ég elska þig
[jɛɣ ˈɛlska θɪɣ]
The English phrase "I love you" is translated into Icelandic as ég elska þig.
This phrase is used as an affirmation of romantic feeling.
Meaning: affirmation of romantic feeling (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of ég (I), elska (love) and þig (you).
How does it change in a sentence?
In this phrase, the verb elska is in the first-person singular present tense. If you wish to say "I love you very much", you can say Ég elska þig mjög.
Did you know?
- In many Icelandic songs and poems, the intensity of love is often expressed through metaphors of nature, such as storms or volcanic activity, rather than just the word elska.
- While elska is the standard verb for 'to love', using it too frequently in casual conversation might actually make you sound overly dramatic or poetic.
- The pronoun ég is a direct descendant of the Proto-Indo-European root *eǵh₂óm, which is the same ancient ancestor for the English 'I' and the Latin 'ego'.
Examples in context
- Ég elska þig, kónguló mín.I love you, my spider.This sentence is useful for seeing ég elska þig used with a pet name.Tatoeba #12305655 by nipbud, translation #9463275 by Shounen
- Ég elska þig meira en hana.I love you more than her.This sentence shows how to use ég elska þig when making a comparison.Tatoeba #389354 by Swift, translation #261326 by CK
- Ég elska þig meira en nokkur annar.I love you more than anyone else.This sentence demonstrates a comparison using ég elska þig.Tatoeba #852808 by Swift, translation #40332 by CK
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A quiet evening at home in Reykjavik.
- KristínÉg elska þig, Ólafur.I love you, Ólafur.
- ÓlafurÉg elska þig líka, Kristín.I love you too, Kristín.
- KristínÞetta er svo dýrmæt stund.This is such a precious moment.
- ÓlafurJá, og ég er svo hamingjusæll.Yes, and I am so happy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations and entries ég elska þig, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries elska, ég, ég elska þig, þig, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
