vælubíll
Icelandic
Etymology
Modeled after sjúkrabíll (“ambulance”), composed of væla (“whine”) + bíll (“car”). First seen on print in 2008,[1] later popularized by a 2010 children's song.
Noun
vælubíll m (genitive singular vælubíls, nominative plural vælubílar)
- (sarcastic, derisive) a hypothetical “ambulance” that comes to the aid of someone whining or complaining
- Á ég að hringja á vælubílinn? ― Stop crying about it, you're being a baby. (literally, “Do you want me to call the whining ambulance?”)
Usage notes
This phrase is used sarcastically when someone is crying or complaining about something.
Declension
| singular | plural | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| indefinite | definite | indefinite | definite | |
| nominative | vælubíll | vælubíllinn | vælubílar | vælubílarnir |
| accusative | vælubíl | vælubílinn | vælubíla | vælubílana |
| dative | vælubíl | vælubílnum | vælubílum | vælubílunum |
| genitive | vælubíls | vælubílsins | vælubíla | vælubílanna |
See also
- grenja (“cry loudly”)