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Ég panta salat og vatn.

Ég panta salat og vatn.
I order a salad and water.
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Questions & Answers about Ég panta salat og vatn.

Why is there no word for a before salat or vatn?

Icelandic has no indefinite article. You normally just use the bare noun for English a/an. If you want to stress “one,” you can use the numeral:

  • eitt salat = one salad
  • eitt vatn = one water (one glass/bottle of water when ordering)
How would I say the salad and the water?

Use the suffixed definite article:

  • salatið og vatnið In a full sentence: Ég panta salatið og vatnið.
What case are salat and vatn here, and how can I tell?

They’re in the accusative as direct objects of panta. With neuter nouns, nominative and accusative are identical, so they look the same. Useful forms:

  • salat (n.): nom/acc salat, dat salati, gen salats; definite nom/acc salatið
  • vatn (n.): nom/acc vatn, dat vatni, gen vatns; definite nom/acc vatnið
Is panta the right verb when ordering in a café or restaurant?

Yes, it’s fine, especially for making an order/reservation or ordering for delivery. At a table, many people prefer very natural request forms:

  • Má ég fá salat og vatn (takk)? = May I have a salad and water (please)?
  • Ég ætla að fá salat og vatn. = I’ll have a salad and water.
What’s the difference between Ég panta and Ég er að panta?
  • Ég panta … = I order … (simple present; can be used for a present act or a general habit).
  • Ég er að panta … = I am ordering … right now (in-progress), e.g., on the phone or at a kiosk.
Why do salat and vatn look the same in nominative and accusative?
Because they’re neuter singular nouns; for neuters the nominative and accusative forms match. That’s why you need context (or articles/adjectives) to see the case.
How do I add adjectives, like “fresh salad and cold water”?

Use neuter singular adjective endings:

  • ferskt salat og kalt vatn If you make them definite (the fresh salad, the cold water), the adjective switches to the “weak” form:
  • ferska salatið og kalda vatnið
How do I make it plural if I order more than one?
  • salat → plural salöt: Ég panta tvö salöt.
  • vatn is normally a mass noun; for drinks you usually count containers:
    • tvö vatnsglös = two glasses of water
    • tvær vatnsflöskur = two bottles of water In casual bar/restaurant speech you may hear tvö vatn to mean “two waters,” but using a measure word is the safest.
Can I say Ég panta mér salat og vatn? What does mér do?

Yes. mér is the dative of “I,” and að panta sér/mér e-ð means “to order something for oneself.” It emphasizes that it’s for your own consumption:

  • Ég panta mér salat og vatn. = I’m ordering myself salad and water.
Is the word order normal? Does Icelandic put the verb in second position?

Yes. Icelandic main clauses are verb-second (V2). With the subject first, the verb comes second:

  • Ég panta salat og vatn. If you front something else, the verb still stays second:
  • Í hádeginu panta ég salat og vatn. (At noon I order …)
How do I negate it?

Place ekki after the verb:

  • Ég panta ekki salat eða vatn. = I don’t order salad or water. Use og for and, eða for or.
How do I pronounce it?

Approximate guide:

  • Ég ≈ “yeh”; the final g is a soft fricative and often barely audible.
  • panta ≈ “PAHN-ta” (stress first syllable; the p and t are clearly aspirated).
  • salat ≈ “SAH-lat”.
  • og ≈ “ohg”; in fast speech often just “o” or “ok”.
  • vatn ≈ “vahtn” (you may hear a slight breathy sound before the t).
How do I say it in the past or in a future-like way?
  • Past: Ég pantaði salat og vatn. = I ordered salad and water.
  • Future-ish/intent: Ég ætla að panta salat og vatn. = I’m going to order … / I intend to order …
Is there a more polite or softer way to order?

Yes, very common and polite:

  • Má ég fá salat og vatn, takk?
  • Væri hægt að fá salat og vatn? (more tentative) Adding takk (please/thanks) is normal.
What’s the noun for “an order” or “a reservation”?

pöntun. Examples:

  • Ég geri pöntun. = I place an order.
  • borðapöntun = a table reservation.
Any quick tip about articles and countability here?
  • No indefinite article in Icelandic: salat, vatn can mean “a salad,” “(some) water.”
  • To be specific, use the suffixed definite: salatið, vatnið.
  • For countable servings of water, prefer a measure word: eitt vatnsglas, ein vatnsflaska.