1. Personal stuff​

I would like to apologize for the lack of any new updates to the website since last year. I realize that the absence of new content has been disappointing, and I sincerely appreciate those who have encouraged me to continue. I want to assure everyone that I have not forgotten about the project and remain committed to updating and adding new content to the website whenever I can.

A number of personal circumstances came to the forefront that derailed much of the steady progress I had been making on the website. For example, I graduated from law school yesterday, and the end-of-year workload and responsibilities surrounding that process were pretty extraordinary. As I’m sure many of you can understand, that had to take precedence for a while.

Thank you all for your continued patience, support, and interest. More updates are on the way — I promise!

2. What's next?​

Looking ahead, I have a number of ideas and improvements planned for the website that I am excited to begin working on. My goal is not only to continue adding new content, but also to improve the overall experience of using and navigating the site.

One of the biggest additions I hope to introduce this year is audio content. I know that many people enjoy learning through listening, and it is an extremely important skill to develop independant. I am still working out exactly what form this will take, but you can expect this type of content to come in one form or another in the future.

I also want to increase the number of vocabulary lessons and make them more detailed, practical, and useful for learners at different levels. Vocabulary development has always been one of the most important parts of language learning, and I would like the site to reflect that more fully going forward.

Beyond adding new material, I also want to spend time improving the structure and presentation of the website itself. Over time, articles and lessons were added somewhat organically, and as a result, some sections have become inconsistent in formatting and organization. One of my major goals moving forward is to reorganize the articles so they are easier to sort through, more visually uniform, and more engaging to read. I want visitors to be able to find content more easily and enjoy a smoother overall experience while exploring the site.

There is still a great deal that I want to build and improve, and I truly appreciate everyone who has continued to support the project and show interest in its future. Your encouragement genuinely helps motivate me to keep working on it, even during busy periods of life.

The following vocabulary compilation is, of course, incomplete, but it should cover most bathroom situations.

Items​

1. Tannbursti - (Toothbrush)
2. Tannkrem - (Toothpaste)
3. Handklæði - (Towel)
4. Baðmotta - (Bath rug)
5. Rakvél - (Shaver)
6. Greiða - (Comb)
7. Bursti - (Brush)
8. Naglaklippur - (Nail clippers)
9. Rakakrem - (Moisturizer cream)
10. Svitarlyktareyðir - (Deodorant)

Phrases​

The following phrases are commonly used throughout the bathroom.

Toilet (Klósett)​

1. Fara á klósettið - (Go to the bathroom/Go on the toilet)
2. Draga niður/upp buxurnar - (Pull one's pants down/upp)
3. Setjast á klósettið - (Sit on the toilet)
4. Skeina sér - (Wipe oneself)
5. Sturta niður - (Flush the toilet)
6. Skipta um klósettpappír - (Change out the toilet papper)

Note: The word "salerni" is also used for "toilet." It can also be used in the proceeding compounds instead of "klosett."

Shower (Sturta)​

1. Fara í bað/sturtu - (Take a bath/shower)
2. Skrúfa fyrir/frá vatninu/vatnið - (Turn the water off/on)
3. Þvo á sér hárið - (Wash one's hair)
4. Skrúbba/nudda sig - (Scrub oneself)
5. Sápa sig - (Rub soap on oneself)
6. Skola hárið/líkaminn - (Rince one's hair/body)
7. Raka á sér fæturna - (Shave legs)

Sink (Vaskur)​

1. Bursta tennurnar - (Brush one's teeth)
2. Skrúfa frá/fyrir krananum/kranann - (Turn the sink off/in)
3. Þvo sér um hendurnar - (Wash one's hands)
4. Raka sig - (Shave one's face)
5. Blása hárið - (Blow dry hair)
6. Mála/farða sig - (Apply makeup)
7. Setja í sig linsur - (Put on contact lenses)
8. Taka úr sér linsurnar - (Take one's contact lenses out)
9. Greiða á sér hárið - (Comb one's hair)
10. Setja á sig svitalyktareyði - (Put on deoderant)
11. Klippa á sér neglurnar - (Cut one's nails)

Inflection​

Below, find the inflection table for sá. Sá is a demonstrative pronoun, so it declined for case, gender and plurality. Interstingly, its plural inflection is the same as hann. The neuter singular is just það, too. If you have studied Icelandic inflection, the rest should seem pretty familiar as well.

Why is sá confusing?​

The problem, in my view, is that sá does not have a universal English translation, but, despite this, most sources will tell you that sá just means that. Unfortunately, that is not really true.

Consider the following sentences:

Example 1: Hann fæddist þann 5. mars árið 2001. - (He was born on March 5, 2001.)
Example 2: Spurningin er sú hve stór sprengingin verður. - (The quesiton is: how big will the explosion be?)
Example 3: Þann græna! - (The green one!)

You will notice two main problems: (1) none of those sentences have translations that include the word that; and (2) the word sá is actually best mapped onto other words altogether. What's more, if you are familiar with þessi, you will remember the word þessi typically means this/that. All of that to say, the typical advice is, in this author's view, pretty useless.

Intead, it is more accurate to say that sá has a wide number of different meanings and usages, some of which roughtly tie to one of English's idea of that.

Specifying​

Sá is a demonstrative pronoun, meaning that it is used to point to a specific thing to the exclusion of others. This puts the word in the same company as þessi. Keeping this big-picture idea in mind helps many of the usages of sá make sense.

Please note that all of the following meanings have fuzzy edges, meaning they blend into eachother at some level.

The one who​

Sá is often used without an accompanying noun to refer to people, meaning the one who/that. This usage is always paired with the word sem, and almost always uses a masculine or feminine form--except when refering to children (barn)--since people are being refered to. While the nominative forms are most common here, other cases are possible.

Example 1: Þú ert sá sem þeir leita að.- (You are the one that they seek.)
Example 2: Þú ert sú sem ég elska. - (You are the one that I love.)
Example 3: Sá sem á þennan bíl skal gefa sig fram við skrifstofu. - (The one who owns this car should make themselves known to the office.)
Example 4: Hann drap þá sem ég elskaði.- (He killed the one that I loved.)
Example 5: Hun hjálpar þeim sem hjálpa öðrum. - (She helps those that help others. )

Note: The "sá" in example 4 could refer to either a single woman or a group of people.

This meaning is often used with proverbs, sayings, and the like.

Example 6: Sá sem eignast vin eignast fjársjóð. - (One who gets a friend gets a treasure.)

Clarifying​

Sá is often used when there are multiple options, to clarify a certain one.

Example 1: Hvað heitir plantan á myndinni, sú neðri? - (What do you call the plant in the picture, the lower one?)
Example 2: Er þetta sú Asa sem þú ert að leita að? - (Is that the Ása that you were looking for?)
Example 3: Maður nokkur hét Jón. Sá maður var bóndi. - (A certain man's name was Jón. Said man was a farmer.)

This meaning is often accompanied by an adjective that is specific to one of the things. These adjectives must be in a weak form.

Example 3: Hvaða bíl viltu? Þann rauða? - (Which car do you want? The red one?)

The thing that​

When a noun is present with sá, the meaning is much the same: the (thing) that to the exclusion of others. These examples are a bit more complicated to explain.

Example 1: Þetta er það hús sem brann. - (The is the house that burned.)

In this example, it may be very hard to see why það hús is used instead of húsið. However, there is nuance here. This sentence would be used, for example, when showing somebody a house, one that burned, when that house was already specificaly mentioned before in the past. This gets to the recursive nature of sá. The house that burned is not being used to describe the house in relation to all other houses, but it is rather being used to explain that it is the house, as that we discussed earlier, that burned.

Example 2: Alríkisdómari kvað upp þann úrskurð í dag að Bandaríkjaforseti hafi brotið lög. - (A federal judge issued a ruling today that the President of the United States broke the law.)

In this example, a similar phenomenon is happening where the use of úrskurðinn may seem more logical. In addition, the word að is triggering the sá instead of the expected sem. However, when considering this word's purpose, the að is going on to explain what the judge's ruling said, much like how sem typically begins a clause that more narrowly describes a noun.

The use of sá is appropaire here because the ruling is still definite, it wasn't just a random ruling, it was the specific ruling, such as is explained by the clause.

Dates​

The form þann typically, but optionally, appears at the start of dates, before the day. This is the most detached meaning of sá, in my opinion, from the big-picture meaning, and is best learned seperately, hence why it appears seperately here.

Example 1: Hann fæddist þann 5. mars árið 2001. - (He was born on March 5, 2001.)
Example 2: Krossfararnir komu til Jerúsalem þann 7. júní árið 1099 - (The crusaders came to Jerusalum on June 7th, 1099.)

The þann can be removed completely and no meaning chance occurs.

Example 3: Hann fæddist 5. mars árið 2001. - (He was born on March 5, 2001.)

