Animals

1. seyður

   Sheep

   Usage

   The emblem of the islands — "Føroyar" is read as "sheep islands". Expect them on the road when driving

   Grammar Note

   Masculine; plural "seyðir". Often used in the singular for a flock

2. lamb

   Lamb

   Usage

   All over the pastures in spring and early summer; also the word on a menu

   Grammar Note

   Neuter; plural "lomb"

3. ær

   Ewe

   Usage

   Used when sheep farming is discussed and the sex matters; a ram is "veðrur"

   Grammar Note

   Feminine; the plural is the same as the singular

4. veðrur

   Ram

   Usage

   The horned male; often mentioned on farms and on souvenirs

   Grammar Note

   Masculine — do not confuse it with the neuter "veður" (weather)

5. seyðahundur

   Sheepdog

   Usage

   Do not pet a working sheepdog without asking its handler first

   Grammar Note

   A compound of "seyður" (sheep) and "hundur" (dog); masculine

6. hestur

   Horse

   Usage

   The Faroe pony is a small native breed and very few remain; "ross" is a synonym

   Grammar Note

   Masculine; plural "hestar"

7. kúgv

   Cow

   Usage

   Dairy farming here is small-scale; the word comes up around milk and cheese

   Grammar Note

   Feminine; plural "kýr"

8. grísur

   Pig

   Usage

   Few are kept, but the word is everyday for pork; also used for a piglet

   Grammar Note

   Masculine; plural "grísar"

9. hundur

   Dog

   Usage

   You will see the sign "hundar skulu vera í bandi" — dogs must be kept on a leash

   Grammar Note

   Masculine; plural "hundar"

10. køttur

    Cat

    Usage

    Free-roaming cats are common in the villages; a female cat is "ketta"

    Grammar Note

    Masculine; plural "køttir"

11. hara

    Hare

    Usage

    Introduced in the 19th century and now common in the hills — one of the islands' very few wild land mammals

    Grammar Note

    Feminine; plural "harur"

12. mús

    Mouse

    Usage

    Seen in huts and old houses; the bigger brown rat is "rotta"

    Grammar Note

    Feminine; plural "mýs"

13. rotta

    Rat

    Usage

    Seen around harbours and towns; show this at reception if one turns up in your lodging

    Grammar Note

    Feminine; plural "rottur"

14. fuglur

    Bird

    Usage

    Seabird watching is the islands' main draw; this is the general word

    Grammar Note

    Masculine; plural "fuglar"

15. lundi

    Atlantic puffin

    Usage

    Mykines is the famous colony; they are only here from May to August. Keep off the burrowed slopes

    Grammar Note

    Masculine; plural "lundar". Fratercula arctica grabae

16. lomvigi

    Common guillemot

    Usage

    The black-and-white seabird packed onto the cliff ledges; every boat tour names it

    Grammar Note

    Masculine; plural "lomvigar". Uria aalge

17. tjaldur

    Oystercatcher (national bird)

    Usage

    The national bird; its return in mid-March, Grækarismessa, is celebrated across the islands

    Grammar Note

    Neuter; plural "tjøldur". Haematopus ostralegus

18. æða

    Common eider

    Usage

    The duck you see bobbing in the fjords; its down ("æðudún") goes into bedding

    Grammar Note

    Feminine; plural "æður". Somateria mollissima

19. mási

    Gull

    Usage

    The general word for gulls; they will come for your food around the harbour

    Grammar Note

    Masculine; plural "másar". Species names are built by prefixing a word

20. skarvur

    European shag

    Usage

    The black bird drying its wings on a rock; traditionally eaten here as well

    Grammar Note

    Masculine; plural "skarvar". Phalacrocorax aristotelis

21. ravnur

    Raven

    Usage

    A bird that runs through Faroese folk tales and ballads; you hear it in the hills

    Grammar Note

    Masculine; plural "ravnar". Corvus corax varius

22. spógvi

    Whimbrel

    Usage

    The long-billed migrant that calls shrilly over the summer grassland; common on hikes

    Grammar Note

    Masculine; plural "spógvar". Numenius phaeopus

23. høna

    Hen

    Usage

    Kept in village sheds; comes up when talking about eggs

    Grammar Note

    Feminine; plural "hønur", collectively "høsn"

24. hani

    Rooster

    Usage

    The male bird; you hear it at dawn in the villages

    Grammar Note

    Masculine; plural "hanar"

25. fiskur

    Fish

    Usage

    Fishing is the main industry; the word you meet most on menus and at the harbour

    Grammar Note

    Masculine; plural "fiskar"

26. laksur

    Salmon

    Usage

    The islands' biggest export; those fjord pens are salmon farms

    Grammar Note

    Masculine; plural "laksar". Salmo salar

27. toskur

    Cod

    Usage

    The backbone of the traditional fishery; common dried and in home cooking

    Grammar Note

    Masculine; plural "toskar". Gadus morhua

28. krabbi

    Crab

    Usage

    Seen on the shore and in harbours. The same word also means the disease "cancer", so watch the context

    Grammar Note

    Masculine; plural "krabbar"

29. hvalur

    Whale

    Usage

    The general word for whales; sometimes visible from the ferries and on boat tours

    Grammar Note

    Masculine; plural "hvalir"

30. grindahvalur

    Pilot whale

    Usage

    A pod is called a "grind". It is the species of the traditional drive hunt — a contested topic outside the islands, so listen rather than lecture

    Grammar Note

    Masculine; "grind" (pod) + "hvalur" (whale). Globicephala melas

31. springari

    Dolphin

    Usage

    Sometimes rides the bow wave of the ferries; the white-beaked dolphin is "kjafthvítur springari"

    Grammar Note

    Masculine; plural "springarar"

32. kópur

    Seal

    Usage

    Seen on rocks in the inlets; famous from the seal-woman legend and the statue at Mikladalur

    Grammar Note

    Masculine; plural "kópar"

33. hvalspýggja

    Jellyfish

    Usage

    Seen in harbours and on the shore; do not touch

    Grammar Note

    Feminine; literally "whale spew"

34. fluga

    Fly

    Usage

    There are no mosquitoes in the Faroes — in summer this is about the only insect that bothers you

    Grammar Note

    Feminine; plural "flugur"

35. eiturkoppur

    Spider

    Usage

    Found indoors and in huts; there are no venomous spiders on the islands

    Grammar Note

    Masculine; plural "eiturkoppar"

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