ást
[ˈaust]
The English word 'love' can be translated into Icelandic as ást, kærleikur or elska depending on whether you are using a noun or a verb.
Meaning: strong affection (noun)
Ways to say it
| Icelandic | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ást | [ˈaust] (narrow) | |
| elska | [ˈɛlska] (narrow) | |
| kærleikur | masculine |
In Icelandic, the word for love is split between different nuances of affection and different parts of speech. You use the noun ást for profound or romantic feelings, while kærleikur is used for selfless, brotherly or charitable love. To express the action of loving someone or something, you use the verb elska.
Which one should you use?
ást is typically used for romantic or intense, profound love. In contrast, kærleikur refers to a more selfless, brotherly or charitable kind of love. The word elska is a verb used to express the action of loving.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb elska changes in the present tense to elskar. For the noun ást, the definite form meaning 'the love' is ástina.
Did you know?
- Icelandic has a specific noun for 'love-sickness', ástarsjúkdómur, which literally translates to 'love disease'.
- In traditional Icelandic poetry, the concept of ást is often intertwined with 'longing' and 'yearning', making it more about the pull toward another than just the feeling of affection.
- Icelandic distinguishes between romantic love ást and charitable love kærleikur in a way that mirrors the Ancient Greek concepts of 'eros' and 'agape'.
Examples in context
- Ég elska að lesa.I love reading.This sentence is useful for expressing a love for an activity using elska.Tatoeba #10557419 by nipbud, translation #2245966 by CK
- Tölum aðeins um ástina.Let's talk about love.This sentence shows how to use the definite form ástina when talking about love.Tatoeba #5698134 by arnarsmata, translation #1813051 by Amastan
- Ég elska litlar stelpur.I love little girls.This sentence demonstrates the use of the verb elska to express affection for people.Tatoeba #10718176 by nipbud, translation #10718178 by nipbud
- Ég elska þig!I love you!
- Ég er forelskuð í þigI am infatuated with you.
- Ég á eljandi áhuga á þérI have passionate interest in you.
- 63 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ólafur and Katrín are talking about a romantic movie.
- ÓlafurÞessi mynd er full af ást.This movie is full of love.
- KatrínJá, hún er mjög rómantísk.Yes, it is very romantic.
- ÓlafurHvað er mikilvægasta hluturinn í ást?What is the most important thing in love?
- KatrínÉg held að það sé traust.I think it is trust.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “love” translations and entries ást, elska, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