Abstract nouns that call for an explanation​

Some definite nouns naturally call for a clause to explain them. They are difficult to describe precisely as a group, but they typically serve as labels for ideas related to problems, solutions, or situations. They are most often followed by the construction er sá/sú/það að, which introduces the explanatory clause. Below is a list of common examples of such nouns:

Example 1: Sannleikurinn er sá að... - (The truth is...)
Example 2: Ástæðan er sú að... - (The reason is...)
Example 3: Vandamálið er það að... - (The problem is...)
Example 4: Spurningin er sú að... - (The question is...)
Example 5: Tilgangurinn er sá að... - (The purpose is...)
Example 6: Munurinn er sá að... - (The difference is...)
Example 7: Veruleikinn er sá að... - (The reality is...)
Example 8: Árangurinn er sá að... - (The result is...)
Example 9: Afleiðingin er sú að... (The consequence is...)
Example 10: Lausnin er sú að... (The solution is)

To help understnad the translation, the phrase such that can be inserted at the end of the translations. This can help to mentally justify why the sa is needed in the structure.

Exmaple 11: Raunveruleikinn er sá að menn búa ekki á tunglinu. - (The truth is such that men do not live on the moon.)

It​

At it's core, því is nothing more than the dative version of the word það. As such, any time that það needs to be in the dative case, því will be used.

Example 1: Gleymdu því! - (Forget it!)
Example 2: Ég sé eftir þvi. - (I regret it.)
Example 3: Hann skildi því til eigandans. - (He returned it to the owner.)

In each of these two examples, the word því is simply acting to replace a neuter noun or a clause. You can always identify this usage becasue there is some verb, preposition, or context that is calling for a dative noun or a clause to be used.

Because​

Því, when apearing outside the dative context, often means because. This usage is very common.

Example 1: Ég borðaði því ég var svangur. - (I ate because I was hungry.)

However, því appears often in fixed phrases that also simply mean because. Two of the most common of these are af því að and út af því að.

Example 1: Ég borðaði af því að ég var svangur. - (I ate because I was hungry.)
Example 2: Ég borðaði út af því að ég var svangur. - (I ate because I was hungry.)

Practice​

See if you can tell whether the því in the following examples is a verion of það or whether it means because.

Example 1: Ég svaf því ég var þreyttur.
Example 2: Ég henti því í loftið.
Example 3: Trúirðu því eiginlega?
Example 4: Af því að hún er látin.
Example 5: Ég þekki hana því hún er frænka mín.

Með (dat)​

The use of með implies no participation in the steering, driving, or operation of the vehicle at all. For this reason, it is commonly used with vehicles such as trains, buses, or boats where a person would be typically expected to be an inactive participant in the travel process.

Example 1: Ég fór til Chicago með lest. - (I traveled to Chicago by train.)
Example 2: Eg fór í bæinn með strætó. - (I traveled to Reykjavík by bus.)
Example 3: Ég sigldi til Grænlands með skipi. - (I sailed to Greenland by ship.)

Á (dat)​

The use of á implies active usage of the vehicle.

Example 1: Ég fór í vinnuna á bílnum. - (I took the car to work.)
Example 2: Ég fer á kafbát. - (I travel by driving a submarine.)
Example 3: Ég get ekki drukkið, ég er á bíl. - (I can't drink, I'm driving.)

It´s important also to know that á has a basic meaning of on top. Which of the two meanings, operating or being on top of something, comes across to the audience is dictated by the general understanding of the situation.

Example 1: Ég fór á lestinni í Bangladesh. - (I rode on top of the train in Bangladesh.)
Example 2: Ég fór á erni til Mordor. - (I rode on top of an eagle to Mordor.)

In the previous two examples, it is fairly clear from context that the traveler had no control over the mode of transportation. For that reason, a reader should typically assume that á means on top of in those sentences.

Í (dat)​

Unlike the two other counterparts, the use of í implies nothing at all. It simply describes location. For that reason, the use of í does not imply whether the passenger is operating the vehicle. While the passenger could be doing so, more context would be needed.

Example 1: Ég er í bílnum. - (I am in the car.)
Example 2: Ég var í lestinni þegar þú hringdir. - (I was on the train when you called.)

Just like in English, no single word describes all the drivable roads in Icelandic. Instead, a variety of interchangeable words are used, with slight nuance coloring the use of each one. Also, there are many instances where the terms are used more or less interchangeably or done so for flavor.

Gata​

A gata is the most common word for road, and can be thought of as the default term.

Notable götur​

There are two notable Tryggvagata (Tryggvi's road). The first one, in Reykjavík, is home to Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur, the famous hotdog stand, and the Hafnarhús art museum, recognizable for its white facade and black text. The other, in Selfoss, runs the length of the town and is named after Tryggvi Gunnarsson, a prominent figure in the town's early days and a member of the Icelandic parliament.

A picture of Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur.

Stræti​

A stræti translates best as street. They are typically located in urban areas and are usually wider than an average gata. Back in the day, a stræti would have been paved, while a gata would not have been, but this is no longer the case.

Notable stræti​

Pósthússtræti (post office street) runs along the eastern edge of Austurvöllur, crosses Austurstræti, runs past the old post office (on the corner of Pósthússtræti and Austurstræti) before terminating at the Steinbryggja, by the toll house in which the Kolaport market is located.

The pósthús on Pósthússtræti is now a food hall!

Austurstræti (east street) is a popular road in Reykjavík. Interestingly, it is mentioned in at least two songs: Austurstræti by Laddi, and Fröken Reykjavík by Jónas and Jón Múla Árnason.

A picture of Austurstræti. To the left, you can see the pósthús.

Vonarstræti (hope street) marks the current man-made northern edge of Tjörnin, the big lake in Reykjavík, and hosts the city hall.

A picture of a Vonarstræti street sign.

Regnbognstræti (rainbow street) is a name sometimes used to refer to the rainbow-painted section of Skólavörðustígur and other rainbow roads across the country. It is also the name of a Bubbi Morthens album and its titular song.

Vegur​

A vegur is a way, often a larger road that runs outside of the main population centers, linking towns together.

The biggest roads in Iceland are the þjóðvegir (national roads) that run across the country, numbered clockwise from Gígjukvísl. Two-digit vegir denote longer, more important roads, while three-digit vegir denote shorter, less important roads. Technically, four-digit vegir exist, but they are rarely signposted as such. The first major road is 201 Vallavegur, and the last is 998 Skaftafellsvegur.

Notable vegir​

The most famous national road is Þjóðvegur 1, the only one to be named with one digit. Like the other þjóðvegir, Þjóðpvegur 1 is more commonly known by a different name in daily speech. Because Þjóðvegur 1 runs across the entire country in a circle, its popular name across the country is Hringvegurinn (the ring road). It is a common vacation idea to drive around the entire country on Hringvegurinn, visiting most of the country's most popular spots!

Laugavegur (washing road) is the most famous street in Iceland and the main shopping street in Reykjavík. It is filled with shops, restaurants, and bars.

A picture of Laugavegur.

Braut​

A braut is typically the principal road in a neighborhood.

Notable brautir​

Reykjanesbraut, named after the Reykjarnes Peninsula through which it runs, is part of Þjóðvegur 41 that leads from the Keflavík airport to Reykjavík. If you have flown into Iceland, you have almost certainly driven on Reykjanesbraut.

Miklabraut (great road) and Hringbraut (ring road)--the first turns into the other past Snorrabraut (Snorri's road)--are part of Þjóðvegur 49, the most congested road in Iceland. It is lined with traffic lights and sound barriers and is often a spot of topic of great lament for Icelanders due to its traffic.

Miklabraut towards Haskóli Íslands, the University of Iceland.

Sæbraut (sea road) is one of the longest and heaviest-trafficked roads in Reykjavik. It leads from the Harpa Concert Hall along the sea until it loops around and intersects Milkabraut.

A picture taken of Sæbraut from Bríetartún 9. You can see the Sun Voyager sculpture in the foreground and the Harpa concert hall in the background.

Stígur​

A stígur is a path. Typically, these are narrower and full of twists and turns.

Notable stígar​

Skólavörðustígur is probably the second most famous street in Iceland, running off Laugavegur and leading up to Hallgrímskirkja. It is named after Skólavarða (school cairn), an old stone structure built by a local school that was located where the Leifur Erikssonur statue is now, in front of Hallgrímskirkjan. The street is well known for its rainbow-painted section, which began during Reykjavík Pride in 1999 and has since become a semi-permanent, beloved cultural symbol.

A picture taken up Skólavorðustígur.

Frakkastígur is the road that starts at Hallgrímskirkjan and runs parallel to the Sun Voyager sculpture.

A picture of Frakkastígur taken from Hallgrímskirkja. If you look hard, you can see Sun Voyager at the end of the road.

