Basic Pronunciation of Modern Icelandic (updated/improved)

All the facts you need to get started with learning the present-day pronunciation of the language of the land of fire and ice.
Dr. Jackson Crawford is Instructor of Nordic Studies and Nordic Program Coordinator at the University of Colorado Boulder (formerly UC Berkeley and UCLA). He is a historical linguist and an experienced teacher and translator of Old Norse, Modern Icelandic, and Norwegian.
Visit JacksonWCrawford.com (includes a linked list of all videos).
Latest FAQs: • Video (updated Nov. 2018).
Music © I See Hawks in L.A., courtesy of the artist. Visit www.iseehawks.com/
Logos by Elizabeth Porter (snowbringer at gmail).
Jackson Crawford’s Patreon page: / norsebysw
Jackson Crawford’s translation of The Poetic Edda: www.amazon.com/gp/product/162...
Audiobook: www.audible.com/pd/The-Poetic...
Jackson Crawford’s translation of The Saga of the Volsungs: www.amazon.com/gp/product/162...
Audiobook: www.audible.com/pd/The-Saga-o...

[@kristinfjola6918]

I'm a native Icelander and I just wanted to say nice job with this video, very good!

[@user-ic1qb9xf3u]

the video is good, i think he just made a minor error saying that G in saga is pronounced like German 'Bach' [x] when it's pronounced as [ɤ] . we pronounce the [x] in words like 'sagt', the G in saga, sigur etc are different...

[@sminkle12]

I am too, i live in America now, but my name Is Ólafur Jónsson

[@Mosil0]

@@user-ic1qb9xf3u He didn't say it's the same, he mentioned that it's voiced in "saga"

[@divxxx]

@@user-ic1qb9xf3u it's pretty easy to make for me, because it is a sound some people make in Italian if they can't pronounce the rolling [r].

[@alexismisner4292]

hey! i’m about to move to iceland with my fiancé and would like to go ahead and make friends there!

[@iddet8867]

This was fantastic! I am Icelandic and it was fascinating to see my language explained like this. I recognized things that I have not really been conscious of. Very nice.

[@joalexsg9741]

You make Icelandic seem as if it were easy, lol. Congratulations, you´re a wonderful teacher and pronounce the words for the first time in its due slow pace for a very beginner, this is one of the key factors which really motivate learners not to give up!

[@username9885]

still easier than korean, japanese, thai, chinese and russian

[@kirijocafe7066]

@@username9885 Ease of acquiring a new language depends on a lot of things. If you're very dedicated and love those cultures that may come easier than languages with common ancestors like with English and Icelandic. I always recommend when someone is learning a foreign language that immersion and interest is key. Without that it doesn't matter how close your language is to another one, it's going to be difficult if you don't enjoy it.

[@username9885]

@@kirijocafe7066 yeah and I really want to learn icelandic because I want to visit iceland

[@kirijocafe7066]

@@username9885 Same here. Dr. Crawford's videos are a great introduction but I'd love a chance to learn more modern Icelandic

[@martinet1985]

@@username9885 My first language is Polish so Russian was a breeze while Icelandic posed me some trouble. As always, it ALL depends!

[@jrr2045]

I'm Icelandic and I DIED laughing at the "inhalation já/nei" You instantly sounded like my grandma 🤣🤣🤣 By the way, good job on the pre exhalation sounds in ekki and ætla. That sound is actually present (ever so slightly) in other words like pabbi (phabbi) The only thing that I noticed you not pronouncing correctly was the double L in Þingvellir. The LL sound is incredibly difficult for non native speakers to learn. It should sound like the sound of the L in "completely". Like a popping L sound driftig into an exhalation sound.

[@niku..]

My grandma also inhales these words in German!

[@ReflectingShadow]

meine auch! 🤣

[@WingChunMindForce]

Wow you nailed it with the ll sound, it's a tough one, you are right, 'completely 'does have that quality (I'm a native English speaker). Ása has a great channel at Let's Learn Icelandic, she REALLY helped me make this sound and now I feel that it's becoming natural to me.

