# Icelandic: gott kvöld / góða kvöldið



## Moroughan

Hæ!

I've recently begun the journey to learning Icelandic, as a native English speaker.  I've mostly thus far learned vocabulary words, but have begun dipping my verbal toes into the daunting pool that is declension.  One small question I've had so far, though, is on the distinction between „gott kvöld” and „góða kvöldið” — is there actually a difference?  In a podcast for learning Icelandic (at "I heart Reykjavík"), the speaker mentions that góða kvöldið is actually an incorrect form of gott kvöld that Icelanders use anyways. That explanation makes sense to me logically (along with her assertion that góðan daginn is also technically incorrect versus góðan dag), as I didn't understand why one would have to distinguish between a generic "good day" and a specific "THE good day" in greeting.

Are gott kvöld and góða kvöldið used interchangeably? Or are there different circumstances where one is preferred over the other?

I thank you all for your time and help, it's an incredible boon having a resource like this when trying to learn a new language on my own.


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## Daniel20

Question mostly answered here:
http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=2627069&highlight=daginn+dag

But I'm not sure which is more common. Góðan daginn and Góðan dag are used basically interchangeably in my experience here, similarly with just daginn. It may just be my impression, but if someone says góðan daginn, it seems more common to reply with just daginn. But these things don´t really matter, anyway. You´re going to identify yourself as a foreigner eventually


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## Moroughan

Thanks Daniel!

I had actually come across that post to begin with, which is actually what inspired me to post here! I've taken everything I read there into memory. I'd just noticed when doing some exercises that gott kvöld and góða kvöldið appeared to occur almost interchangeably (like góðan daginn and góðan dag), and wondered if that were the case in actual dialogue, or if I've been missing some key subtlety. If the answer is simply "either one is perfectly fine," then I'm okay with that!

I'm glad you threw in that observation about "daginn" being the more typical response though! It's the little things like that that make everyday conversation easier. I can't wait until I'm at that level!


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## Daniel20

Honestly I've never actually heard gott kvöld, or anything like that. But I´ve only been here a month, and my pool of Icelandic friends is small. Whenever I´ve met people in the evening, they´ve said _blessaður_. But that might be because I´m not particularly "friendly" with anyone yet, or I´m a "friend of a friend". 

There are natives and people who´ve lived here way longer than me who´ll be able to say better. But, again, these things really don´t matter much. Spoken Icelandic is way different to how you read it (in my opinion). My best advice is to listen to the radio or TV shows religiously.


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## Moroughan

Now, that mention of using _blessaður _as an evening greeting seems strange to me, as I was given to understand that it meant "goodbye"... So, also good to know!

I absolutely plan on drowning myself in Icelandic TV and radio as soon as I get home from vacation.


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## Daniel20

As a greeting

(komdu) sæl(l) og blessaður/blessuð

As a goodbye

Vertu blessaður/blessuð 

So, I suppose both are shortened to simply blessaður.

It just means "to be blessed", or something similar - you´ll hear "bless bless" all the time. I think it´s a fairly recent thing to double up on words in Icelandic. I always hear hæ hæ, bless bless, takk takk, etc. 

As I said, don´t get too stuck in these trivialities. My biggest mistake was getting hungup on these things, and grammar, when it´s not necessary.


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## Moroughan

Now that you mention it, I admit that I do remember the (komdu) sæl(l) og blessaður/blessuð phrase being used as a greeting, but as I'd been accustomed to _bless_ as "bye" it didn't occur to me that the greeting could be shortened as well. Part of the podcast I referenced in my original post indicated the habit of doubling up on words like that, too!

Thanks, for reminding me not to get hung up on those little things. Like I said, I'm beginning to tackle declension, so that will likely be my main focus for the foreseeable future.


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## Silver_Biscuit

_Blessaður_ is much more friendly, in my opinion. _Góða kvöldið_ is what the person on the checkout at Nóatún says to you.


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## Hjalti

Daniel20 said:


> Honestly I've never actually heard gott kvöld, or anything like that. But I´ve only been here a month, and my pool of Icelandic friends is small. Whenever I´ve met people in the evening, they´ve said _blessaður_. But that might be because I´m not particularly "friendly" with anyone yet, or I´m a "friend of a friend".


"Gott kvöld" is IMO more formal, so I don't think those people will suddenly start saying "Gott kvöld" to you


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