Mér líkar þessi veitingastaður virkilega vel.

I really like this restaurant.

Breakdown of Mér líkar þessi veitingastaður virkilega vel.

• vel: well
• þessi: this
• mér: me
• veitingastaður: the restaurant
• virkilega: really
• líka: to like

Questions & Answers about Mér líkar þessi veitingastaður virkilega vel.

Why is it Mér and not Ég at the start?

Icelandic often uses a dative “experiencer” with verbs like líka. Here the pattern is: dative experiencer + líkar + nominative thing liked.

• Mér is the dative of ég (I): ég (nom), mig (acc), mér (dat), mín (gen).
• A very literal way to feel it is: To me pleases this restaurant really well. So English “I like …” becomes Icelandic “To me likes …” with mér.

Why is líkar third‑person singular here?

The finite verb líkar agrees with the nominative subject, which is þessi veitingastaður (this restaurant), singular. If the thing liked is plural, the verb is plural:

• Singular: Mér líkar þessi veitingastaður.
• Plural: Mér líka þessir veitingastaðir. (note the verb líka for 3rd‑person plural)

Why is it þessi veitingastaður and not þennan veitingastað?

Because in the construction with líka (without við), the thing that is liked is the grammatical subject and takes the nominative:

• Pattern: dative experiencer + líkar/líka
  • nominative liked‑thing.
• Hence: þessi veitingastaður (nom). If you use the variant with við (“like/feel fond of”), you take the accusative:
• Mér líkar (vel) við þennan veitingastað.

What’s the difference between líkar and líkar við?

• Mér líkar X: neutral “X pleases me / I like X” (X is nominative).
• Mér líkar (vel) við X: “I like X / I’m fond of X” (often used for people, but fine for places too; X is accusative). Both are acceptable with a restaurant, with a slight nuance: the version with við can sound a bit more personal/affectionate.

What do virkilega and vel add? Are both needed?

• vel = well; it modifies the verb líkar (like English “like … well”).
• virkilega = really, genuinely; here it intensifies vel. Together virkilega vel = “really well,” i.e., “really like.” Variants:
• Mér líkar þessi veitingastaður mjög vel.
• Mér líkar þessi veitingastaður virkilega. (also possible, but virkilega vel is very natural)

How do I negate it? Where does ekki go?

Put ekki after the subject phrase:

• Plain negation: Mér líkar þessi veitingastaður ekki. (I don’t like this restaurant.) To say “I don’t really like this restaurant,” a very idiomatic option is:
• Mér líkar ekki sérstaklega vel við þennan veitingastað. You can also say: Ég er ekki hrifinn af þessum veitingastað. (I’m not fond of this restaurant.)

Can I start with the subject instead of Mér?

Yes. Icelandic main clauses are verb‑second, so the finite verb stays in position 2:

• Þessi veitingastaður líkar mér virkilega vel. Both orders are correct; fronting Mér highlights the experiencer, fronting Þessi veitingastaður highlights the restaurant.

Is Ég líkar or Ég líka þennan veitingastað ever correct?

No.

• You cannot say Ég líkar … in this meaning; the experiencer must be in the dative: Mér líkar …
• líka is also an adverb meaning “also,” so Ég líka just means “Me too,” not “I like.” Correct patterns:
• Mér líkar þetta.
• Mér líkar (vel) við þennan veitingastað.

Where are “a” and “the”? Why use þessi?

Icelandic has no indefinite article. “The” is usually a suffix on the noun: veitingastaðurinn = “the restaurant.”
Here you have the demonstrative þessi = “this,” which already makes it specific:

• Mér líkar þessi veitingastaður … = I really like this restaurant. You could also say:
• Mér líkar veitingastaðurinn virkilega vel. = I really like the restaurant.

What’s the gender/declension of veitingastaður?

veitingastaður is masculine.

• Nom sg: veitingastaður
• Acc sg: veitingastað
• Dat sg: veitingastað
• Gen sg: veitingastaðar Plural (for reference):
• Nom pl: veitingastaðir
• Acc pl: veitingastaði
• Dat pl: veitingastöðum
• Gen pl: veitingastaða

How would this change with a different person or with a plural subject?

Change the dative experiencer, and make the verb agree with the nominative subject:

• We like this restaurant: Okkur líkar þessi veitingastaður virkilega vel.
• We like these restaurants: Okkur líka þessir veitingastaðir virkilega vel. Experiencer forms (singular): ég → mér, þú → þér, hann/henni → honum/henni; (plural): við → okkur, þið → ykkur, þeir/þær/þau → þeim.

Any other common ways to say “I like this restaurant”?

Yes, useful alternatives:

• Ég er hrifinn af þessum veitingastað. (I’m fond of this restaurant; hrifinn agrees with your gender.)
• Ég kann vel við þennan veitingastað. (I like/am comfortable with this restaurant.)
• Mér finnst gott að borða hér. (I find it good to eat here.)
• Mér líkar að borða hér. (I like to eat here.)