halló

Halló is an Icelandic interjection used as a greeting equivalent to “hello” or “hi.” It is a common way to start a conversation in Icelandic and is suitable for casual encounters, informal correspondence, and telephone calls. The form is written halló, with a single word and an acute accent on the final vowel.

Origin and cognates: Halló belongs to the same family of greetings as the German “Hallo” and the English “hello.” Its Icelandic spelling preserves the double l and the accented ó, indicating a long vowel. The word is widely understood across Iceland and is typically used in informal contexts.

Pronunciation and usage: It is pronounced roughly as HAL-oh, with stress on the first syllable. Halló can be used to greet someone on meeting, after a pause in conversation, or when answering the phone. In more formal situations, other greetings such as góðan daginn (“good day”) may be preferred.

Variants and social notes: In addition to halló, Icelandic has hæ (“hi”), which is very casual. Halló sits between casual and neutral as a general-purpose greeting, though its appropriateness depends on tone and context. In written Icelandic, halló is generally lowercase unless it appears at the start of a sentence.