apologize for minor social transgressions.
What does it mean word for word?
In the phrase afsakaðu mig, the word mig is the object pronoun meaning 'me'.
Which one should you use?
The term fyrirgefðu means 'forgive me' and is used for a more sincere apology, whereas afsakið is used for the social function of 'excuse me'.
How does it change in a sentence?
Afsakið is used when addressing more than one person or when using the formal/polite second-person plural. Afsakaðu mig is specifically used when addressing a single person informally.
Did you know?
- The word afsakaðu is an imperative, meaning that when you say 'excuse me' in Icelandic, you are technically giving the other person an order.
- The word mig in afsakaðu mig descends directly from the Old Norse word mik.
- Using afsakið to address a single person is a way of showing formal respect by using the plural form of the verb.
Examples in context
- Afsakið, en gætirðu fært þig?Excuse me, but could you move (yourself)?This sentence shows how to use afsakið to ask someone to move.
- Afsakið, ertu með eld?Excuse me, have you got a light?This sentence shows how to use afsakið to ask for a light.Tatoeba #874183 by Swift, translation #873906 by papabear
- Afsakaðu mig, ég er týndur.Excuse me, I'm lost.This sentence shows how to use afsakaðu mig to explain that you are lost.Tatoeba #427992 by andrioid, translation #51482 by autuno
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kristín accidentally bumps into Jón in a grocery store.
- KristínAfsakið, ég sá þig ekki!Excuse me, I didn't see you!
- JónEngu máls, það var ekkert mál.No problem, it was nothing.
- KristínErtu í lagi, Jón?Are you okay, Jón?
- JónJá, ég er algjörlega í lagi.Yes, I am perfectly fine.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “excuse me” translations and entries afsakið, fyrirgefðu, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries afsakið, fyrirgefðu, mig, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0, Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
