This guide adapts rules and examples from Microsoft’s Localization Style Guide for Icelandic (originally written for software/UI localization). The underlying linguistic rules apply universally — to legal contracts, medical documents, marketing copy, and any Icelandic translation work. Restructured and reformatted as a general Icelandic translator reference by ChatsControl.

Icelandic Translation Style Guide — Voice, Word Choice & Common Pitfalls (Legal, Medical, Marketing, IT)¶

TL;DR¶

• Icelandic translation addresses users with the informal “þú” (you) — never use the older formal “notandi” (user); applies to all consumer-facing translation including marketing, software UI, patient instructions, consumer legal documents.
• Use everyday vocabulary over formal alternatives — leyfa (not heimila) for “allow”, líka (not einnig) for “also”, gera (not framkvæma) for “perform”, finna (not staðsetja) for “locate”, hentugur (not viðeigandi) for “suitable”.
• Use shortened forms of composite words where possible — póstur (not tölvupóstur) for “email”, diskur (not harður diskur) for “hard drive”, netið (not internetið) for “internet”, póstforrit (not tölvupóstforrit) for “mail app”.
• Don’t translate “please” into Icelandic — Icelandic doesn’t require politeness markers like English; only translate when omission would be genuinely rude.
• Follow the official Icelandic spelling and punctuation regulations (Auglýsingar 132/1974 and 133/1974) as the normative orthographic references; consult Beygingarlýsing íslensks nútímamáls (bin.arnastofnun.is) for morphology and Íslensk orðabók (Edda, 2002) for vocabulary.

Register and tone for modern Icelandic translation¶

Register is the level of formality, warmth, and conversational ease the target text projects. Modern Icelandic readers across consumer-facing spheres expect a clear, friendly, concise register that resembles everyday conversation.

Three principles define the target register:

• Warm and relaxed. Natural, less formal, more grounded in honest conversation.
• Crisp and clear. Written for scanning first, reading second.
• Ready to help. Anticipates user needs.

Brand and product names: Avoid overuse of company/brand or product names. Refer to Microsoft names correctly when you use them. Avoid the corporate “we” — keep focus on “you” (the reader, the audience).

Why this matters: Formal old-fashioned Icelandic damages outcomes across spheres. In marketing translation to Icelandic consumers, audience expects modern direct voice rather than archaic formal style. In medical patient materials it reduces comprehension. In software UI it creates friction. In government translation modern Icelandic public communications increasingly favor accessible language. Only sworn legal translation retains the older formal register.

Word choice: terminology and everyday vocabulary¶

Approved terminology¶

Use terminology from Microsoft language resources where applicable.

Short word forms and everyday words¶

Icelandic doesn’t have approved short forms for “app” and “info” — use “forrit” and “upplýsingar” consistently. However, use shortened composite words where possible. Address the user directly as “þú” — avoid the older “notandi”.

Words and phrases to avoid¶

Modern voice avoids old-fashioned, formal words and expressions.

Don’t translate “please” unless omission would be genuinely rude.

Why this matters: Formal vocabulary signals institutional distance. In marketing translation “framkvæma” reads as bureaucratic; “gera” reads as conversation. In medical patient instructions “staðsetja” reads as clinical; “finna” reads as direct.

Sample translations: applying voice principles in context¶

Focusing on the user action¶

Promoting a feature¶

Providing how-to guidelines¶

Explanatory text and providing support¶

Inclusive language¶

All communications should be inclusive and diverse.

General guidelines:

• Comply with local language laws.
• Use plain language.
• Be mindful when referring to various parts of the world.
• Represent diverse perspectives.
• Don’t generalize or stereotype people.
• Don’t use profane or derogatory terms.

Avoid gender bias¶

Icelandic has grammatical gender (masculine/feminine/neuter). For generic references:

• Use plural forms (notendur, þeir/þær/þau).
• Rewrite to second person (þú).
• Use abstract or collective terms.

When writing about a real person, use the pronouns the person prefers.

Accessibility¶

Focus on people, not disabilities. Use generic verbs that apply to all input methods. Keep paragraphs short.

