hæ
[ˈhaiː]
In Icelandic, "hi" is said using hæ. Wiktionary also lists halló.
Meaning: friendly, informal greeting (intj)
Ways to say it
| Icelandic | IPA |
|---|---|
| hæ | [ˈhaiː] (narrow) |
| halló | [ˈhal(ː)ou] (narrow) |
Both hæ and halló are used to greet people, and hæ is a common way to say "hi" in Icelandic.
Which one should you use?
hæ is the most common informal way to say hi, similar to the English "hi". halló is slightly more formal or neutral than hæ, similar to the English "hello".
When do people say it?
When meeting someone, you might also say Gott að hitta þig to mean "nice to meet you".
Did you know?
- Icelandic is known for linguistic purism, yet the most common informal greeting hæ is a direct loanword from English.
- In some contexts, halló can be used to express disbelief or frustration, similar to saying 'Hello?' when someone is not paying attention.
- The Icelandic word halló is quite old, having been adopted into the language back in the 1600s.
Examples in context
- Halló.Hi.This sentence shows a simple use of halló.Tatoeba #509884 by arnarsmata, translation #538123 by CM
- Hæ! Hvað segirðu?Hi! How are you?This sentence demonstrates a greeting using hæ followed by a question.Tatoeba #427052 by Pharamp, translation #30316 by Zifre
- Hæ, hvernig gengur?Hi, how are you?This sentence shows hæ used at the start of a greeting.Tatoeba #473495 by Swift, translation #473177 by exjimmy
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends meet on the street.
- GuðrúnHæ, Jón!Hi, Jón!
- JónHæ, Guðrún! Gódan daginn.Hi, Guðrún! Good day.
- GuðrúnHvernig hefurðu það?How are you?
- JónÉg hef það selfishlega gott.I am doing very well.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hi” translations and entries hæ, halló, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries halló, hæ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