[@watchmakerful]

@@FrozenMermaid666 For me it sounds like T+L, but that L is partially (if not fully) devoiced.

[@Volundur9567]

​@@watchmakerfulttl sound kinda, but some in my fam say it more k like, a pop kinda Jökull is a good example.

[@dabbmundur]

Icelandic native here. Cool vid. Note sure I agree with the "og" and the "ég" part, about the g being silent. If you meet someone from the southwest and they're speaking fast then sure, the g in "og" might be silent. But in normal speech it is not.

[@Magni87]

I agree with you but would go further and say that it is NEVER silent. It may feel silent when spoken fast, but if there isn't at least a millisecond of hint of a "g" sound in there, it will feel wrong to a native speaker. Similar to when we Icelanders say "Góðan daginn." quickly. My friends that have been learning Icelandic ask me if there are some silent or skipped letters there. But in reality it's more that the words have been fused seamlessly; "Góðandaginn". Exactly like the difference between "in deed" and "indeed". You wouldn't skip a "d" or an "n" when saying these words quickly. It would sound wrong. I have not heard or experienced any silent or skipped letters in modern Icelandic unless you count the slangification of phrases. Such as "Hvadda gera?" in stead of "Hvað ertu að gera?"

[@Nepente333]

Hey there, guys!. I'm trying to learn Icelandic as much as I can, I freaking love your language. I want to ask you this question because you both, as native speakers, might help me with this doubt. At one point, he mentioned how the "R" sounds. He gave the example of the Spanish R (about its sound when it goes at the beginning of words, which is exactly the same sound as the Spanish double R, as in "perro" (dog)). I know it sounds strong, but I've listened to Icelandic music a lot, I've watched a few Icelandic films, interviews, etc. I don't know if I'm mistaken but, in my opinion, it sounds exactly the same as the Spanish R sounds, and even stronger in Icelandic sometimes. Björk's a perfect example of this, but I'm just curious. How do you find that specific sound?.

[@annatraustadottir4387]

@@Nepente333 I would say it is not quite as strong as in spanish but almost

[@BigBen444]

As an Icelander it is so strange yet so awesome seeing someone like you being able to pronounce all the words so correctly! Great job :-)

[@aniwaniwawahine4233]

So relieved I got to learn Icelandic by living there and assimilating all these rather challenging pronuciations, by hearing the words being spoken in day to day life.

[@ademitoeae8356]

Your handwriting is beautiful. I'm going to use this style to write Icelandic

[@bjarkiorarson3546]

16:21 Yes! Finally someone recognized it! I'm Icelandic and from my own experience it's almost only women who say 'já' or 'nei' while inhaling! Very rarely have I seen a man do it.

[@AlotOfSunInHeaven]

Om eg minnast rett så var det gjort noko forskning på dette i Noreg og utkommet var at mange menn også sa "ja" eller "nei" på innpust, men det var mest vanleg hos kvinner. If I remember corretly there was done some research on this in Norway and the conclusion was that plenty of men also inhaled when saying "ja" or "nei", but it was indeed most common in women.

[@vp4744]

That really explains accents of some Icleandic women singers. That inhaling throws me off.

[@kadabrium]

interesting. i didnt know that was a widespread thing and i just thought they are trying to sound dramatic

[@AxelÞór]

I'm a man and have been known to inhale my yes and nos. It's not frequent but happens.

[@tob]

AlotOfSunInHeaven Veit du kvar/når dette var? Eg vil rekna med at eg finn det på nettet, men verkar jo særs forvitneleg.

[@joelm33]

26:29 I've been wanting to hear you speak Icelandic for years

[@Dark123hound]

Ö can also be pronounced like the English earl you just have to remove the rl.

