Mér líður vel í dag.

I feel well today.

Breakdown of Mér líður vel í dag.

• ég: I
• vel: well
• í dag: today
• líða: to feel

Questions & Answers about Mér líður vel í dag.

Why is it mér and not ég?

Because Icelandic often uses a dative “experiencer” with feeling/state verbs. With líða (to feel), the person who experiences the feeling is in the dative case:

• Mér líður vel. = It feels well to me → I feel well. This is the same pattern you see in:
• Mér finnst… (I think/I find…)
• Mér er kalt. (I am cold.) The verb stays in 3rd person singular: líður.

What does líður mean here, and how is líða conjugated?

Here líður (3rd person singular, present) means “to feel” in the sense of well-being. The verb líða also means “to pass” (about time), e.g. Tíminn líður hratt (Time passes quickly).

• Present: ég líð, þú líð(ur), hann/hún/það líður, við/þið/þau líðum/‑ið/‑ið
• Past: leið
• Supine/pp: líðað Note: patterns vary slightly across speakers; the key form in this sentence is líður.

Why vel and not góður/gott?

Vel is an adverb (“well”), which is what líða needs. Góður/gott are adjectives used to describe nouns. So:

• Correct: Mér líður vel.
• Incorrect: Mér líður góður/gott. If you use an adjective, it’s a different construction: Ég er góður/góð means “I am a good (well-behaved/kind) person,” not “I feel good.”

What’s the basic word order, and can I change it?

Icelandic main clauses are verb‑second (V2). In Mér líður vel í dag, the finite verb líður is the second element. You can front another element for emphasis as long as the verb stays second:

• Í dag líður mér vel.
• Vel líður mér í dag. (more emphatic) All mean the same; the differences are about focus.

Where can í dag go?

Common options:

• Mér líður vel í dag. (neutral)
• Í dag líður mér vel. (focus on “today”)
• Mér líður í dag vel. (less common, possible in speech with special emphasis) Keep the verb second if you front Í dag.

How do I make it negative?

Insert ekki after the verb (and before vel):

• Mér líður ekki vel í dag. (I don’t feel well today.) Or use the antonym:
• Mér líður illa í dag. (I feel bad today.)

How do I say “better/worse/best/worst”?

Use the adverb degrees:

• vel → betur → best
• illa → verr → verst Examples:
• Mér líður betur. (I feel better.)
• Mér líður verst í dag. (I feel the worst today.)

How do I ask “How are you feeling today?”

• To one person (informal/formal): Hvernig líður þér í dag?
• To more than one person: Hvernig líður ykkur í dag? Possible answers:
• Mér líður vel/illa/betur.
• Okkur líður vel.

Can I say Ég er að líða vel like English “I am feeling well”?

No. The progressive with að is not used for this meaning. Say Mér líður vel. Using Ég er að líða is unidiomatic and may be misunderstood (since líða also means “to pass” or in some phrases relates to fainting/suffering).

Pronunciation tips for Mér líður vel í dag?

• Mér: é sounds like “yeh” ([jɛ]); overall like “myer.”
• líður: í is a long “ee”; ð is like voiced “th” in “this.”
• vel: short “e” as in “bed,” but often a bit longer.
• í: long “ee.”
• dag: final g is usually a voiced velar fricative [ɣ], not a hard “g.” Primary stress is on the first syllable of each word.

Is í dag required?

No. Mér líður vel. is a complete sentence meaning “I feel well.” Í dag just adds the time frame “today.”

Is mér acting like the subject?

Functionally yes (it’s the experiencer), but grammatically it’s dative case, and the verb stays 3rd person singular: líður. With other meanings of líða, you can get a nominative subject:

• Tíminn líður hratt. (Time passes quickly.)

What’s the difference between Mér líður vel and Ég er hress?

• Mér líður vel: I feel well (physically/mentally), general well-being.
• Ég er hress: I’m lively/energized/in good spirits. You can feel well without being particularly hress, and vice versa.

How do I talk about specific pain or discomfort?

Use these patterns:

• General: Mér líður illa. (I feel unwell.)
• Specific pain: Mér er illt í [líkams­hluta]. (I have pain in [body part].) e.g. Mér er illt í höfðinu.
• Another option: Mig verkjar í [líkams­hluta]. (My [body part] aches.)

Which pronoun forms go with líða in this pattern?

Use the dative:

• I: mér → Mér líður vel.
• you (sg.): þér → Hvernig líður þér?
• he: honum → Honum líður illa.
• she: henni → Hennni líður betur.
• we: okkur → Okkur líður vel.
• you (pl.): ykkur → Ykkur líður vel?
• they: þeim → Þeim líður best.

Is there a difference between Mér líður vel and Mér er gott?

Yes:

• Mér líður vel: I feel well (state of health/mood).
• Mér er gott: I’m comfortable/well off; my circumstances are good. Also in set phrases like Mér er vel við hann (I’m fond of him).

Why í dag but á morgun (tomorrow)?

These are set idiomatic time expressions:

• í dag (today), í gær (yesterday), í fyrradag (the day before yesterday), í morgun (this morning), í kvöld (this evening).
• á morgun (tomorrow), á föstudag (on Friday). You learn them as fixed phrases; the preposition choice is part of the idiom.

Any spelling tips?

Accents matter. Write:

• Mér líður vel í dag. Not: “Mer lidur vel i dag.” The diacritics (é, í, ð) change pronunciation and can affect meaning.