sæll

Icelandic

Icelandic phrasebook

This entry is part of the phrasebook project, which presents criteria for inclusion based on utility, simplicity and commonness.

Etymology

From Old Norse sæll (“happy”), from Proto-Germanic *sēliz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /saitl̥/, [sai̯tɬ]
• Rhymes: -aitl

Adjective

sæll (comparative sælli, superlative sælastur)

1. happy, content

   Synonyms: ánægður, hamingjusamur, líða vel

   1. fortunate
   2. my dear (used in certain set phrases when addressing someone)

      sonur sæll ― my dear son

2. hello (a greeting)

Usage notes

Sæll is a very common greeting, particularly in formal situations. It inflects with the gender and plurality of the person being addressed (sæll for a man, sæl for a woman and a mixed-gender group, sælir for a group of men, and sælar for a group of women).

In slang, the plural sælir/sælar is occasionally used to address a single person; it is considered a more "cool" and relaxed greeting.

Declension

positive forms of sæll

strong declension (indefinite)	singular	masculine	feminine	neuter
	nominative	sæll	sæl	sælt
	accusative	sælan	sæla
	dative	sælum	sælli	sælu
	genitive	sæls	sællar	sæls
	plural	masculine	feminine	neuter
	nominative	sælir	sælar	sæl
	accusative	sæla
	dative	sælum
	genitive	sælla
weak declension (definite)	singular	masculine	feminine	neuter
	nominative	sæli	sæla	sæla
	acc/dat/gen	sæla	sælu
	plural (all-case)	sælu

comparative forms of sæll

weak declension (definite)		masculine	feminine	neuter
	singular (all-case)	sælli	sælli	sælla
	plural (all-case)	sælli

superlative forms of sæll

strong declension (indefinite)	singular	masculine	feminine	neuter
	nominative	sælastur	sælust	sælast
	accusative	sælastan	sælasta
	dative	sælustum	sælastri	sælustu
	genitive	sælasts	sælastrar	sælasts
	plural	masculine	feminine	neuter
	nominative	sælastir	sælastar	sælust
	accusative	sælasta
	dative	sælustum
	genitive	sælastra
weak declension (definite)	singular	masculine	feminine	neuter
	nominative	sælasti	sælasta	sælasta
	acc/dat/gen	sælasta	sælustu
	plural (all-case)	sælustu

Derived terms

• sæll vertu (“hello”)
• vertu sæll (“goodbye”)
• sæll og blessaður (“hello”)
• sæla (“happiness”)

References

• Ásgeir Blöndal Magnússon (1989) Íslensk orðsifjabók, Reykjavík: Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies, →ISBN (Available at Málið.is under the “Eldri orðabækur” tab.)

Old Norse

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Germanic *sēliz, from Proto-Indo-European *selh₂- (“to calm, quiet, be favourable”).

Adjective

sæll (comparative sælari, superlative sælastr)

1. happy, blessed, fortunate
   • 800s, Hávamál, verse 69

     Es-at maðr alls vesall, // þótt sé illa hęill,
     sumr es af sonum sæll,
     sumr af frændum, // sumr af fé ǿrnu,
     sumr af verkum vęl.

     Man is not completely wretched, though he of poor health be: someone is fortunate from sons, someone from kinsmen, someone from ample cattle, someone from works done well.

Declension

    Strong declension of sæll

singular	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	sæll	sæl	sælt
accusative	sælan	sæla	sælt
dative	sælum	sælli	sælu
genitive	sæls	sællar	sæls
plural	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	sælir	sælar	sæl
accusative	sæla	sælar	sæl
dative	sælum	sælum	sælum
genitive	sælla	sælla	sælla

    Weak declension of sæll

singular	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	sæli	sæla	sæla
accusative	sæla	sælu	sæla
dative	sæla	sælu	sæla
genitive	sæla	sælu	sæla
plural	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	sælu	sælu	sælu
accusative	sælu	sælu	sælu
dative	sælum	sælum	sælum
genitive	sælu	sælu	sælu

    Declension of comparative of sæll

singular	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	sælari	sælari	sælara
accusative	sælara	sælari	sælara
dative	sælara	sælari	sælara
genitive	sælara	sælari	sælara
plural	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	sælari	sælari	sælari
accusative	sælari	sælari	sælari
dative	sælurum	sælurum	sælurum
genitive	sælari	sælari	sælari

    Strong declension of superlative of sæll

singular	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	sælastr	sælust	sælast
accusative	sælastan	sælasta	sælast
dative	sælustum	sælastri	sælustu
genitive	sælasts	sælastrar	sælasts
plural	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	sælastir	sælastar	sælust
accusative	sælasta	sælastar	sælust
dative	sælustum	sælustum	sælustum
genitive	sælastra	sælastra	sælastra

    Weak declension of superlative of sæll

singular	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	sælasti	sælasta	sælasta
accusative	sælasta	sælustu	sælasta
dative	sælasta	sælustu	sælasta
genitive	sælasta	sælustu	sælasta
plural	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	sælustu	sælustu	sælustu
accusative	sælustu	sælustu	sælustu
dative	sælustum	sælustum	sælustum
genitive	sælustu	sælustu	sælustu

Derived terms

• ársæll (“blessed with good harvests”) (especially of a king under whose reign the realm prospers)
• friðsæll (“blessed with peace”) (especially of a king under whose reign the realm prospers)
• orðsæll (“blessed with a good reputation”)
• vesæll, vesall (“wretched, unlucky”)
• vinsæll (“blessed with many friends”)

Descendants

• Icelandic: sæll
• Faroese: sælur
• Norn: sel
• Norwegian: sæl
• Old Swedish: sǣll
  • Swedish: säll
• Old Danish: sæll, sææl
  • Danish: sæl