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Ég þakka ykkur.

Ég þakka ykkur.
I thank you (plural).

Breakdown of Ég þakka ykkur.

ég
I
þakka
to thank
ykkur
yourselves
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Questions & Answers about Ég þakka ykkur.

Why is it ykkur and not þið or ykkar?

Because þakka (to thank) takes its object in the dative case in Icelandic.

  • þið = you (plural) in the nominative (used as a subject)
  • ykkur = you (plural) in the dative (used here as the object of þakka)
  • ykkar = your (plural), a possessive form, not used as a direct object

So Ég þakka ykkur literally means I thank you (dative).

Is ykkur always plural, or can it be formal singular like vous in French?

In modern Icelandic, ykkur is primarily plural (you all). Icelandic generally does not use a standard “plural you” as a polite singular the way French or German does.
Politeness is usually shown with wording (e.g., takk kærlega, kærar þakkir) rather than a special formal you form.

What is the difference between Ég þakka ykkur and just Takk?
  • Takk = a very common, short Thanks.
  • Ég þakka ykkur = more explicit and a bit more formal / deliberate, like I thank you rather than just Thanks.

In everyday speech, Takk (or Takk fyrir) is often more natural unless you want emphasis or formality.

How do I say it to one person?

You would use the singular dative form:

  • Ég þakka þér. = I thank you (to one person)

Here are the relevant forms:

  • þú (nom.) → þér (dat.)
  • þið (nom.) → ykkur (dat.)
Can I leave out Ég?

Yes. Icelandic often omits the subject pronoun when it’s obvious from the verb form:

  • Þakka ykkur. is perfectly normal and can sound more conversational, like Thanks / Thank you.

Including Ég adds emphasis: I (personally) thank you.

What is the verb form þakka here—infinitive or present tense?

It’s present tense, 1st person singular: ég þakka = I thank.
The infinitive is also þakka, so the form looks the same, but the presence of Ég (and the sentence structure) shows it’s the finite present-tense verb.

How do you pronounce Ég þakka ykkur?

A learner-friendly approximation:

  • Ég ≈ yeh(g) (the g is often very soft or not strongly pronounced)
  • þ is like th in thing
  • þakka ≈ THAHK-kah (double kk gives a “crisper/longer” k sound)
  • ykkur ≈ IH-koohr (the first vowel is similar to Icelandic y, not exactly English i)

If you want, tell me your dialect (US/UK) and I can give a closer approximation.

What do the letters þ and kk signal?
  • þ (thorn) = voiceless th, like th in thin (not like this)
  • kk indicates a longer/stronger consonant than a single k. Icelandic often uses double consonants to affect timing/quality of the preceding vowel and the consonant length.
Is the word order fixed? Could I say Ykkur þakka ég?

Icelandic word order is flexible, but the neutral, most common order is:

  • Ég þakka ykkur.

You can front the object for emphasis:

  • Ykkur þakka ég = You, I thank (very emphatic/stylistic, less everyday)
Do I need fyrir (as in Takk fyrir), or is Ég þakka ykkur complete?

Ég þakka ykkur is complete on its own: I thank you.
If you want to specify what you’re thanking them for, Icelandic commonly uses fyrir + accusative, e.g.:

  • Ég þakka ykkur fyrir hjálpina. = I thank you for the help.
  • Takk fyrir hjálpina. = Thanks for the help.
Can I make it stronger or more polite?

Yes—common intensifiers include:

  • Ég þakka ykkur kærlega. = I thank you warmly / very much.
  • Kærar þakkir. = Sincere thanks. (more formal)
  • Þúsund þakkir. = A thousand thanks. (strong, friendly)
What’s the difference between þakka and að þakka?
  • þakka is the verb form you use in a sentence (ég þakka, við þökkum, etc.).
  • að þakka is the verb in its infinitive form with að (similar to to in English):
    • Ég vil þakka ykkur. = I want to thank you.
    • Gott að þakka. = Good to thank (less common phrasing, but shows the structure)