[@weirdlanguageguy]

There is a slight difference still, however: the ö is pronounced with pursed lips, while earl is not

[@maiteyg]

but is this american or british english

[@joseg.solano1891]

@@maiteyg what I understand is that they'd be pronounced the same in both but the 'r' sound with a longer vowel sound in RP.

[@williamthomas2278]

I spent a year in Icland after high school and always felt that they spoke very crisp and mostly in the front of the mouth. Contrast to the Danes I met while there, they spoke harsher and deep in the throat. Learned some German in High school and linguistics in college and I love following this series

[@IoachimSavianPopovici]

This is the first time I heard the expression "same difference" actually making sense :))

[@cgruiz6415]

I’m studying Icelandic in preparation for a two week visit to Iceland and found this video very helpful.

[@MrPicky]

Another fantastic video from Jackson :) I am an Icelandic "grammar Nazi" and I am always impressed with his video's ;)

[@MrPicky]

Ryan C Excellent thanks :) Blaming it partially on auto-correct since it suggested it and I decided to go with it :(

[@yanling60]

Hey MrPicky, I'm looking for an Icelandic grammar Nazi. Please please please help me translate the following? "Þar sem gróir þar er von. Allt sem græðir geymir von."

[@MrPicky]

This is a icelandic metaphor using land (quite common to use metaphors in poetry and lyrics). gróir = grows; græðir can mean grow and heal (same word used in Icelandic); von = hope Þar sem gróir þar er von = where something (things?) grows there is hope Allt sem græðir geymir von = all that grows (or heals) has (or keeps) hope I guess I'd translate it as Where things grow there is hope, All that heals has hope Sounds like some music I've heard but can't remember it...

[@egein]

MrPicky gróir > grær*

[@MathildaMusicOff]

@@MrPicky Hey man! Sorry to bother you, I'm actually writing a song which contains a word in Icelandic / old norse, and I don't know any native Icelandic person who can help me with the pronunciation of this word so I'm looking for a little help here if you have 2 seconds.. The word is "Vetrardag" (meaning "first day of winter" I think?), here in context in the song: "We'll feel lonely when facing vetrardag" if I were to replace it for context, it would go like this: "we're feeling lonely when facing winter / the first day of winter". I just think your language sounds beautiful, that's why I want to use this word. Hopefully you can help me, thanks for your time!

[@MoliSuper]

One of the few youtube videos that make me feel special

[@jaetyler1]

this is great! Your videos are really interesting and I think you deserve way more publicity because to be as committed and knowledgeable is very rare! Also for so much knowledge on such a uncommon topic! its great!

[@takk78]

Very interesting. I'm Greek, I find many sounds similar to Greek. Thank you.

[@iberius9937]

Exactly. Greek and Icelandic share many similarities.

[@sheilas1283]

I thought that was wonderful! So interesting and SO well explained. It's great that you're prepared to put so much time into making these videos. I wish there were a Dr Crawford for the Irish language which interests me greatly but which I've found very hard to learn by myself.

[@vp4744]

Maybe with enough patreon support, he could do Irish and Scottish as well.

[@sheilas1283]

Shin Kansen Ha! Wouldn't that be great?

[@ev.anflynn]

I'd love if he did one of Irish. I'm Irish myself but I've never been able to understand the language after 9 - 10 years of learning it in school.

[@meandmybobbygee1812]

@@ev.anflynn that's like me but with Spanish! I was almost fluent as far as three-year-old language goes, but by going to a dual language school that gave me Spanish everyday, I somehow unlearned it so much I had to move to an English only class in third grade. Lol.

[@kevinrawdon8573]

B'fhéidir go bhfuil sé deacair ach níl sé dodhéanta. Search for Sounds and Spellings of Irish on youtube! It helped me so much to set the foundation is Irish pronunciation. Also on teanglann . ie there is a tab for pronunciation it's such a huge, great resource for specific words that might stump you. Also check out the courses on futurelearn . com they are free and perfectly organized and engaging. Is féidir leat Gaeilge a fhoglaim! Rinne mé é mar sin is féidir leatsa.