Land features​

Often, thoroughfares are inspired by geographic features that are or were once present on the land. It is common to see road names ending in holt, völlur/vellir, heiði, tún, or fell, named after nearby or once nearby hillock, field/fields, moor, or hayfield, or isolated hill or mountains.

Common street names​

There are a couple of street names that are common across the entire country.

Cardinal directions​

Many roads are named after the cardinal directions.

Norðurgata (found in Tjarnarbyggð, Akureyri, Sandgerði, Siglufjörður, Seyðisfjörður), meaning north road.

Suðurgata (found in Akranes, Hafnarfjörður, Ísafjörður, Siglufjörður, Reykjavík, Sauðárkrókur, Seyðisfjörður, Tjarnarbyggð (outside of Selfoss), Keflavík, Vogar and Sandgerði), meaning south road.

Austurgata (found in Hafnarfjörður, Vogar, Hofsós, Keflavík, Stykkishólmur and Sandgerði), meaning east road.

Vesturgata (found in Hafnarfjörður, Akranes, Sandgerði, Reykjavík, Ólafsfjörður, Keflavík), meaning west road.

Also in existence are other combinations of directions and primary road names (Austurvegur, Vesturbraut, etc).

Others​

Finally, a few other naming conventions are relatively common.

Skólavegur (Hvammstangi, Reykjavík, Seyðsfjörður, Hrísey, Fáskrúðsfjörður, Reykholt, Keflavík, Vestmannaeyjar, Hnífsdalur) meaning school road, and other locations named after a school.

Kirkjuvegur (Dalvík, Selfoss, Keflavík, Hvammstangi, Bolungarvík, Vestmannaeyjar, Grenivík, Ólafsfjörður, Bíldudalur, Vík í Mýrdal, Hafnarfjörður), meaning church road, and other roads named for a church.

Aðalgata (Keflavík, Siglufjörður, Sauðárkrókur, Blönduós, Suðureyri, Stykkishólmur, Súðavík, Hauganes) and Aðalstræti (Akureyri, Reykjavík, Patreksfjörður, Bolungarvík, Ísafjörður), meaning main road.

The opening​

After you greet the server with góðan daginn or a similar greeting, there are a few main options for the opening phrase. The first option is the most common--and can be made more polite by using the subjunctive gæti instead of get--and will serve you very well most of the time.

1. Get ég fengið... - (Can I get...)
2. Ég ætla að fá... - (I intend to get...)
3. Get ég keypt af þér... - (Can I buy off of you...)

The food​

After the opening, the phrasing is going to change depending on what you are ordering. For most countable food items, you simply list off the item/s in the accusative case. You can, of course, add any number of such items you want.

Example 1: Gæti ég fengið einn bjór? - (Could I have one beer?)
Example 2: Gæti ég fengið tvö hvítvínsglös? - (Could I have two glasses of white wine?)
Example 3: Get ég fengið sneið af ostaköku? - (Can I have a slice of cheesecake?)

But there are some things that don't come in neat countable units, like fries and soup. For these items, it's best to ask for a skammtur af them. Skammtur translates to an order, portion or helping.

Example 1: Get ég fengið skammt af kjötsúpu? - (Can I get a helping of meat soup?)
Example 2: Get ég fengið lítinn/stóran skammt af frönskum? - (Can I get a small/large order of fries?)

Side dishes​

To add a side dish to your food order, you use the word með with the dative case. Additionally, you could use a simple og to connect multiple items.

Example 1: Get ég fengið steik með körtuflum? - (Can I get a steak with potatoes?)
Example 2: Get ég fengið ostborgara með litlum skammti af frönskum? - (Can I get a cheeseburger with a small order of fries?)
Example 3: Get ég fengið pönnukukur og kaffi? - (Can I get pancakes and a coffee?)

Ingredients​

Not to be confused with a side dish, some dishes or foods can be specified by their ingredients. This can be important if the restaurant offers multiple ways to prepare a dish or if you are making a modification. This is done with með and the dative case too.

Example 1: Get ég fengið vatnsglas með sítrónu? - (Can I get a glass of water with lemon?)
Example 2: Get ég fengið lasanjað með rjómaosti? - (Can I get the lasagne with cream cheese?)
Example 3: Get ég fengið pönnukökur með engu smjöri? - (Can I get pancakes with no butter?)

General questions​

After you have successfully placed your order, the worker may have some additional questions.

Example 1: Eitthvað fleira? - (Anything else?)

This question will probably come up at the end of your order, and a simple já or nei will suffice as an answer.

Example 2: Hvernig viltu borga? - (How do you want to pay?)

This is another common question, and it invites a dative case answer. The most common answers would be cash or card, which are peningur or kort, respectively. Be sure to inflect peningur to peningum and kort to korti.

Example 3: Stakur eða máltíð? - (By itself or a meal?)

This question would only come up in a place that does combo meals, such as a fast food restaurant. You can get ahead of it by adding the adjective stakur before the item or adding the noun máltíð to the food item to form a combo, such as ham­borg­ara­máltíð.

Another common question is whether you want the food for here or to go.

Example 4: Borða hér eða taka með?

You can just answer by repeating the phrase that you desire.

What is it?​

Íslenzka.is is a website by Mark, a man with an interest in linguistics who started learning Icelandic after a trip to Iceland in 2011. In addition to Íslenska.is, Mark also ran Íslenzka.net, a well-made bog documenting his Icelandic learning journal, which is now inactive.

The website is powered by a subset of data from the Database of Modern Icelandic Inflection (DMII), developed by Stofnun Árna Magnússonar, an Icelandic governmental institution dedicated to researching, recording, preserving, and sharing the Icelandic language.

Íslenzka.is allows users to search this database and generate blank inflection tables for many words. Users can then fill in the tables and receive feedback on whether their entries are correct. Beyond word searches, the website offers additional tools, including a flashcard system, a quiz function, and a customizable table quiz. The table quiz lets users test themselves on words from the database, filtering them based on various selectable criteria.

Why is it useful?​

Íslenzka.is is a valuable tool for Icelandic learners, providing a quick and efficient way to practice inflection.

One of the biggest challenges for beginners learning Icelandic is mastering the inflectional system. While there are many effective ways to practice, Íslenzka.is stands out by allowing users to generate inflection tables instantly and receive immediate feedback on their accuracy. After reviewing the feedback, users can regenerate the table and continue practicing until they have fully memorized the word’s inflections.

The website also enables users to search for specific words or paradigms, making it especially useful for reinforcing tricky inflections that require extra practice. By repeatedly working through challenging patterns, learners can strengthen their grasp of Icelandic morphology.

Additionally, the website’s flashcard, table, and quiz functions provide further opportunities to test knowledge. These features generate random words for users to inflect, helping them develop inflectional intuition. The flashcard and table functions are particularly useful, as they allow users to set criteria for word selection, ensuring focused practice on difficult paradigms.

Tips​

To get the most out of Íslenzka.is, I recommend repeating a paradigm until you can fill in the entire table correctly without relying on external resources or the program’s answer-checking functions. Specifically, avoid pressing Enter to move to the next cell, as this checks your entry immediately. Instead, use the Tab key to navigate through the table and only check your answers after completing the entire set. While this method is more challenging and time-consuming, it will help you internalize the patterns more effectively.

Additionally, since the program automatically verifies your answers and moves vertically when you press enter, it’s easy to develop a habit of completing tables in a strictly vertical manner. However, I recommend varying your approach.

The goal of learning inflections isn’t just to fill out tables correctly but to use the words fluently in real-life situations. Thinking about and completing tables horizontally—rather than just vertically—can reinforce associations between different grammatical categories. This method helps build connections between singular and plural forms, present and past tenses, and definite and indefinite constructions, making patterns more recognizable.

Lastly, always ensure that you’re working with the correct table. Because of the program’s structure, it’s easy to navigate to the wrong table by mistake. Before you begin filling it out, double-check the label at the top to confirm you’re practicing the right paradigm.

Limitations​

Íslenzka.is has some limitations and should not be relied upon as a complete or comprehensive resource.

One key limitation is that the site does not account for multiple correct inflectional variations. In some cases, valid forms are mistakenly marked as incorrect. For example, the verb að duga can become either duga or dugi in the first-person singular, but Íslenzka.is incorrectly marks dugi as wrong.

Additionally, the search function only supports nominative singular forms for nouns and adjectives and the bare infinitive for verbs. This means that searching for an inflected form, such as sterkan,will not return results for its base adjective, sterkur.

Lastly, it is easy to land on the wrong table. If you search for íslenska without checking the dropdown menu and simply press enter, the site will return the verb að íslenska rather than the noun íslenska. Since the verb is far less common, this could lead to confusion or unintended results.

The picture is a sign giving guests instructions on how to secure their clothes in the facility's lockers. The reason why he shared is that he noticed that the imperative forms switch between the singular and plural, and he wanted to know why.

