Verkir

Verkir is the Icelandic noun meaning pain or ache. The singular form is verkur, and the plural is verkir. It denotes physical discomfort caused by injury, illness, or exertion and is used in medical contexts as well as in everyday speech. The term can describe acute or chronic pain and can also be used in a broader, sometimes metaphorical sense to express distress or frustration.

In practice, verkur often appears in compound forms that indicate location or type of pain. Common examples include höfuðverkur, meaning headache, and bakverkur, meaning back pain. Adjectives are used to describe intensity, such as mikill verkur (severe pain) or lítill verkur (mild pain). The word is a standard part of patient communication, health records, and public health information.

While primarily referring to physical sensations, verkur can also appear in figurative language to convey emotional or existential pain, depending on context. It is widely understood in Icelandic-speaking communities and is taught as part of basic medical vocabulary in schooling and health education.