Icelandic

Icelandic is the official language of Iceland. Is part of the Northern Germanic languages and its originated from Old Norse. Old Norse is the language that vikings used to speak. It’s mother of modern Scandinavian languages as Icelandic, Faroese, Danish, Swedish and Norwegian.

Old West Norse started to separate into Old Icelandic and Old Norwegian during the end of the Viking era, around the year 1000, as a result of a buildup of tiny changes. Nowadays, Icelandic is the most similar language to Old Norse, with almost no changes. Because of isolation Icelandic didn’t have much influence or changes from other languages.

Icelandic alphabet and pronunciation

Some basics

• Hello- Halló

• Hi- Hæ

• Good morning- Góðan daginn

• Yes- Já

• No- Nei

• Please- Vinsamlegast

• Thank you- Takk fyrir or Takk Takk

• Happy birthday- Tilhamingju meðafmælið

Tongue twisters

Tongue twisters are a funny way to challenge yourself with languages. Here's some of the most popular ones in Icelandic.

Rómversku riddari réðist inn í Rómaborg. Rændi þar og ruplaði, rabbabara og rófum. Hvað eru mörg R í því?

(A) Roman knight attacked Rome. He robbed and rumbled in the gardens of Rome. How many R are there in that?

Það fer nú að verða verra ferðaveðrið

It is getting worse, the traveling weather.

Áki á Á á á á Á.

Grandpa owns a farm that is called Á, and he owns a sheep there that is in a river.