In general​

The imperative form is the verb form that is used to give people commands. Since you can only speak commands to people that you are talking to, the imperative only exists with second-person forms. You use the second-person singular when commanding one person and the second-person plural when commanding multiple people.

Note: The first-person plural form is also used as a type of imperative. For example, saying "let's go" can be seen as an imperative, "förum!"

Example 1: Segðu mér! - (Tell me!)
Example 2: Segið mér! - (Tell me!)

Þérun​

Þérun refers to the old pronoun þér. While þér is still used in modern language as the dative of þú, it used to be its own independent pronoun that was a more formal version of you. Although þér was a singular pronoun used to address one person, it was used with plural verbs and adjectives.

Example 1: Talið þér íslensku? - (Do you speak Icelandic?)
Example 2: Hver eruð þér? - (Who are you?)
Example 3: Eruð þér íslenskir? - (Are you Icelandic?)

The modern use of þérun is reserved to the most formal circumstances, but it is still common in a few phrases, including some commands. For example, the verb að afsaka, meaning to excuse is most often used with the þérun.

Example 1: Afsakið! - (Excuse me!)
Example 2: Afsakaðu! - (Excuse me!)

Instructions​

Instructions can seem a little bit more ambiguous. For example, is a cookbook directed only to the reader or is it addressed to the entirety of the potential reading base? The same can be said of a political sign, a manual, or a large host of other things.

Traditionally, these types of mediums use the plural forms because they are written for a general audience. They are addressed to the general readership of the instructions.

Example 1: Bakið í ofni í um 15-20 mín. - (Bake in the oven for about 15-20 min.)
Example 2: Notið viðeigandi hlífðarbúnað. - (Use proper protective equipment.)

However, the singular can be used to be more personal and to address the reader directly. This may be more common in something such as a blog or in a podcast (ex., subscribe to our mailing list!) as compared to a written textbook.

Example 1: Bakaðu í ofni í um 15-20 mín. - (Bake in the oven for about 15-20 min.)
Example 2: Notaðu viðeigandi hlífðarbúnað. - (Use proper protective equipment.)

So what about the pool sign?​

Back to the sign. The pool sign uses both singular and plural imperative forms, but it shouldn't. Best practice would have been to choose one form and stick with it throughout. It is written for a general audience by a company in the service industry, so a plural form is likely more appropriate.

As described by an Icelandic native, "It almost feels like the Blue Lagoon poster is written by two people; one who wants to follow the service industry formality and another one who wants to feel intimate and familiar."

Grammatical gender refers to the phenomenon in some languages whereby all nouns, even ones with no real-world gender connotation, are assigned to a specific gender for grammatical purposes.

Grammatical gender in English​

English does not have grammatical gender, so things are only referred to by their actual gender identities.

When referring to a male animal or a male person, English uses masculine pronouns such as he and him, and when referring to a female animal or person, feminine pronouns such as she and her. Non-living, inanimate things like cups and bowls, and even the idea of happiness itself (see what I did there?) are referred to with non-gendered pronouns such as it.

Note: Individuals who use they/them or neo-pronouns do not typically refer to themselves with "it".

Grammatical gender in Icelandic​

Icelandic employs a distinct grammatical gender system, setting it apart from English.

Within Icelandic, three grammatical genders are recognized: masculine, feminine, and neuter. Each noun, whether it pertains to an object, person, concept, or place, is designated to one of these genders, notwithstanding the fact that the noun itself may lack any gender-related attributes or even embody contrasting gender qualities.

For instance, in Icelandic, the term for horse, hestur, is classified as a masculine noun despite the fact that horses, in reality, can be of any gender. Similarly, the word for city, borg is a feminine noun, even though cities lack living characteristics and intrinsic gender traits. Likewise, the term for child, barn, is categorized as neuter, despite the fact that children, as people, have their own inherent senses of gender identity.

While the aforementioned child may very well use feminine or masculine pronouns to refer to himself or herself when others are when simply referring to him/her as the child, neuter pronouns need to be used. When referring to him/her, more specifically, the pronouns that match his or her real-world gender identities would be used.

• Hvar er barnið? Hvar er það? - (Where's the child? Where is it?)
• Hvar er Ása? Hvar er hún? - (Where is Ása? Where is she?)

A common misconception​

Languages with grammatical gender do not assign items with feminine or girlish attributes automatically as feminine. The same is true with masculine-seeming nouns.

The grammatical gender ascribed to a noun is entirely detached from the actual characteristics of the noun itself. You cannot tell the genre of a noun based on what it represents.

The rationale behind a noun like hestur being masculine is simply a historical linguistic convention; centuries of tradition have cemented this classification. From a learner's standpoint, there is no inherent logic to decipher. When you learn a noun, you should learn what gender it is matter-of-factly.

This phenomenon draws parallels to the way that some English speakers may refer to boats, cars, or other vehicles using feminine pronouns, even though these things clearly lack sentience.

While boats aren't inherently female, this convention persists due to long-standing linguistic habits. Though historical origins may exist for such practices, the majority of people won't know it nor care—boats are referred to as she because that's the convention.

Why is grammatical gender important?​

While the assignment of gender to a noun is arbitrary, it carries significant linguistic implications. One of the most visible areas where grammatical gender impacts a language is the usage of pronouns.

In English, it would be very strange to refer to inanimate objects such as a computer mouse or a table with the pronouns he or she; English mandates the neutral pronoun it for non-living entities. However, in Icelandic, the pronoun you use has to match the noun's gender.

As previously mentioned, the noun "Barn" requires neuter pronouns, the noun "Hestur" necessitates masculine pronouns, and the noun "Borg" demands feminine pronouns. This distinction is highlighted in the examples below, where the pronouns are altered in the second sentence of each instance to correspond with the gender of the noun.

Note: "Hann" best translates to "he," "hún" best translates to "she," and "það" best translates to "it."

1. Þetta er barn. Það er… (This is a child. It is…)
2. Þetta er hestur. Hann er… (This is a horse. He is…)
3. Þetta er borg. Hún er… (This is a city. She is…)

Always be aware of gender when selecting pronouns in Icelandic. While translating a sentence like "It is big" into Icelandic, you might assume that using the pronoun það is suitable, solely due to the assumption that það translates to it. However, you need to consider what the pronoun it represents in your sentence. If it pertains to an entity characterized by feminine grammatical gender, such as borg then hún should be employed instead of það.

Occasions may arise where an object under discussion, such as a haddock fish on the table, could feasibly be referred to using two genders. If you wish to discuss it as fiskur (fish), a masculine noun, using masculine pronouns is appropriate. Conversely, if you opt to discuss it as ýsa (haddock), a feminine noun, using feminine pronouns is fitting. Just be sure that what is being referred to is clear to both parties based on the context, usually done so by using the noun fiskur or ýsa before using a pronoun.

Note: Grammatical gender doesn't maintain consistency across languages. For example, a masculine word in Spanish isn't necessarily going to be masculine in Icelandic.

To illustrate the mistakes, incorrect and correct examples will be provided. The incorrect examples will be colored in red.

10. Using að after vilja​

This first mistake is the lowest on the list, but given how common it is, it may as well be #1.

The complication is that it is wrong in some cases but not others, which begs questions about the subjunctive that many new learners aren't quite ready to tackle. We'll avoid a more thorough discussion of the subjunctive here as well, as it's beyond the scope of the post.

The error happens when new speakers try to chain using the verb að vilja.

Example 1: Hundurinn vill borða matinn hennar.

Often, new speakers learn the verb að vilja, but they don't learn (or they forget) that it is a bare infinitive verb. Unlike other verbs, when bare infinitive verbs chain, the following verb does not have the word að before it. As a result, new learned will make incorrect sentences like the following:

These sentences can be fixed by simply removing the word að.

Example 1: Ég vil gera þetta!
Example 2: Viltu sjá?

9. Capitalizing days and languages​

This one is straightforward. In English, days of the week and languages are always capitalized. In Icelandic, they are capitalized only if they are the first word of a sentence, just like any other word.

Example 1: Ég er að læra íslensku.
Example 2: Ég fór í bankann á mánudaginn.

8. Not declining proper names​

While most Icelandic learners know that nouns decline, many new learners are surprised to learn that proper nouns decline, too. As a general rule, most foreign names do not decline, except for names that end in -a, which typically follow the female-weak pattern.

The big exception is for genitive, where most names will add an -s.

Note: If a first and a last name are mentioned, both will decline. The exception to this rule is that foreign names with both a first and family name mentioned do not decline the family name in formal settings. This is only a formal rule. In daily speech, people will decline both names.

Example 1: Hún talaði við Önnu.
Example 2: Ég sá styttu af Leifi Eirikssyni.
Example 3a. Biden var varaforseti Baracks Obama.
Example 3b. Biden var varaforseti Obamas.

