The Many Words for Rain in Icelandic

You might have heard the saying about Icelandic weather: If you don’t like it, wait five minutes, and it will change. While it isn’t always true, it’s true enough to feel appropriate.

In Iceland, the weather is so unpredictable that trusting a forecast beyond a couple of days is often a gamble – even three days can be pushing it. With weather that changes on a whim, it’s no surprise that Icelandic has an extensive vocabulary to describe it, especially regarding precipitation. This list isn’t exhaustive but gives a glimpse into the sheer variety of terms Icelanders use to talk about rain.

We Icelanders love to talk about the weather—can you blame us? In Reykjavík, there are an average of 150 days each year with some form of precipitation, whether it’s rain, drizzle, sleet, or snow. It’s no surprise the weather is such a big part of our lives!

Ways to Say “It’s Going to Rain Soon”

Icelandic offers a range of phrases to describe the moments before the rain starts, personifying the sky as “he” (hann) since sky is a masculine word in Icelandic:

• Hann dofnar upp – He fades up (the sky is dulling).
• Hann er þungbúinn – He is heavy-laden (the sky looks heavy and overcast).
• Hann þotast upp – He rushes up (the clouds are quickly gathering).
• Hann hangir yfir með regn – He hangs over with rain (the sky is looming with rain).
• Hann er yfirgenginn með regn – He is overwhelmed with rain (rain is imminent).
• Hann grúfir yfir með regn – He broods over with rain (the sky is brooding and dark with rain).
• Hann fer að detta á – He is about to fall on (the rain is about to start).
• Hann fer að koma á – He is about to come on (rain is approaching).
• Hann er að skella á – He is about to crash on (rain is about to hit hard).
• Það er stutt í regn – It’s not far to rain (rain is very close).

Adjectives Describing a Rainy Sky

The Icelandic language is also rich with adjectives to describe a sky that looks ready to release rain:

• Deyfulegur – Gloomy (the sky looks dull and lifeless).
• Vætulegur – Moist-looking (the sky suggests wet weather is coming).
• Úrkomulegur – Precipitation-like (the sky looks like precipitation is on its way).
• Skúralegur – Showery (the sky hints at scattered showers).
• Skúrahætt – Prone to showers (the conditions are favourable for showers).
• Regnlegur – Rainy (the sky has a distinctly rainy appearance).
• Rigningarlegur – Rainstorm-like (the sky strongly indicates a rainstorm).

Describing the Lightest of Rains

For the softest, most delicate forms of rain, Icelandic has poetic phrases like:

• Það finnst á andliti – You can feel it on your face.
• Það dropar úr honum – It’s dropping from him (the sky).
• Það sítur úr honum – It’s seeping from him.
• Það hrýtur úr honum – It’s sprinkling from him.

Words for Mild Summer Rain

Gentle, light rain gets its own set of words, reflecting its calming nature:

• Deyfa – Light drizzle (a soft, fine rain).
• Dögg – Dew (gentle moisture, often like early morning drizzle).
• Hjúfur – Soft rain (a tender, covering rain).
• Myrja – Fine rain (delicate and almost mist-like).
• Væta – Wetness (light rain that just moistens).
• Slúð – Fine drizzle (a very light, soft rain).
• Suddi – Drizzle (continuous and mild).
• Súld – Misty rain (a mix of rain and mist).
• Súldur – Soft misty rain (gentle and persistent).
• Svækja – Heavy drizzle (muggy or thick drizzle).
• Úði – Spray (a fine rain that feels like a spray).
• Yrja – Light sprinkling (barely there, but present).
• Mjúkt regn – Soft rain (gentle, warm summer rain).

Ways to Describe Rain Showers

For sudden bursts or different types of showers, there’s a wealth of terms:

• Fugtskúr – Moisture shower (a light, wet shower).
• Morgunskúr – Morning shower (a rain shower occurring in the morning).
• Kvöldskúr – Evening shower (a rain shower occurring in the evening).
• Fjallaskúrir – Mountain showers (rain showers near or over mountains).
• Kalsaskúr – Chilly shower (a cold rain shower).
• Skírnarskúr – Shower with a lot of rain (a heavy, soaking rain).
• Demba – Downpour (a heavy, sudden burst of rain).
• Hellidemba – Torrential downpour (an intense and overwhelming rain).
• Bóluregn – Pockmarked rain (heavy raindrops that create splashes or dimples).
• Hellisskúr – A heavy rain shower (derived from úrhelli [torrential rain] and skúr [shower], meaning a strong, intense rain shower).

Rain by Direction and Intensity

Icelandic also describes rain based on where it comes from:

• Austanregn – Eastern rain.
• Hafregn – Ocean rain.
• Vestanregn – Western rain.
• Austanóðveður or Austranrigning – Eastern stormy rain (common by the Eyjafjöll mountain range in South Iceland).
• Regnkast – A storm with heavy rain that doesn’t last long.

For downpours, Icelandic has an even richer vocabulary:

• Ákafaregn – Intense rain.
• Stórregn – Heavy rain.
• Stórrigning – Great rain.
• Stórveðursregn – Heavy weather rain.
• Slagveður – Driving rain.
• Slagveðursrigning – Rain with harsh wind.
• Vatnsveður – Soaking rain.
• Grenjandi óveður – Roaring storm with rain.
• Húðarrigning – Heavy pelting rain.
• Húðaróveður – Skin-pelting rainstorm.
• Lemjandi óveður – Beating storm.
• Lemjandi rigning – Beating rain.
• Lamstursveður – Crushing weather.
• Lamustursóveður – Crushing storm.
• Óðaregn – Furious rain.
• Ausandi regn – Pouring rain.
• Úrhellir – Torrential rain.
• Úrhellisrigning – Torrential rainstorm.
• Dynjandi regn – Thundering rain.

If a downpour came with a storm, it had its own terms:

• Fokregn – Blowing rain (downpour with strong winds).
• Vatnsbylur – Waterstorm (a mix of downpour and storm).

Endless Words for Rain

These examples are only the tip of the iceberg regarding weather-related words and phrases in Icelandic. The language’s deep connection to nature and weather has created various terms to describe every nuance of it.

If you ever find yourself in Iceland, pay attention to the rain—it’s more than just wet weather; it’s part of the culture!

We always run our walking tours – no matter the weather. So, if you don’t mind a bit of rain while also learning about Icelandic culture, food or booze, come and join us! We look forward to seeing you! If you want something else, check out our other tours here.

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