Language-specific standards¶

Abbreviations¶

Common Icelandic abbreviations follow standard conventions (þ.e. — that is, þ.m.t. — including, m.a. — among other things). Most computing acronyms remain in English.

Acronyms¶

Computing acronyms typically remain in English (PC, USB, HTML).

Adjectives¶

Icelandic adjectives agree with their noun in gender, number, and case. Icelandic has strong and weak adjective declensions.

Articles¶

Icelandic has only definite article (suffixed: -inn, -in, -ið, etc.). No indefinite article — bare noun is indefinite.

Capitalization¶

Icelandic capitalization: proper nouns and first word of sentence. Don’t capitalize common nouns or feature labels mid-sentence.

Compounds¶

Icelandic forms compound nouns extensively. Compounds often very long but readable. Avoid unnecessary new compounds when shorter forms exist.

Conjunctions¶

Use natural conjunctions — og (and), eða (or), en (but), því (because). Avoid overly formal alternatives.

Gender¶

Icelandic has three grammatical genders. Adjectives, verbs, and pronouns agree with grammatical gender.

For generic user references, masculine forms are conventional. Prefer direct address (þú) to avoid forcing gender.

Genitive¶

Icelandic marks genitive through case inflection. Use natural genitive constructions.

Localizing colloquialism, idioms, and metaphors¶

Translate intended meaning, not literal colloquialism.

Modifiers¶

Icelandic modifiers precede the noun. Adjective inflection follows the noun’s gender, number, case.

Nouns¶

Use approved Icelandic nouns. Icelandic has complex inflection: 4 cases × 2 numbers × 3 genders × 2 strengths (strong/weak) for nouns and adjectives.

Numbers¶

• Decimal separator: , (comma)
• Thousand separator: . (period) or space
• Numbers below 10 may be spelled out in literary text.

Prepositions¶

Icelandic prepositions govern specific cases. Be careful with case-marking after prepositions.

Pronouns¶

Address users with þú (informal second-person singular). Possessive: þinn/þín/þitt.

Avoid notandi (user) in generic references when direct address works.

Punctuation¶

Icelandic punctuation generally follows Nordic conventions:

• Period (.) — end of sentences.
• Comma (,) — between clauses.
• Question mark (?) — at end of question.
• Quotation marks — Icelandic uses „…” (lower-upper for primary).

Sentence fragments¶

UI strings often use sentence fragments. Don’t artificially expand.

Symbols and nonbreaking spaces¶

Use nonbreaking spaces between numerical values and units.

Verbs¶

Icelandic verb tenses:

• Present for general statements.
• Past for completed actions.
• Future (rare; usually present + adverb).
• Imperative for instructions (þú-form: Smelltu, Veldu, Sláðu inn).

Localization considerations¶

Accessibility¶

Generic verbs that work with all input methods.

Applications, products, and features¶

Microsoft product names are trademarked and not translated.

Trademarks¶

Trademarked names should not be localized.

Software considerations¶

Standard software localization conventions apply. Error messages should be natural and empathetic.

Reference materials¶

Normative references¶

1. Auglýsing um greinamerkjasetningu nr. 133/1974 (with amendments per 184/1974) — punctuation rules. hi.is/~eirikur/greinreg.htm.
2. Auglýsing um íslenska stafsetningu nr. 132/1974 (with amendments per 261/1977) — orthography rules. hi.is/~eirikur/stafsreg.htm.
3. Beygingarlýsing íslensks nútímamáls — Orðabók Háskóla Íslands. Ritstjóri: Kristín Bjarnadóttir. bin.arnastofnun.is. Modern Icelandic morphology.
4. Handbók um íslensku — 2011. Ritstj. Jóhannes B. Sigtryggsson. Reykjavík: JPV útgáfa.
5. Handbók um málfræði — Höskuldur Þráinsson, 2006 (2nd edition). Reykjavík: Námsgagnastofnun.
6. Íslensk orðabók — 2002 (3rd edition). Ritstj. Mörður Árnason. Reykjavík: Edda.