7. Using adjectives instead of adverbs​

This mistake is common among native English speakers who try to translate directly from English.

English is more flexible when it comes to using adjectives as adverbs. Consider the following sentence: "I did good on the test." This sentence is natural in English, but its direct translation into Icelandic would be plainly incorrect.

The problem is that gott is an adjective, and adjectives have to modify nouns. But we want to modify the action of how we did, or gekk in the Icelandic sentence. As a result, we need an adverb. The most synonymous of which would be vel, meaning well, which would also be the more correct word to use in English.

Example 1: Mér gekk vel í prófinu.

6. Misusing á, í, and til​

Beginners often don't realize that prepositions don't translate well between languages, so they use the "same" prepositions across languages. As a result, when discussing locations in Icelandic, many beginners use prepositions incorrectly.

Just like how people typically say that they are "on a train" but "in a car," Icelandic switches between á and í when referring to being located at different places. What makes Icelandic a little more confusing is that this same preposition is used when going to that location as well.

To tell the difference between going to and being at a location, you need to examine the verb of the sentence. Also, for the to meaning, the location will be in the accusative, while it will be dative for the at meaning.

Example 1: Ég fer í bankann.
Example 1: Ég er í bankanum.

Example 2: Ég fer á sjúkrahús.
Example 2: Ég er á sjúkrahúsi.

It is hard to know whether the noun is going to need á or í, but you will pick up on the patterns and small rules of thumb as you learn. For example, places ending in -hús tend to need á.

There is one main exception to the previously stated rule. For cities, states, and countries, the to meaning is covered by til, which needs a genitive location.

Example 3: Ég er á Íslandi.
Example 3: Ég fer til Íslands.

5. Overusing það​

This mistake is typically tied to a lack of knowledge about grammatical gender. In English (and many other languages), inanimate objects are referred to with the pronoun it, whose Icelandic translation is það.

But Icelandic does not refer to inanimate things as það unless that object has been assigned to the neuter grammatical gender.

Grammatical gender is a fairly intensive topic, which you can read more about here.

4. Breaking V2​

Icelandic maintains V2 word order, which means that the sentence's main verb needs to be the second element of the sentence.

Example 1: Ég elska þig.

This rule holds even when you put an adverb in the first position. This word order is unnatural in English, which is why many people make mistakes, but it is perfectly correct in Icelandic.

Example 1: Í dag fór ég í bankann.

There is one main exception. In English, many questions contain the meaningless word do or does to signify that the words following form a question, but Icelandic (and every other language in the world except for Gaelic languages) does not. Instead, Germanic languages invert, placing the verb first rather than the noun.

Example 1: Þú vilt sjá. -> Viltu sjá?
Example 2:. Hann getur ekki. - Getur hann ekki?

3. Not understanding quirky case verbs​

Learners often face a small roadblock when they learn that not all Icelandic verbs have a nominative subject. A lot of verbs, many of which are very common, need subjects that are not nominative.

Many of the verbs revolve around thinking and other experiential verbs.

Example 1: Mér finnst kakan góð!
Ezample 2. Mig dreymdi að ég væri fiskur.

2. No supine/sagnbót​

In a similar vein to #10, this common mistake is an exception when chaining verbs.

When you are using að geta or að hafa as chaining verbs, the verb that immediately follows it needs to be in the supine form. In Icelandic, this form is known as the sagnbót. Many beginners do not know about these forms or that they are required after the previously mentioned verbs, and use a normal or bare infinitive instead.

These sentences can be fixed by using the supine form instead of the infinitive. While it is a bit hard to describe how to form the supine, it is always identical to the third-person singular past participle form. With time, practice, and exposure, you will pick up the patterns and be able to create this form with no problem.

Example 1. Ég get gert það!
Example 2. Hefurðu séð það?

1. Not inflecting​

The top mistake had to be related to inflection, the bane of every Icelandic learner's experience.

I mention not inflecting here instead of inflecting incorrectly because not inflecting is more of a true mistake. Most of the time, if someone doesn't inflect their words at all, it's because they don't know they should; that is a genuine mistake. If someone inflects incorrectly, it's because they know that they should, but they simply do so incorrectly; this is more akin to a practice error.

Learners coming from a language with little to no inflection, like English, often do not realize that Icelandic changes nearly all of its words based on the grammatical context in which that word is used. As a result, they just use the words they see in one context freely in the next and make sentences like the following:

While explaining inflecting comprehensively here is a task far too large, the new learners should know that they should always ask what case, number, and definiteness a noun, pronoun, or adjective is acting in, and what person and plurality a verb is acting in. While it is hard and tedious at first, taking the time to stop, slow down, and build in these questions when you are first learning will pay dividends down the road. With enough practice, you will soon be marking perfect sentences.

Example 1. Ég kann íslensku!

Solving an ambiguity​

Consider the two following examples:

1. Ég gekk inn langan ganginn.
2. Ég gekk inn langa ganginn.

Both of these sentences would be translated the same way in English: "I walked down the long hallway." However, the English translation contains an ambiguity as to alternatives. Did you walk down the hallway, which just so happened to be long, or did you walk down the long hallway as opposed to the shorter one?

In English, this ambiguity needs to be solved with more content, but Icelandic does it with adjectives. When the weak form is used, there are alternatives, and when the strong form is used, there are no alternatives.

1. Ég gekk inn langan ganginn. - (I walked down the only hallway; it was long.)
2. Ég gekk inn langa ganginn. - (I walked down the long hallway, not the short one .)

To test your understanding, consider the differences between these two ways of saying, "I fed the blue dogs."

1. Ég gaf bláu hundunum að borða.
2. Ég gaf bláum hundunum að borða.

How common is this?​

Using a strong adjective with definite nouns is not a common thing to do in regular speech. It is mostly done in novels and books to be more precise. The only real difference is that with the strong adjective, the possibility now exists that you are talking about a subset of the things mentioned instead of all of them.

Examples from real sources​

Below, find examples from real Icelandic books that used strong adjectives with definite nouns. Consider what difference a weak adjective would make instead of a strong adjective.

1. "[S]yfjuleg þögn hvíldi yfir stórum, ferköntuðum húsunum við Runnaflöt." - Harry Potter og Fönixreglan eftir J.K. Rowling
2. "Kertaljósið á stigagagnum spegliðist í bronslitu hárinu, brúnu augunum, og fallegu húðinni." - Vetrarhörkur eftir Hildi Knútsdóttur

What Is umlaut​

Umlaut is a phenomenon present in Germanic languages that involves changes in the vowels within words. This phenomenon is tied to historical trends within the Germanic language family, whereby vowels in unstressed syllables influenced the vowels in stressed syllables in order to make words easier to pronounce.

Several distinct types of umlaut exist, each named after the vowel sounds found in the unstressed syllables responsible for the changes. For instance, U-umlaut derives its name from the influence of a /u/ sound present within an unstressed syllable.

Umlauts are rooted in historical developments and did not occur spontaneously. The I-umlaut, also known as the Germanic Umlaut, emerged around 500 AD and impacted words across various Germanic languages of that era. Over time, the productivity of the I-umlaut diminished. Nevertheless, because Icelandic evolved from a Germanic language of that era, its effects endure within modern Icelandic.

There are two main types of umlaut to be familiar with in Icelandic: U-umlaut and I-umlaut.

U-umlaut​

U-umlaut is fairly straightforward.

Rule: An A in the stem mutates into an ö when the next syllable contains a u. If there are two as in the stem, the first becomes an ö, and the second becomes a u.

U-umlaut is why, in many verb conjugations, you can see a change from an a to an ö in the first-person plural. The ending -um contains a u, so the A in the stem changes to an ö.

Tip: U-umlaut is extremely common in first-person plural conjugations and dative plural declensions because of the "-um" endings of these patterns.

Things to know about U-umlaut​

Since U-umlaut occurred around 700 AD, word forms that underwent a shift from ending in -r in Old Norse to ending in -ur in Modern Icelandic do not experience U-umlaut because that u was added after the umlaut shift ended. Furthermore, certain word forms exhibit U-umlaut seemingly without clear justification. This mainly arises when there used to be a u in the Old Norse form, even though it is absent in modern Icelandic.

An example of these two additional rules in action is the adjective glaður. Glaður used to be glaðr in Old Norse before a u was added in that ending to make the word easier to pronounce. U-umlaut was active before that u was inserted. As a result, no U-umlaut is present in the form glaður. The feminine singular form of that word is glöð because the Proto-Norse form used to be glaðu. In modern Icelandic, that u has been lost, but the effect of the U-umlaut remains, leaving modern Icelandic with glöð.

While U-umlaut is no longer an active linguistical shift, many new words introduced to the language often adhere to the pattern through analogy.

I-umlaut​

I-umlaut is much more complex than U-umlaut and concerns a much larger number of vowels.

