aðstoð

Aðstoð is the Icelandic noun for the act or process of providing help or aid. It denotes assistance offered to an individual or group in various contexts, including personal support, professional services, and public or charitable programs. In English, it is commonly translated as assistance or aid, and it is often used in more formal or institutional language than the more everyday word hjálp.

The term is frequently used in compounds and phrases such as veita aðstoð (to provide assistance) and fá aðstoð (to receive assistance). It appears across government services, social welfare, healthcare, and legal contexts, as well as in customer service and organizational settings. Although largely equivalent to hjálp, aðstoð emphasizes a structured, often organized form of support, sometimes provided by institutions or professionals.

Historically, the word is rooted in Old Norse and relates to the notion of support or backing. In modern Icelandic, it remains a central term for describing available help, whether through state programs, non-governmental organizations, or private services. Its usage underscores the social and administrative dimensions of providing aid.

See also: hjálp; þjónusta; stuðning; félagsleg aðstoð.