Breakdown of Afsakið, ég tala ekki íslensku.
ég
I
ekki
not
tala
to speak
íslenska
Icelandic (the language)
afsakið
excuse me (polite)
Questions & Answers about Afsakið, ég tala ekki íslensku.
Why does íslensku end in a "u" instead of an "a"?
The dictionary form of the word for the Icelandic language is íslenska. However, the verb tala (to speak) forces the language you are speaking into the accusative case (the direct object of the sentence). For most feminine nouns that end in -a, the ending changes to -u in this case.
Why isn't the word for Icelandic capitalized?
In Icelandic, the names of languages, nationalities, and days of the week are not capitalized unless they happen to be the first word in a sentence. That is why it appears here as íslensku with a lowercase letter.
Where is the word for "do" in "don't speak"?
Icelandic does not use a helper verb like "do" to make negative sentences. Instead, you simply put the word ekki (not) directly after the verb. Because of this, ég tala ekki translates literally to "I speak not".
Can I use Afsakið to get someone's attention?
Yes! Afsakið is a polite, versatile word used just like "excuse me" in English. You can use it to get a stranger's attention, to ask someone to move out of the way, or to apologize for a minor bump.
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