Because Icelandic is spoken by a whopping 380,000 people (roughly), there are not a ton of resources dedicated to learning the language, especially when you compare it to more widely spoken languages like Spanish, English, French and Mandarin. However, if you want to learn the language, don’t let the lack of abundant materials deter you.
I broke this post up into two parts due to the amount of information about each resource. Below are 3 out of 6 of my top free Icelandic learning resources that have helped me in various ways as I continue on my journey to become fluent in Icelandic.
1. Viltu Læra Íslensku? ( Do You Want to Learn Icelandic?)
This is a series of 21 episodes that were first shown on Icelandic television in 2003. The shows feature real life situations, like shopping at the grocery store, going to the doctor, buying a bus ticket and so on. There are two parts to each show – the first part consists of real life situations acted out by people and the second part is in a classroom setting where a teacher and students (I don’t think they are actors) recap what happened during the part of the show where it was depicting a real life situation. The students learn different words and sometimes do role playing. Both parts of the show are spoken entirely in Icelandic and includes Icelandic subtitles. The acted parts and the classroom setting, combined with the Icelandic language, gives you great examples of colloquial Icelandic.
I was overwhelmed when I watched the first episode a while back because it was my first time watching a show in Icelandic. However, it was so helpful to see everyday situations spoken in Icelandic that were familiar to me. I have watched every episode by now, but when I do rewatch episodes, I find that I understand more of the language and pick up new words and/or phrases to use. You can even read through the subtitle text if you want to review what was said without watching the video again.
Quick Recap:
Who is it for? – Great for beginners or advanced learners
What’s included – Videos of real life situations and a classroom setting all spoken in Icelandic. Icelandic subtitles in every video.
What it lacks – Spoken and written exercises. You will need to find a speaking partner to practice all of the new words and phrases you have learned.
2. Memrise
Memrise is a free* learning platform that has courses on just about anything you can think of. According to their website, they have “3 simple ingredients” in their recipe for effortless fun and they are:
Science
“We’re obsessed with using brain science to help you learn faster…We use mems to help you form vivid, sensory memories. We test you continuously, always making sure to give your brain just the right workout. We remind you of what you’ve learned at scientifically optimized times so your memories are always growing stronger, and never forgotten.”
Fun
“We want to make learning your favourite playtime activity…When you learn a new word, think of it as planting a new seed in your memory. Then every time you review that memory you help it to grow a little bit – like watering a little flower.”
Community
“We believe learning should be as rich and varied as the world you’re learning about. So with our community we’re building a kind of multimedia wonderland of learning, where videos, audio, usage, mnemonics, etymologies and much more bring your learning to life.”
I have used Memrise off and on over the last three years because their courses are great free Icelandic learning resources. I also used it to dabble in Spanish and to check out other topics that interest me. What I really enjoy about this platform is that you are tested on what you hear (when there is audio), writing the word or phrase correctly (accents included) and choosing the correct answer from a multiple choice selection. The science works for me and I have stored many words into my long term memory. When I first started, I was very focused on gaining new points. There is a leaderboard that shows the points of everyone that is taking the same course as you (see figure 1) and an overall leaderboard that lists the amount of points people have that you follow (see figure 2). I enjoy being at the top of the leaderboard and that often pulled me back into the app to learn more words.
Figure 1
Figure 2
In the beginning, I found myself pushing my brain to the limit because I was trying to learn as many new words as possible in one sitting to gain lots of points. I don’t encourage getting caught up in the points system because it can become an unhealthy obsession. However, if you like a little bit of competition, this system might motivate you to learn a few more words each time you are taking a course. After reaching a certain number of points, you advance to a new level. The old level names were like a badge of honor. They had interesting titles like Membrain, Membassador, Overlord and so on. Now, you have a cute little robot named Ziggy that evolves each time you advance to a new level.
For learning Icelandic, there is a very basic official Icelandic course that Memrise created in collaboration with the 2017 Polyglot Conference happening later this month in Reykjavik, Iceland (Hope to see you there!). However, there are many courses that were created by the users on Memrise. Not all of them have audio and I found that some have a few errors, but overall the courses are helpful. Here are some courses that I have found useful:
- The 250 Commonest Words in Icelandic
- Icelandic Package – Some of the words in this course have audio. Sometimes, I use forvo.com to hear the audio recordings of Icelandic words if they are not included in a course.
- 100 Most Common Icelandic Verbs (started this one recently and it has helped me to understand a lot of conversations and express myself better in Icelandic)
- Icelandic in Pictures 1: Animals
Quick Recap:
Who is it for? – Absolute beginners and those that want to build upon their Icelandic vocabulary
What’s included – Electronic Icelandic flashcards to store words in your long term memory. Sometimes audio is included.
Downside – Many of the courses created by users of Memrise do not include audio and you might be learning a word or phrase with the incorrect spelling or meaning. Not every course is like that but some have errors. You will need to find a speaking partner to practice all of the new words and phrases you have learned.
*Memrise is free but you get access to more advanced long term memory help and other benefits if you pay for the Memrise Pro membership. I use Memrise Pro but I was pretty happy with the free version when I first started. I recommend starting out with the free version and then deciding if you want to take the leap into paying for more services.
3. Íslenska fyrir alla ( Icelandic for Everyone)
When I learned about this free 4 level language course developed by the Icelandic government for people learning Icelandic, my heart leaped with joy. Here is how the website explains the course,
“The learning material Íslenska fyrir alla 1-4 (Icelandic For Everyone 1-4) is intended for adult learners who are studying Icelandic as a second or foreign language. The material was developed in accordance with the language ability curriculum of the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture of Iceland: Icelandic for foreigners: basic level. Following the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, the following language skills are emphasized: Comprehension (listening and reading), spoken language (narration and communication) and writing. The subject matter deals first and foremost with aspects of daily life.”
Everything is in Icelandic, including the instructions for the exercises. The Icelandic language school Mímir uses this material for the Icelandic language courses they teach. Before delving into this learning material, I had already learned a decent amount of Icelandic words and had taken a level 1 Icelandic language course at The Tin Can Factory in downtown Reykjavík. However, there were still times when I needed to look up words or ask my Icelandic partner to translate some phrases.
If you are a complete beginner, I don’t recommend that you start off using this material unless you are being assisted by an instructor or someone who knows Icelandic well and is willing to go through the lessons with you. It can be frustrating and intimidating to dive head first into a program like this when you can’t even understand the instructions. Plus, some of the exercises require that you listen to the accompanying audio to answer questions. I understand a lot more spoken Icelandic than I did a year ago, but there are times when I need to replay the audio just to make sure I heard it correctly. The audio is clear, even though some of the voice overs seem like they are faster than others. Besides the exercises that this course takes you through, they also include a character named Fríða Frænka. She doesn’t appear in every chapter but she is essentially your adopted Icelandic aunt that fills you in on Icelandic social norms and shares useful cultural information.
I am a big fan of this free Icelandic learning resource and I am still going through the levels (they also provide additional exercises after you have completed the four levels). As I progress in my understanding of the language, I find myself referring back to previous levels that I have completed to refresh my memory and pick up some phrases or words that I might have missed the first time around.
Quick recap:
Who is it for? – Intermediate to Advanced Icelandic language learners
What’s included – Listening, reading and writing exercises
Downside – If you are taking this course on your own, you will still need to find a speaking partner to practice
Whether you are currently learning Icelandic, have interest in doing so or are just curious about resources for the language, I hope you found this post about free Icelandic learning resources useful. Stay tuned for part 2 that is coming up.
Þakka þér fyrir að lesa og sjáumst fljótlega! (Thank you for reading and see you soon!)