[@StarrsMillStudyHelp]

Perfectly paced and very clear. Thank you so much!

[@jessicahagan]

Thank you so much for sharing your hard-earned knowledge! I look forward to watching all your videos!

[@lautarojardel6541]

Excelent video Dr Crawford. Please make more videos about Modern Icelandic, nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc.

[@pattiskidmore8792]

This is so helpful. I'm just starting Icelandic and pronunciation is challenging. Thanks so much for making this video.

[@markseppala3163]

Been going to Iceland for years, always refer back to these videos, simply the best, takk!

[@crescermeditando]

Confident, expert and easy on the eyes. Best one could wish for maximum learning. And I’m serious.

[@sjbosco1]

Great video! I'm heading to Iceland next month and wanted an overview of the pronunciation of Icelandic. Your presentation was perfect. Thank you very much.

[@benjaminadmonius795]

This video was fantastic. I’m leaving for Iceland in a few days for a week of travel and this helped out my pronunciation a lot. Thank you!!

[@dixon1e]

Welcome to Colorado and especially Boulder County! Thank you for a terrific intro video. As a university-only Danish speaker, this is extremely helpful.

[@helenakarlsson4708]

Thank you! Best summary of Icelandic pronunciation I've encountered so far. I'm swedish and sometimes it's actually easier for me to understand the meaning of a word when you hear it than trying to figure it out from the spelling.

[@SomeDreamyIdealist]

Thank you for this course on Icelandic! I'm happy to see some linguistic videos about it. I wish they would be more like this one, it's very hard to learn the language on your own.

[@amazingabigail9596]

Extremely useful and well explained. Icelandic seems to be a rather niche language to learn, and so it is hard to find resources with such a high level of quality. Thank you so much for taking the effort to make this video!

[@ZannaJo-hs3mq]

Thank you so much Jackson. You have decoded sounds for us so well. You have identified the jigsaw peices of a foreign puzzle and helped us put it together. Thank you! I appreciate your video so perfectly presented for people who are at the beginning of their journey with Icelandic.

[@jonasbenjamin645]

This video is so useful! I am learning Icelandic and uploading videos of it. And this video helped me so much to improve my pronunciation! Thumbs up :)

[@sv7864]

You are the best teacher in all the internet!

[@jontell726]

Tack så mycket! Det här är precis det jag letade efter!

[@SaharaKnoblauch]

Thank you so much, such an excellent lesson. This was very very helpful for someone who's just starting their adventure with icelandic language. Thank you very much!!!

[@andrew_owens7680]

Thanks for this. I'm working with a couple of Icelanders and I hope as a matter of politesse to learn a little of their culture and language. This was helpful.

[@grim789]

Your awesome man I always send people your way and recommended your books thanks for the outstanding content.

[@valinasintal4477]

Thank you for making this video, it’s so helpful!

[@thomassulmon748]

Thank you so much, this was extremely useful! I am taking an A2 exam tomorrow at the University of Reykjavik and some points about pronunciation were still unclear: thanks to you I'll walk in there with much more confidence! :)

[@justdontgiveafukk]

This is a wonderful video! Such useful information but I am sure I will have to watch it a number of times before it settles. I'm learning Icelandic with the Pimsleur audiobook from Audible and looking to supplement my learning when I'm not driving, so this was very helpful.

[@gerryhamill45]

Incredibly well delivered - thank you

[@ReflectingShadow]

really happy about the connection to german pronounciations since it's the language i grew up with! thank you for this relaxed and useful video!

[@jalaluddinkhan766]

An excellent lesson. From an absolutely gorgeous professor to boot.

[@brianpalas]

This video is very useful and I'm glad I found it now. I'm beginning to learn Icelandic and am struggling with pronouncing letters and combinations. I hope this will help me with my speech during my time in Iceland for my graduate studies this autumn (I will be enrolled in the M.A. in Viking and Medieval Norse Studies program).

