Level A1
There are two ways to say “I want” in Icelandic:
- mig langar = I want, I desire. This is the same variation as you might be familiar with from English, “I long for the carefree days of my youth.” meaning having a strong desire for something, but in Icelandic the meaning is not as strong and generally just means “I want”.
- ég vil = I want. This is a bit more blunt than mig langar. You can remember it from the English “It is my will”.
They can be used almost interchangeably, but since mig langar is more about your desires (it is softer) and ég vil is more about your demands (it is more blunt), it’s better to use mig langar in situations where you’re not sure which one to use. There are many situations and phrases where either one is always used.