Informative references¶

1. Hugtakasafn Þýðingamiðstöðvar utanríkisráðuneytis — Concept collection of the Translation Centre of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
2. Orðastaður: orðabók um íslenska málnotkun — Jón Hilmar Jónsson, 2001. Reykjavík: JPV útgáfa.
3. Stóra orðabókin um íslenska málnotkun — Jón Hilmar Jónsson, 2005. Reykjavík: JPV útgáfa.
4. Landaheiti og höfuðstaðaheiti — Íslensk málstöð. Country and capital names.
5. Málfarsbanki Íslenskrar málstöðvar — Language usage bank.
6. Orðabanki Íslenskrar málstöðvar — Word bank.
7. Prófgráður og viðaukar — Menntamálaráðuneytið. Degrees and supplements.
8. Ritmálssafn Orðabókar Háskólans — Written language collection.
9. Skrá um orðasambönd — Stofnun Árna Magnússonar í íslenskum fræðum.
10. Snara.is — snara.is. Online dictionary collection.
11. Stafsetningarorðabókin — 2006. Ritstj. Dóra Hafsteinsdóttir. Reykjavík: JPV útgáfa.
12. Tölvuorðasafn — 2005 (4th edition). Ritstj. Stefán Bríem. Reykjavík: Hið íslenska bókmenntafélag. Computing terminology.

FAQ¶

How do I address users in Icelandic translation?¶

Use “þú” (informal second-person singular) directly. Icelandic abandoned the formal “þér” addressing in everyday usage decades ago — using it now sounds archaic. Avoid “notandi” (user) when direct address works — it sounds formal and impersonal. For instructions use direct imperative (“Smelltu”, “Veldu”, “Sláðu inn”).

Which Icelandic vocabulary should I avoid in modern translation?¶

Formal/old-fashioned alternatives: heimila (use leyfa) for “allow”, einnig (use líka) for “also”, framkvæma (use gera) for “perform”, staðsetja (use finna) for “locate”, viðeigandi (use hentugur) for “suitable”. Also don’t translate “please” as “vinsamlegast” or similar — Icelandic doesn’t need politeness markers in most contexts.

Should I translate ‘app’ or ‘info’ to shorter forms in Icelandic?¶

No — Icelandic doesn’t have approved short forms for “app” or “info”. Use “forrit” (application) and “upplýsingar” (information) consistently. However, you may rephrase to avoid them: “fá nánari upplýsingar” (get more info) can become “fræðast meira” (learn more). Shortened composite forms are encouraged: póstur (email), diskur (hard drive), netið (internet), póstforrit (mail app).

Which authoritative references should I use for Icelandic translation?¶

Normative: Auglýsing um íslenska stafsetningu nr. 132/1974 (orthography) and Auglýsing um greinamerkjasetningu nr. 133/1974 (punctuation), Beygingarlýsing íslensks nútímamáls (bin.arnastofnun.is) for morphology, Handbók um íslensku (2011, JPV útgáfa), Höskuldur Þráinsson Handbók um málfræði (2006), and Íslensk orðabók (Edda, 2002). Informative: Hugtakasafn Þýðingamiðstöðvar utanríkisráðuneytis, Jón Hilmar Jónsson Orðastaður, Tölvuorðasafn (4th edition, 2005), Stafsetningarorðabókin (JPV útgáfa, 2006), and Snara.is.

How does the corporate ‘we’ work in Icelandic translation?¶

Avoid the corporate “we” (við hjá Microsoft, við erum stolt af…) — keep focus on the reader (“þú”). Microsoft and other companies are not the important subjects; the customer is. Icelandic readers respond better to direct address than to corporate self-promotion. Translate sentences with “Microsoft announces” or “we proudly introduce” into reader-focused constructions where possible.

How do I handle Icelandic case inflection of borrowed English terms?¶

English borrowings should be inflected per Icelandic grammar where they have entered general use. Use established Icelandic equivalents where possible (tölva for computer, forrit for application). Product names that are trademarks should generally not be modified — use prepositional constructions instead.

Sources¶

• Microsoft Localization Style Guide for Icelandic (PDF)
• Microsoft Globalization Style Guides hub
• Auglýsing um íslenska stafsetningu
• Auglýsing um greinamerkjasetningu
• Beygingarlýsing íslensks nútímamáls
• Snara.is