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Fyrirgefðu, áttu tíma fyrir stutt samtal?

Fyrirgefðu, áttu tíma fyrir stutt samtal?
Excuse me, do you have time for a short conversation?
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Questions & Answers about Fyrirgefðu, áttu tíma fyrir stutt samtal?

What’s the difference between Fyrirgefðu, Fyrirgefið, and Afsakið?
  • Fyrirgefðu: informal singular. Very common for both getting someone’s attention and apologizing.
  • Fyrirgefið: polite/formal or plural. Use to address a stranger respectfully or more than one person.
  • Afsakið: also polite/formal or plural; slightly more formal/neutral in service contexts (shops, offices). The informal singular is Afsakaðu, but Fyrirgefðu is more common in everyday speech.
Why is it áttu and not átt þú?

Icelandic often attaches the pronoun þú to the verb in questions. So:

  • átt þú? → áttu? Other common contractions:
  • ert þú? → ertu?
  • hefur þú? → hefurðu?
  • getur þú? → geturðu?
  • vilt þú? → viltu?
Why can’t I say ertu tíma for “are you time”?

To express possession or availability, Icelandic uses verbs like eiga or hafa (not vera).

  • Natural: áttu tíma? or hefurðu tíma?
  • Also heard: ertu með tíma? (colloquial “are you with time?”), but áttu/hefurðu tíma are the most straightforward.
Is tíma accusative here? Why?

Yes. á (from eiga, “to have”) takes a direct object in the accusative.

  • Noun: tími (time)
  • Key singular forms: nominative tími, accusative tíma, dative tíma, genitive tíma So áttu tíma = “do you have time,” with tíma as the accusative object.
Why is it stutt samtal and not stutta samtal?

Because samtal is neuter and indefinite here, the adjective takes the strong neuter nominative/accusative form stutt.

  • Indefinite: stutt samtal (a short conversation)
  • Definite (with the article): hið stutta samtal or stutta samtalið (the short conversation), where stutta is the weak form.
Why does fyrir take the accusative here, but I’ve seen fyrir stuttu meaning “recently”?

fyrir can govern accusative or dative depending on meaning:

  • Purpose/benefit/cause → accusative: fyrir stutt samtal (for a short conversation)
  • Time “ago” or static location → dative: fyrir stuttu (a short time ago), fyrir húsinu (in front of the house)
Can I use í instead of fyrir in this sentence?

Yes, very common and natural:

  • Áttu/hefurðu tíma í stutt samtal? Colloquially, many speakers prefer tíma í for “time for” doing something. Both fyrir and í work here.
What’s the nuance between samtal, spjall, símtal, and viðtal?
  • samtal: conversation (neutral).
  • spjall: chat (casual, friendly). You’ll hear stutt spjall a lot.
  • símtal: phone call. stutt símtal = a short call.
  • viðtal: interview or a scheduled meeting/appointment (e.g., doctor, job). Different from casual chat.
How would I address more than one person politely?

Use the plural/polite forms:

  • Fyrirgefið, eigið þið tíma fyrir stutt samtal?
  • Alternative with hafa: Fyrirgefið, hafið þið tíma fyrir stutt samtal?
How do I pronounce the sentence?

Approximate guidance:

  • Fyrirgefðu: FIR-ir-gev-thu (the ð is the voiced “th” in English “this”)
  • áttu: OW-htoo (the á is like “ow” in “cow”; tt is preaspirated, sounding like an h before t)
  • tíma: TEE-ma (initial t is aspirated)
  • fyrir: FIR-ir
  • stutt: stuht (u as in German “ü” without rounding; preaspirated tt)
  • samtal: SAM-tal (final l is voiceless) Stress is on the first syllable of each word.
What does the accent on á mean?
á is a separate vowel in Icelandic, pronounced roughly like English “ow” in “cow.” It’s not just an accented a; it’s its own sound.
How do I type ð and á?
  • On phones: long-press d for ð, a for á (Icelandic keyboard makes this easiest).
  • macOS: add the Icelandic keyboard; or use Option+` then a for à (not á), so better switch keyboards. With Icelandic layout, á is a dedicated key.
  • Windows: add the Icelandic keyboard; or use Alt codes: ð = Alt+0240, Ð = Alt+0208. For á, use a dead-key acute (varies by layout) or the Icelandic layout.
Do Icelandic nouns have an article like English “a/the”?

There is no word for “a.” That’s why stutt samtal means “a short conversation.” The definite article is a suffix:

  • samtal (conversation)
  • samtalið (the conversation) With the definite article, the adjective takes weak endings: hið stutta samtal / stutta samtalið.
Is Fyrirgefðu, áttu smá tíma? also OK?

Yes, very natural. smá means “a little/some,” and it’s indeclinable in this use:

  • Áttu/hefurðu smá tíma? = Do you have a bit of time?
How could I ask for “a minute” or “a second”?
  • Hevurðu/Áttu eina mínútu? (Do you have a minute?)
  • Hevurðu/Áttu smá stund? (a little while)
  • Very casual: Má ég fá örstutt spjall? (May I have a super-short chat?)
  • To get attention quickly: Augnablik? (One moment?)
How would people answer this question naturally?
  • Yes:
    • Já, alveg. / Já, endilega. (Sure, absolutely.)
    • Já, ég hef nokkrar mínútur.
  • No:
    • Því miður, ég hef ekki tíma núna.
    • Ég er upptekinn/upptekin, getum við talað seinna?
  • Hedge:
    • Kannski stutt. Um hvað snýst málið?
Do I need the comma after Fyrirgefðu?
It’s standard to separate an interjection with a comma: Fyrirgefðu, ... You’ll also see a dash or a period in informal writing. The pause in speech corresponds to the comma.