hvernig
[ˈkʰvɛrtnɪɣ]
The Icelandic word for "how" is hvernig.
Meaning: in what manner (adv)
What mistakes should you avoid?
In informal settings, many Icelanders use hvað to mean "how".
Did you know?
- When asking 'how' in a surprised or rhetorical sense, Icelanders might use hvernig í allheiminum, which translates to 'how in all the universe'.
- In many languages, 'how' is an adverb, but in Icelandic, the word hvernig is composed of two parts that literally mean 'which' and 'way'.
- If you want to ask 'how much' or 'how many', you do not use hvernig, but instead use the word 'hversu' followed by an adjective.
Examples in context
- Hvernig get ég sofið?How can I sleep?Tatoeba #3795544 by arnarsmata, translation #3738352 by CK
- Hvernig gerðir þú það?How did you do that?Tatoeba #4171692 by lifind, translation #759358 by vgigregg
- Hvernig get ég stöðvað Tom?How can I stop Tom?Tatoeba #3795723 by arnarsmata, translation #3738193 by CK
- Hvernig hefur þú það?How are you?
- Hversu langt er þetta?How far is this?
- Hversu gamall ertu?How old are you?
- Hvernig heitir þú?What is your name?
- Hvernig komstu hingað?How did you come here?
- 101 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gunnar is asking Guðrún for help with a recipe.
- GunnarHvernig býrðu þetta?How do you make this?
- GuðrúnÉg blanda saman alla efningarnar.I mix all the ingredients together.
- GunnarHvernig skal ég blanda þær?How should I mix them?
- GuðrúnNotaðu þennan áskaða hraða.Use this specific speed.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “how” translations and entries hvernig, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hvernig, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