The rules are as follows:

• a -> e
• au -> ey
• á -> æ
• e -> i
• jú and jó -> ý
• o -> e and y
• ó -> æ
• u -> y
• ú -> ý

In contrast to U-umlaut, where most of the original us that triggered the umlaut still exist, most of the is that instigated I-umlaut have vanished. These is were present in the Proto-Germanic endings, but they no longer persist in modern Icelandic. Even though they are no longer present, their historical presence still causes changes in the world.

Below, see the declension for the noun bók - (book).

Within this declension, it is easy to see that the nominative and accusative plural forms changed their vowels from ó to æ, aligning with the I-umlaut rules. However, this transformation is not mirrored in the remaining forms.

These forms experienced I-umlaut because they contained the letter i in their endings (*Bōkiz) in Proto-Germanic at the time that I-umlaut was an active change, while the other forms did not. As you can see by the rules, ō, which is now ó, changes to æ.

Things to know about I-umlaut​

I-umlaut is very prevalent in the conjugation of strong verbs, such as að fara, but only in the singular. It never occurs in the plural.

• fara -> fer

I-umlaut and it occurs throughout the past subjunctive, in both numbers.

• vera -> væri

I-umlaut is very common in the nominative and accusative plural of feminine nouns.

• bók -> bækur

I-umlaut is very common in the dative singular of masculine nouns.

• dagur -> degi

While it is ultimately impossible and unproductive to know if a word had an i in the ending when Germanic Umlaut was active or if the forms changed by analogy, knowing what caused this umlaut to happen can be very helpful in demystifying umlaut inflection.

Both umlauts together?​

Since U and I-umlaut are separate phenomena, it is entirely possible for both U-umlaut and I-umlaut to affect the same word.

Below, see the present tense conjugation of the verb að fara.

In the second-person and third-person singular forms, the vowel a has changed to an e, following the rule of I-umlaut because these forms' endings contained an i during the time I-umlaut was an active change (*Faridi and *Farizi). The first-person singular form was also changed by analogy to match the third-person.

The first-person plural form changed its vowel from an a to an ö because of U-umlaut.

Direct quotations​

When directly quoting something, you enclose what was said in quotation marks. The beginning of the quotation uses low quotation marks, and the end of the quote uses high quotation marks. In Icelandic, the quotation marks face away from the quoted material instead of towards the material like in English.

If a dialogue tag comes before the quote, a colon will separate the end of the tag and the opening quotation mark. If a dialogue tag comes after the quoted material, a comma is placed after the last word in place of a period.

For direct quotes, dialogue tags that can use dative indirect objects must instead use við (acc).

1. „Ég er klárastur.“
2. Jón sagði: „Ég er klárastur.“
3. Jón sagði við mig: „Ég er klárastur.“
4. „Ég er klárastur,“ sagði Jón.
5. „Ég er klárastur,“ sagði Jón við mig.
6. „Ertu sammála?“ spurði hann.
7. „Ertu sammála?“ spurði hann mig.
8. Jón spurði mig: „Ertu sammála?“

Indirect quotations​

When indirectly quoting something, quotation marks are not used. Instead, the word að separates the dialogue tag from the quoted material, and the first verb in the quotation must be in the subjunctive and match the tense of the dialogue tag.

Dialogue tags overwhelmingly come before the quoted material in indirect quotations.

The use of dative indirect objects is permitted, but "Við (acc)" is also possible as an alternative.

1. Jón sagði að hann væri klárastur.
2. Jón sagði mér að hann væri klárastur.
3. Jón sagði við mig að hann væri klárastur.
4. Jón spurði hvort ég væri sammála.
5. Jón spurði mig hvort ég væri sammála.

What is a conditional statement?​

A conditional statement is an if-then style statement in which the second part of the sentence, known as the conclusion/result, is only executed or occurs if the condition/hypothesis, the first part of the sentence, occurs or is true.

1. If I eat a lot of pizza, I will be sick.

In the example above, If I eat a lot of pizza is the hypothesis. It is not guaranteed that the hypothesis will happen, as made clear by the word if, but given it does occur, then the conclusion, I will be sick, will also occur.

In Icelandic, the exact same type of statements are possible and common. The word that triggers the statement is ef.

1. Ef ég borða mikið af pítsu verð ég veikur. - (If I eat a lot of pizza, I will be sick.)

Note: Icelandic doesn't tend to separate conditionals with commas.

Indicative or subjunctive?​

The reason why there is some confusion surrounding whether ef needs an indicative or subjunctive verb is that you have likely seen examples of both.

1. Ef ég fer út verður mér kalt. - (If I go outside, I will be cold.)
2. Ef ég væri hundur myndi ég borða kött. - (If I f I were a dog, I would eat a cat.)

In the first example, the verb is in the present indicative mood, while in the second example, it is in the past subjunctive mood, but what's the difference?

The difference is that the first example uses conditional real (realis) while the second uses conditional unreal (irrealis).

Conditional real​

Conditional real statements are used for conditions that could very easily be true. These statements use indicative verbs for both clauses.

1. Ef ég fer út verður mér kalt. - (If I go outside, I will be cold.)
2. Ef ég kem heim með kött drepur konan mig. - (If I come home with a cat, my wife will kill me.)
3. Ef veðrið er gott förum við í dýragarðinn. - (If the weather is good, we'll go to the zoo .)

Both me going outside and me coming home with a cat could very easily be true, so Examples 1 and 2 are conditional real. Example 3 contains a situation that may or may not simply be true. As a result, it is also conditional real.

Conditional unreal​

Conditional unreal statements are used for conditions that are purely hypothetical or very unlikely to occur. The verbs in conditional unreal statements need to be in the subjunctive past. Very commonly, the verb in the conclusion will use a myndi construction instead of the normal subjunctive past. This is particularly common when the subjunctive past of the verb would look the same as the indicative past.

1. Ef ég væri hundur myndi ég gelta. - (If I were a dog, I would bark.)
2. Ef ég væri milljónamæringur myndi ég kaupa allt. - (If I were a millionaire, I would buy everything.)
3. Ef ég segði þér sannleikinn þyrfti ég að drepa þig. - (If I told you the truth, I would have to kill you.)

I am not a dog nor a millionaire, so Examples 1 and 2 are hypothetical, so they are conditional unreal. Example 3, me telling you the truth, hasn't happened yet and may never happen; it is hypothetical and an example of the conditional unreal, too.

Subjunctive instead of if​

Icelandic adds an extra layer of complexity: instead of using if, a simple subjunctive verb can be used.

With a conditional realis, the conclusion stays indicative.

1. Fari ég út verður mér kalt. - (If I go outside, I will be cold.)
2. Komi ég heim með kött drepur konan mig . - (If I came home with a cat, my wife would kill me.)
3. Sé veðrið gott förum við í dýragarðinn. - (If the weather is good, we'll go to the zoo.)

With a conditional unreal, the conclusion stays in the subjunctive.

1. Væri ég hundur myndi ég gelta. - (If I were a dog, I would bark.)
2. Væri ég milljónamæringur myndi ég kaupa allt. - (If I were a millionaire, I would buy everything.)
3. Segði ég þér sannleikinn þyrfti ég að drepa þig. - (If I told you the truth, I would have to kill you.)

Then and þá?​

Then and Þá are never necessary in conditional statements. They are optional discourse markers.

1. Ef ég væri sjóræningi þá myndi ég eiga skip. - (If I were a pirate, then I would own a ship.)
2. Sé hundurinn stærri þá keypti ég hann. - (If the dog were bigger, then I would buy him.)

1. Presentations​

The first and biggest update is that I intend to start adding presentations to the server in the near future. These will likely range in length from around fifteen slides to over one hundred and cover many different topics. For the longer ones, I am considering experimenting with a pay-for-access system, but I have not made a decision yet. Most of them will cover simple, bite-sized topics.

2. Pages​

I added an ABOUT page to the website accessible through the menu bar. The page contains a little background about the project, contact information, and acknowledgments. I am sure that this will change in design and scope in the future.

I also added a drop-down menu to the ARTICLES menu item to make it easier to find specific articles.

3. Collaborations​

I am currently in talks with other Icelandic language makers/content creators concerning some features and collaborations with the project. I am looking to shout out some other resources and perhaps host some exclusive interviews with them that would be posted here. I am very excited about this possibility and would be very excited to make such collaborations a semi-regular feature of the project.

Unfortunately, this question does not have a simple answer, as every individual learns best through different methods and at different paces. However, that's not to say I haven't picked up some tips and tricks over time that you can try and see if they work for you.

All answers and anecdotes here are from my personal experience.

Why is listening the hardest skill?​

Reading and writing are the easiest because you have much more time to process and work over the information than the other two skills. When you are reading, you can look at a word and, if you do not know it, check the dictionary or a translator. In addition, and sneakily helpful, when you read, you know exactly what word is giving you trouble, even if you don't know what the word means. This allows you to check what it means in a dictionary or other source.

