Does Duolingo have Icelandic?
Short answer: not yet. Duolingo has never released an Icelandic course, which leaves many beginners wondering where to start. The good news is that there are excellent alternatives that cover the same core skills, from pronunciation and phrases to basic grammar and listening.
Below are reliable places to learn Icelandic online, many of them free or low-cost. Combine one structured course with quick daily practice tools and you’ll progress faster than you think.
- Icelandic Online (University of Iceland): full, free A1–B1 courses with exercises
- Memrise community courses: beginner vocab and phrases with audio
- Drops: visual, bite-sized Icelandic basics; good for quick daily sessions
- Clozemaster: sentence-based practice for high-frequency words in context
- Forvo: native audio for words and names you want to learn
- YouTube channels and podcasts: slow Icelandic listening for beginners
A simple A1–A2 roadmap
Think of A1–A2 as survival Icelandic: you can introduce yourself, handle simple travel tasks, and talk about everyday routines. Keep it easy and consistent—15 to 25 minutes a day is enough if you focus.
Use one main course for structure, then add quick vocab reviews and light listening. Track tiny wins: 10 new words, 1 new phrase, 5 minutes of audio.
- Week 1–2: Learn the alphabet and sounds (þ, ð, æ, ö; stress on first syllable)
- Week 3–4: Master survival phrases for greetings, directions, prices, and help
- Week 5–6: Build core grammar: articles, noun gender, present tense, basic cases
- Ongoing: Review spaced repetition decks for beginner vocab and phrases
- Daily: 5–10 minutes of listening to slow, clear Icelandic
- Weekly: Speak aloud—shadow native audio and record yourself
Best free online resources
You can learn a lot without paying. Start with a structured course, then add bite-size apps and audio. Pick tools that feel easy to open so you practice more often.
When you find a good explanation or word list, save it as a pdf for quick revision on your phone.
- Icelandic Online: free modules, graded texts, exercises, and quizzes for beginners
- Memrise: community decks for A1 words, phrases, and pronunciation
- Clozemaster: sentence cloze practice to cement grammar in context
- Forvo: native speakers pronouncing tricky Icelandic words
- Tatoeba and OpenSubtitles: short real-life sentences for reading and listening
- YouTube: search “Icelandic for beginners” and “Icelandic pronunciation”
Books and PDFs for beginners
A good book gives structure and clear explanations you can revisit. Look for editions with audio, answer keys, and practical dialogues. Many learners also keep a personal pdf of notes and phrase lists for quick review.
Check libraries and legal open-access sites for sample chapters or grammar pdfs. Always respect copyright when downloading.
- Complete Icelandic (Teach Yourself): comprehensive beginner to lower-intermediate book with audio
- Colloquial Icelandic (Routledge): dialogues, exercises, and audio for everyday topics
- Icelandic Grammar, Texts, Glossary (Einarsson): classic reference; some libraries host a free pdf
- Phrasebook + audio: a simple Icelandic phrase book helps with travel basics
- Printable cheat sheets: make your own A1 verbs, case endings, and phrases pdf
- Notebook method: write mini-dialogues and highlight patterns you want to learn
Starter phrases and pronunciation tips
Learn a small set of high-use phrases first and repeat them daily. Speak out loud. Icelandic stress is usually on the first syllable, and the letters þ (as in “thin”) and ð (as in “this”) are key.
Double l can sound like tl, and r is rolled. Don’t chase perfection—aim for clear, confident, and consistent practice.
- Ég heiti ... — My name is ...
- Gaman að kynnast þér — Nice to meet you
- Hvar er ...? — Where is ...?
- Hvað kostar þetta? — How much is this?
- Takk / Takk fyrir — Thanks / Thank you
- Ég tala bara smá íslensku — I only speak a little Icelandic
- Geturðu talað hægar? — Can you speak more slowly?
- Fyrirgefið / Afsakið — Excuse me / Sorry
FAQ
- Does Duolingo have Icelandic?
- No. There is no official Icelandic course on Duolingo yet. Use Icelandic Online, Memrise, Drops, Clozemaster, and a beginner book for a solid A1–A2 path.
- What’s the easiest way to start as a beginner?
- Keep it simple: 1) Icelandic Online for lessons, 2) a daily 10-minute vocab app, 3) a short phrases list you speak aloud every day, and 4) weekly audio shadowing.
- Can I learn Icelandic online for free?
- Yes. Icelandic Online is free and comprehensive. Add free tools like Memrise decks, Forvo audio, YouTube lessons, and printable pdf study sheets.
- Which book should beginners use?
- Try Complete Icelandic (Teach Yourself) or Colloquial Icelandic. Both include dialogues, grammar, and audio. Pair the book with a small daily practice routine.
- How long to reach A2 level?
- With 20–30 minutes a day, many learners reach A2 in 4–6 months. Focus on high-frequency words, core grammar, and spoken phrases you can reuse often.