Icelandic Online: learn Icelandic free
A free online Icelandic course from the University of Iceland, running from a survival crash course up to C1, built on audio, pictures and interactive exercises.
What it is
Icelandic Online is a language-learning platform launched by the University of Iceland back in 2003. The core courses are free and only need a sign-up. There is an introductory Survival course and five consecutive levels, Icelandic Online 1 to 5, which take you from A1 to C1 on the CEFR scale.
Lessons are built around interactive exercises with pictures and audio, backed by glossaries, grammar notes and dictionaries. If you want feedback from a person, there is a separate PLUS format: eight-week courses with a tutor and live sessions.
Why we picked it
Icelandic is spoken by a small nation, yet it is one of Europe's most conservative languages: people can still read the medieval sagas without much help. Learning materials are scarce, and good free ones are scarcer. This course comes from the national university rather than a lone enthusiast, and it has been running for more than twenty years.
We like that you can start with something practical. The survival course covers greetings, directions and menus, which is handy if you have a trip coming up and just want to make sense of the signs. If it clicks, a full ladder of levels is waiting.
It is also flexible. There is no timetable, so you study whenever and wherever you have an internet connection.
Where to start
- Create a free account.
- Open the Survival course and work through the first lessons on greetings and numbers.
- Repeat the audio out loud; Icelandic pronunciation is worth getting right early.
- Keep the built-in glossary open as you go.
- If it sticks, move on to Icelandic Online 1.
Who it's for
Travellers heading to Iceland who want more than a polite "thank you". Fans of the sagas and Nordic culture. Collectors of unusual languages. And anyone moving to Iceland who needs a free place to begin.
Quick answers
Is it free? The main courses are free with registration. The tutor-led PLUS format is a separate option.
What language are the instructions in? The interface switches between Icelandic and English.
Who made it? The University of Iceland (Háskóli Íslands).