[@jessicawhiton3614]

Just moved to Iceland. Very helpful in learning to navigate this language!

[@momo_165]

this is great lesson !!! very well explained, love you.

[@rubedog78]

Really clearly explained! Trying to learn Icelandic on my own (using Mango languages) before going to Iceland, and I want to be able to pronounce it clearly to be understood (yes, I know I don't "need" to learn it as a tourist, but I find I appreciate the culture more when I do).

[@bunagonzaga]

Hi ruben, mango languages it's similar to Duolingo?

[@czesiastar9798]

Thank you so much, this is exactly what I was looking for!

[@faramund9865]

Thanks for the recommendation, was looking for shows to look and listen to.

[@chowfun1976]

Thanks for this video. Concise and straightforward presentation. Doesn't hurt also that Dr. Crawford is easy on the eyes ;-)

[@tiagocomputacao]

I became interested in icelandic language after watching Trapped. After watching this excellent video, I can get a glimpse of how to read the names from the credits.

[@maggiepellegrino9324]

Love this! Will be looking for more. Great explanations!!

[@icelandicjourney]

Thank you for the introduction. It's very helpful in learning Icelandic.

[@wumblebumblebee]

Very very useful! Great explanations i am going to watch this til i know the script n then carry on with my icelandic learning!

[@1974heathinn]

I appreciate this video, and your video on resources for actually learning the language. I am traveling there next month, so not enough time to learn it, but I can start.

[@iberius9937]

You are excellent, sir, and have wonderful calligraphy!

[@BGBPW]

That was so much help! Thank you!

[@frogskocinq]

Thank you! This was very helpful. Examples from California, German (and Austrians), as well as Norwegian definitely helped close the gaps. I appreciate your introduction about the lack of manners on the internet. Hopefully, it was a good antigen for haters.

[@thevikingvox1277]

Outstanding, as always.

[@xyg6543]

Thank you for these excellent videos!

[@robertashagam1599]

You’re a creative teacher. Thank you

[@ELCinWYO]

I see Steamboat! I am fascinated with your videos and I'm from Wyoming of Scandinavian descent. These are so perfect for me!

[@janswayne3759]

I really appreciate your care and commitment to communicating effectively, Dr. Crawford. Thank you for these interesting videos on learning and pronouncing modern Icelandic!

[@alex55andra]

Thank you for this video, i had some questions and now i feel enlightened:D

[@isquirtmilkfrommyeye]

Thank you so much! This was a perfect breakdown.

[@BrentPDunn]

Thank you so very much! This is outstandingly helpful. You have done an amazing job of explaining the difficult parts, and am so grateful!

[@AlexandraPolvariniStampintadas]

Oh my god! Thank you so much this video helped me a lot with the pronunciation ❤️❤️❤️

[@hoppipollarg]

¡Excelente video! Muchas gracias, Jackson.

[@bryndisjona9585]

Greetings from Iceland you did a very good job :D

[@ericvandersteen7948]

Great video! Start to learn Icelandic for a visit in 2020.

[@akumayoxiruma]

Beautiful. The language is great too. :)

[@alphiei6012]

Props to you that was great. Never thought about the h before double p and t really well explained😀 I'm native and I learned something from this thank you. And just noticing how women inhale before saying já og nei never thought about it before

[@joffi247]

super.. just what i needed to get started with the Icelandic grammar. thank you.

[@sopsilist2030]

thanks this really helped me understand how to pronounce words in icelandic and btw im starting/trying to learn ;)

[@gabriel-xc8hp]

Hey man, you said "starting/trying to learn" about 8 months ago. How was your experience with the language? Which was the hardest and the easiest part of the process?

[@danagray9709]

This was VERY useful! I wish you'd upload some copies of your phonetic chart on the board for easy reference.