With writing, it's much the same story. You can use the internet, a dictionary, a thesaurus, or whatever you need to be confident before putting your words out.

Speaking, the third skill, is more difficult than reading and writing, but you have the advantage of choosing what to say. You don't have to choose any big or hard-to-pronounce words if you do not want to. You can choose words that you have full confidence in and will never, by the nature of the medium, use a word that you have never heard of.

Listening is the hardest skill because you have none of the control granted by the other three mediums. When you are listening, you are passively receiving, so you are at the mercy of whatever is spoken to you. Unlike reading, you also have much less ability to take what is being given at your own pace unless you are listening to an audio recording. Depending on where you're listening to the recording, slowing it down may be possible, but it often leads to distortion rather than improved clarity.

If the audio you are listening to has accompanying text, such as an audiobook or a song, you can pause the recording and refer to the written word, using the much easier reading skill before moving on. However, this is not always possible, as most audio sources do not have accompanying texts: a YouTube video may have no subtitles, your podcast may not be scripted, or a song may not have been transcribed anywhere.

Talking with someone is the most difficult because you have to contend with their entire vocabulary and any speech patterns they have. Then, when they speak, you hear one word, and then it's instantly onto the next one, regardless of whether you catch or understand it. Even if they repeat what they said and slow it down for you, thanks to elision and slurred speech, you may still not be able even to tell what word they are saying, much less be able to decipher its meaning and respond intelligently.

What can you do about it?​

Luckily, if your listening skills are not the best, there are methods that you can use to improve them! As with everything in the world, the real answer is to practice more. But that's not to say there aren't any tips that can help you along the way.

1. Study vocabulary​

I have found that the most important factor in determining whether I understand a spoken word is whether I am already familiar with it. This may sound incredibly obvious, but its value cannot be understated. While you can certainly pick up a new word from spoken language that you have never heard or seen used, it is way easier to hear and understand a word if you have already used it and committed it to memory beforehand. This is, in my experience, the biggest reason why new beginners fail at listening comprehension; they don't have the vocabulary to keep up.

Think of the process as similar to the concept of "Sight Words." When you are teaching somebody to read, you tell them to figure out the words by sounding them out letter by letter. This works fairly well, especially if the writing system is similar to the phonetic one, but it leads to very slow reading as the person has to sound out the word entirely. This is where Sight Words come in. With Sight Words, you tell the non-reader not to sound out the word but to simply memorize how it sounds altogether. While this sounds counterintuitive to the sound-it-out system, it's important when building for fluidity.

The same goes for hearing things. While the basic approach is to hear the sounds and try to imagine how they are written, knowing how the entire word sounds as a whole is much quicker, less mentally taxing, and ultimately more fluid.

Another benefit of if you are already familiar with a word, is that it is much easier to pick it out of a sentence. Being able to pick out when words start and end is one of the hardest sub-skills to master in language learning. If you cannot pick out an individual word, it becomes very hard to extract its meaning.

Think of it this way. If somebody were to speak to you in Spanish but you had never studied Spanish or any other romantic language, it would be very hard to pick out individual words. It is likely that it just sounds like a single big string of sounds that have no discernible start and stop. Since you have not studied Spanish vocabulary, you have no reference points: you don't know how Spanish words typically end, you don't know what words are conjunctions and which ones are just a part of the conjugations, and you don't know what sounds Spanish articles typically make.

You can even prove this to yourself right now. Go to Google Translate and look up how to say "Interview in (language you don't study)" for any language. Then, enter that result into YouTube and play the first video that seems to be an interview. Then, after the first line of the interview is spoken, immediately pause the video and write down the first sentence as best you can.

If you are like me, you'll probably have no words written because, at regular talking speeds, the entire thing just blends together. This is the problem.

But, if you know some of the words that are spoken in their entirety, you can, at a minimum, deduce where three words are, or at least where one stops and one ends. From here, the task becomes slightly easier.

2. Use morphology and syntax to your advantage​

When it comes to a heavily inflected language like Icelandic, knowing your morphology and syntax is obviously important for spelling and reading, but they are also important for listening skills. It's important to remember that written language is just a visual representation of spoken language. Every letter or symbol, in one way or another, represents or historically represented a certain sound. As such, every time you study inflection and syntax, you are actually studying phonetics as well.

For example, imagine you hear the following phrase:

(?) (?+ /r/) hana svo mikið.

This is a fairly simple sentence, but it illustrates the point nicely. If you know your syntax, you will know that Icelandic follows V2 word order, meaning that the verb is nearly always the second element of the sentence. As such, the second missing word is certainly going to be the verb of the sentence. The third word is Hana, which is an accusative form. As such, a knowledge of inflection will tell you that it is probably not the subject of the sentence, so the last missing word, the first word, is probably a nominative form noun.

(Subect) (Verb + /r/) hana svo mikið.

From there, even if you could not tell what was said at all in those first two words, you are already in a much better place for deciphering the sentence. If you know your inflection trends, then even better, because that tells you that the subject is likely one of only five possible subjects.

(Ég/Þú/Hann/Hún/Það) (Verb + /r/) hana svo mikið.

While this seems only mildly helpful on its own, with context clues, it can be extremely helpful. If you already roughly know the topic of the sentence, you can probably figure out what that first subject is, too, and from there, you can probably deduce the verb better as well.

3. Listen to things you like​

While it's certainly not the most inspired tip of all time, it is probably the most important. To get better at anything, you have to practice, and listening is no exception. As you listen more, you will learn more about speech patterns, learn what words usually start sentences, learn vocabulary, and subconsciously improve in numerous other indescribable ways.

But you likely already knew that you have to listen to get better at listening, at least to some level. So, I will shift the topic to another question: How do you find things to listen to?

While listening to anything at all is good, listening to things that you like is better. This is because it actually gets your focus, makes you engage with the material better, and, most importantly, makes you want to keep listening.

Here is a simplified common story: you are a big fan of (A-type) music. So, you go to your search engine of choice and enter "Icelandic music" or "Icelandic (A-type) music" into your favorite search engine. You play a song that comes up, and it's an Icelandic band singing in English. Ah! I guess there's no (A-type) music in Icelandic.

That clearly is, of course, not true at all, so why did this happen? Well, it happened because typing the query in English told the search engine everything it needed to know. When you search for something in English, the engine guesses that you speak English and will give you results that are tailored to that end. Most English speakers who search for Icelandic music probably won't speak Icelandic, so why would the search engine, designed to get clicks and find what most people want, show you results in Icelandic?

So, the task is to get around this; you need to tell the machine that you speak Icelandic. Then, it will give you Icelandic results. There is a very simple way to do this. Instead of searching for "Icelandic music," try typing it in Icelandic. Try "Tónlist" or "Íslensk Tónlist" and see what the machine returns. I promise you will find something in Icelandic.

The same goes for any form of content you like. Type it in Icelandic. If you don't know how to say it in Icelandic, ask a translator. It's that simple. If you like true crime podcasts, find out how to say "True crime" in Icelandic and enter that into your podcast app. Do the exact same thing you do already to find content in English that you like, but just do it in Icelandic, and you will surely find something that you like.

The series is mostly aimed at Icelandic learners who are just starting to enter the intermediate phase. At this level, one of the biggest struggles is having the functional vocabulary necessary to read books, talk with others, and just generally make good use of the language.

While it's important to know classic beginner verbs like "Að sjá" and "Að tala," to engage with native material and speakers, you have to expand your knowledge. This series will help with that!

All of the following verbs are extremely common and can be used in many different contexts, but they often fall outside the core beginner canon of verbs.

Note: No midvoice, impersonal, or phrasal verbs will be covered in this list. These will each get their own dedicated post!

10. Eyða​

"Að eyða" means either "To destroy" or "To spend" depending on the context. It is most commonly used to talk about spending/wasting time or money on things, something that everybody does every day.

1. Ekki eyða peningum í föt. - (Don't spend money on clothes.)
2. Hvernig á ég að eyða tímanum mínum? - (How should I spend my time?)
3. Hún eyddi deginum á Íslandi. - (She spent the day in Iceland.)

9. Nenna (dat)​

"Að nenna" is a word that is slightly difficult to translate into English but is one that Icelanders use all the time. It means something along the lines of "To be bothered to" and "To be willing to." It is by far most common with first-person or second-person subjects and with a negative adverb like "Ekki," but it can also be used to ask for small favors.

1. Ég nenni ekki að keyra í fjórar klukkustundir. - (I can't be bothered to drive for four hours.)
2. Ég ætlaði út í búð en nennti því ekki. - (I was going to go to the store, but I couldn't be bothered.)
3. Nennirðu að tala við hana? - (Can I bother you to talk with her?)