[@mirche2137]

thank you so much, that's exactly what i needed

[@ResoluteDeicide]

I can't thank you enough for this, Professor Crowford. I was trying to find an articulate source for pronunciation but this..??? You practically answered every one of my questions as I was internally asking them. What a Gods send!

[@darkkione3370]

Thank you so much! I'm from Poland and I start to learn icelandic 🥰

[@zarathsutra]

This video is amazing! You are a natural talent at teaching and your explanations are so easy to follow even in such a complex subject such as Icelandic. This was exactly what I needed to get serious with learning Icelandic.

[@mutoootwo]

thanks so much. i'm trying to start learning icelandic and the sound of it is massively unfamiliar. i think i'm going to be watching this video everyday until everything sinks in :)

[@Vanhapjuuma]

Thank you so much, very well explained! As a Swedish-speaking Finn I still didn't have a clue what the heck do those Icelandic letters even mean, let alone trying to pronunciate them. But thanks to this half an hour video I actually understand the written Icelandic now, not all, but much better. Never get what they're talking (same goes with the Danes) but maybe I'll get the hang of it too some day.

[@WilhelmR19]

Thanks for making these videos

[@mercedesmcvey1776]

Incredible! Thank you!

[@dcseain]

Wow, thank you! I used to support clients in Iceland. I found myself frustrated when they spoke to each other in Icelandic - it sounded like I ought be able to understand it. Now I understand why.

[@dcseain]

American. English and Icelandic use many identical phonemes. We each just use them in different orders

[@CardCaptorDeadpool]

I'm studying Croatian and I find it fascinating it has a similar looking letter to the Icelandic 'Đ' (though the lowercase one doesn't look the same as in Icelandic its more like a lowercase 'd' with a line throughit) it has a pronunciation like the start of the French word 'Je'. E.g. their word for 'angel' is 'anđeo' it goes kinda like 'on-joe'.

[@lea8667]

I wish to learn either Icelandic or Swedish, at least some basics of it, but I have no idea where to start so here I am 😂 I love your videos!

[@bjarkihid]

Very nice job. Two minor things I noticed in the last sentence: 1. geta is pronounced like géta or gjeta 2. torveldast is pronounced like 2 words 'tor' and 'veldast' so you need to shout the 'tor' and 'vel' before you whisper the 'dast'

[@quinn165]

Thank You Dr. Crawford!!!!!

[@steamonkey9927]

You are exactly who I aspire to be. Thank you for kickstarting my learning of Icelandic, this has saved me weeks of struggling.

[@gabriel-xc8hp]

Amazing explanation, Doctor Crawford. Really, It was very clear. Thanks.

[@faramund9865]

The breath at the tt in dottir makes it sound like Dutch "dochter", that's insane!

[@malcolmrobb488]

Yes, excellent presentation, thanks!

[@victoriageorgopoulou4292]

this is ever soooo helpful meisterei...

[@annmettam1948]

A great teacher and professor

[@dwaynesessions8075]

The (au) phoneme in Icelandic is identical to French (eui) in le feuille. In Louisiana I grew up speaking French and English. When I was 12 I moved to Reykjavik with my uncle and aunt who were transfered by the USCG. I went to school there and it took nearly a year to become proficient in Icelandic. Nearly all adults I knew there were good in English but those who spoke Danish as a second language spoke it in a way that it sounded similar to Nynorsk. LOL!!!

[@user-cl1or6nc1i]

This is great video! Takk!

[@guilhermejanuario3035]

thank you for the summary

[@trevorbaugh1335]

Damn that Arnold impersonation was top notch

[@magnus_bane]

I'm only here because I became a Hatari fan but who doesn't speak Icelandic but still wants to sing along to their songs. You really did a great job explaining this, thank you. I can speak greek, english, french and german and I think it really helped me with learning to proniunce Icelandic, especially greek and german because of ü, ö, θ and δ.