8. Missa (acc)​

"Að missa" means either "To drop something accidentally" or "To lose something/someone," either literally or figuratively, depending on the context.

1. Ég missti bollann. - (I dropped the cup.)
2. Hann missti íbúðina sína. - (He lost his apartment.)
3. Konan missti pabba sinn. - (The woman lost her father.)

7. Veita (dat + acc)​

The only ditransitive verb to make the list, "Að veita" is a combination of "To give," "To provide," and "To offer." Beginner learners always learn "Að gefa" which is often synonymous, but seemingly never learn "Að veita," which is also very common.

1. Hún veitti mér upplýsinga. - (She provided me with information.)
2. Hann veitir honum hjálp. - (He offers him help.)
3. Hótelið veitti slæma þjónustu. - (The hotel offered bad service.)

6. Skoða (acc)​

"Að skoða" is best thought of to mean "To carefully take a look at" or "To observe." It can be used to refer to things online, sites, information, and much more.

1. Vill einhver skoða myndbandið? - (Does anyone want to look at the video?)
2. Hann skoðar sjálfan sig í speglinum. - (He looks at himself in the mirror.)
3. Skoðaðu bókina. - (Check out the book.)

5. Breyta (dat)​

"Að breyta" means "To change." Just be sure not to change the word order around; If the subject is the thing that changes instead of the object, the verb "Að breytast" must be used instead.

1. Ég breytti nafninu mínu. - (I changed my name.)
2. Fallið breytir merkingunni. - (The case changes the meaning.)
3. Hún breytti uppskriftinni. - (She changed the recipe.)

4. Líta (til staðar)​

"Að líta" means "To look/glance at." Often, beginners will learn "Að horfa," which is slightly more intense in meaning.

1. Barnið leit á móður sína. - (The child looked at its mother.)
2. Nemandinn leit á klukkuna - (The student looked at the clock.)
3. Líttu á matseðilinn. (Look at the menu.)

3. Vona​

"Að vona" is best translated as "To hope." The next verb following "Að vona" needs to be subjunctive.

1. Ég vona að ég nái prófinu. - (I hope I pass the exam.)
2. Hann vonar að veðrið lagast fljótt. - (He hopes the weather gets better soon.)
3. Hún vonaði að hann kæmi. - (She hopes that he will come.)

2. Ákveða (acc)​

"Að ákveða" means "to decide." You can decide a matter, or you can decide to do something.

1. Þú einn ákveður það. - (You alone decide that.)
2. Hákarl ákvað að elta okkur. - (A shark decided to follow us.)
3. Hún ákvað að fara. - (She decided to go.)

1. Halda​

"Að halda" is one of the many verbs in Icelandic that is used to talk about what you think, and it is likely the most common of them all. It is used to talk about things that you believe to be factually true. This is opposed to opinions or beliefs, which is where "Að finnast" and "Að telja" come in. The next verb following "Að halda" needs to be subjunctive.

1. Ég held að það sé satt. - (I think that's true.)
2. Heldurðu að ég hafi valið að búa hér? - (Do you think I chose to live here?)
3. Ég held að þetta sé ekki íslenska. (I think that's not Icelandic.)

Midvoice verbs (those that end in -st) are often scary for Icelandic learners, and for a valid reason: they can be pretty confusing. Midvoice verbs are used to cover a lot of ground in Icelandic. They can be used to create reflexive meanings, reciprocal meanings, possibility-related meanings, and even entirely brand-new verbs wholly unrelated to their non-midvoice counterpart, if such even exists. And, to make matters worse, they are everywhere!

While this post is not an in-depth discussion about the intricacies of midvoice verbs (that will be Here when I make it), it will give you a list of some of the most common mid-voice verbs that an emerging intermediate learner needs to know. They are presented roughly in order of importance.

Note: Many of the following mid-voice verbs are also impersonal verbs. I have decided to classify these as midvoice instead of impersonal.

Note: No regular, impersonal, or phrasal verbs will be covered in this list. These verb types will each receive their own dedicated post!

10. Grínast​

"Að grínast" means "To joke." It is most commonly used in short expressions like the following two examples.

1. Ertu að grínast? - (Are you joking?)
2. Ég var bara að grínast. - (I was just joking.)

9. (Dat) takast​

"Að takast" can be used with a dative person or a nominative non-person subject, but it is most common with the former. With a dative subject, it is used to mean that somebody "managed to/ succeed in" doing something. With a nominative subject, it means that something "occurred" or "went" either successfully or not successfully, depending on accompanying adverbs.

1. Mér tókst að læra íslensku. - ( I managed to learn Icelandic.)
2. Henni tekst að finna hann. - (She succeeds in finding him.)
3. Tókst ykkur að drepa hann? - (Did y'all manage to kill him?)
4. Aðgerðin tókst illa. - (The operation went poorly.)

8. Efast​

"Að efast" means "To doubt" and can be used for beliefs, facts, or people. It is almost always used with the preposition "Um" following it.

1. Ég efast um það. - (I doubt it.)
2. Þú efast um margt - (You doubt a lot of things.)
3. Ég efast um hana. - (I doubt her.)

7. Bregðast við (dat)​

"Að bregðast við" means "To react." It can be used to talk about responding to both physical and non-physical things.

1. Hvernig brást hann við því? - (How did he react to that?)
2. Þeir bregðast við hreyfingunni - (They react to the movement. )
3. Hann mun bregðast við ef við þrýstum á hann. - (He will react if we pressure him.)

6. Virðast​

"Að virðast" means "To seem." Much like "Að takast," this verb can be used with a dative person or a nominative non-person subject. With a dative subject, the subject is the one to whom the nominative noun, which will now follow the verb, is "Seeming" to be in some way. With a nominative subject, the subject is the thing that "Seems" to be a certain way.

1. Hann virðist vera reiður. - (He seems to be mad.)
2. Mér virðist hún vera klár. - (He seems smart to me.)
3. Bollinn virðist tómur. - (The cup seems empty.)

5. Segjast​

"Að segjast" is used to talk about things that relate back to the speaker, such as what one is or what one plans for oneself. It can usually be translated as "X says that X..."

1. Hann segist vera í Bretlandi. - (He says that he is in Britain.)
2. Hún sagðist vera að læra íslensku. - (She says that she's learning Icelandic.)
3. Hvað segist? - (What's up?)

4. Búast við (dat)​

"Að búast við" means to expect.

1. Hann er sterkari en ég bjóst við! - (You're stronger than I expected!)
2. Ég býst við því. - (I expected it.)
3. Býstu við hinu versta! - (Expect the worst!)

3. Komast (til staðar)​

"Að komast" means "To be able to go/get to."

1. Ég kemst ekki inn á vefsíðuna þína. - (I can't get to your website.)
2. Hvernig komst hann til Reykjavíkur? - (How did he get to Reykjavík?)
3. Vonandi kemst þú heim - (Hopefully, you are able to get home.

2. Gerast​

"Að gerast" means "to happen" and is most commonly used in questions.

1. Hvað er að gerast? - (What is happening?)
2. Hvað gerðist? - (What happened?)
3. Það gerðist um nóttina. - (That happened over the night.)

1. (Dat) finnast​

Probably the most important midvoice verb, "Að finnast," is used to express an opinion. This makes it distinct from "Að halda," which was discussed in the last post and is used for facts. Between the object and the opinion, there is the option to insert the word "Vera," which does not change the meaning.

1. Mér finnst hann góður kennari. - (I think he's a good teacher.)
2. Hvað finnst þér um þau? - (How do you feel about them?)
3. Mér finnst hún alltaf vera það - (I feel she is always that way.)

1. Rebranding the Project​

As you may have noticed, the project has been going through some rebranding over the last few days.

Due to an error on my part, I lost the domain name SimpleIcelandic.com. As a result, I will no longer be using the name Simple Icelandic for my Icelandic language work. While I really liked the name, it does not make sense to use a name that you do not own the domain rights to.

As a result, the project will be called Icelandic Now.

In the coming days, I will be connecting the domain name IcelandicNow.com to the blog and course, as well as rebranding this website and any of my previous works.

I want to apologize for any confusion now or in the future over the project's name. Losing the domain was a mistake I made and a harsh lesson learned.

2. Updating Icelandic for Beginners​

With the publication of my first course, Icelandic for Beginners, many suggestions, comments, and other things of that nature have come in.

I will be looking to implement those suggestions and fix all errors that people report as soon as possible.

Most of the suggestions have revolved around making the content more engaging. Many have said that the course feels too much like a textbook and less like a course. Following those complaints, I have started to lengthen the quizzes after the modules, as well as add captioned pictures throughout. Be on the lookout for those!

Please continue to report any errors and message me with any suggestions. Thank you to everyone who has browsed or purchased the course thus far.

Best,

Tbrennan