Icelandic 101: A Practical Guide for Beginners By : Project Fluency Please Note This is a book summary. Copyright 2016 by Project Fluency. All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the prior written consent of the publisher. Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: The publisher and author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of these contents and disclaim all warranties such as warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. The author or publisher is not liable for any damages whatsoever.
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Table of Contents
Pronunciation
Vowels
A a (Short) like a in land , (long) like a in car ; or like ow in now when followed by ng or nk . Like ow in now . E e (Short) like e in met , (long) like ea in bear . Like ye in yes . I i (Short) like i in bit , (long) same i but lengthened; or like ee in meet when followed by ng or nk .
Like ee in meet . O o (Short) like o in hot , (long) like or in door . Like o in snow . U u (Short) like u in put , (long) the same short u but lengthened; or like oo in moon when followed by ng or nk . Like oo in moon . Y y Same as Icelandic i : (short) like i in bit , (long) same i but lengthened; or like ee in meet when followed by ng or nk .
Same as Icelandic : like ee in meet . Like i in mile . (Short) like ur in fur but shorter, (long) like ur in fur ; ( do not pronouce the r ).
Consonants
B b Like b in bed , or like p when at word end or following m . D d Like d in day , or like t when at word end. Like th in that , (only occurs in word middle and word end).
F f Like f in fish , or like v in van when between vowels; or when before l or n , like b in bed . G g Like g in go , or like k in kill when in word middle; it is lost after , , u when followed by a or u in the next syllable or when at word end. H h Like h in hat , or like k when before a consonant; (never silent like honour ). J j Like y in yes . K k Like k in kill . L l Like l in like .
M m Like m in me . N n Like n in nurse . P p Like p in push , or like f in far when before s , k , or t . R r Rolled, like Scottish r . S s Like s in sun ; (never like z in zero ). T t Like t in take .
V v Like v in value . X x Like x in exit . Like th in thing .
Diphthongs
au Like ur in fur (do not pronounce the r) followed by ee in see but with no intervening r - u(r)-ee , similar to oy in boy . ei , ey Like ay in say . hv Like kv in lock vent . kk Like chk in Scottish Loch Carron . ll Like tl in settle . ll Like tl in settle .
Similar to Welsh ll (double L) but more aspirated (has more air to it). ng Like nk in thinker , not ng in finger . nn Like dn in hard-nosed when after , , , , , , , au , ei , or ey ; or like nn in tunnel after a , e , i , o , u , y or . pp Like h and p fused together, similar to hop without the o . rl Like dl in riddle similar in form to Welsh ll (double L) but said harder. tt Like h and t fused together, similar to hut without the u .
Phrases
and
Vocabulary
Basics
Hello. Hall . ( Hal -law ) Hello (informal). ( Hal -law ) Hello (informal).
Sll, (to a man). (Sight-l.) Sl, (to a woman). (Sigh-l.) Hi. H. (High.) Like the English word. Common amongst younger generations.
How are you? Hva segiru gott? (Kvadh sek-ir-dhu goht?) Fine, thank you. g segi allt gott, akka r fyrir. (Yeh sek-i atlt goht, thah-ka thyer fi-rir.) What is your name? Hva heitiru? (Kvadh hay-tir-dhu?) My name is _____ _ . g heiti _____ _ . (Yeh hay-ti ____ _ .) Nice to meet you. (Komdu sight-l.) Komdu sl, (to a woman). (Komdu sighl.) Please. (Komdu sighl.) Please.
Gjru svo vel, (to one person). (Gyer-dhu svo vel.) Or; Geri i svo vel, (to many people). (Ger-adh thi-dh svo vel.) Thank you. akka r fyrir. (Thah-ka thyer fi-rir.) Thanks , (informal) Takk. (Tahk.) You're welcome.
Ekkert a akka. (Eh-kehrt adh thah-ka.) Yes. J. (Yaw.) Or; J (Yoo; for answering a negative question). No. (Nay.) Excuse me, (getting attention). Afsaki. (Av-sak-idh.) Excuse me, (begging pardon). Fyrirgefu. (Fi-rir-gyev-dhu.) I'm sorry, (didn't hear). (Fi-rir-gyev-dhu.) I'm sorry, (didn't hear).
Ha? (Ha?) Or; Hva segir ? (Kvadh se-kir thoo?) I'm sorry, (regretful). v miur. (Thvee mi-dhur.) Goodbye Faravel. (Fa-ra-vel; this is very formal and should only be used with complete strangers.) Goodbye, (informal). Bless. g tala ekki slensku [svo vel]. (Yeh ta-la eh-ki ees-len-sku [svo vel].) Do you speak English? Talaru ensku? (Ta-lar-dhu en-sku?) Is there someone here who speaks English? Er einhver hr sem talar ensku? (Er ayn-kver hyer sem ta-lar en-sku?) Help! Hjlp! (Hyawlp!) Look out! Gtinn! (Gigh-tin!) Good morning. (Yeh ta-la eh-ki ees-len-sku [svo vel].) Do you speak English? Talaru ensku? (Ta-lar-dhu en-sku?) Is there someone here who speaks English? Er einhver hr sem talar ensku? (Er ayn-kver hyer sem ta-lar en-sku?) Help! Hjlp! (Hyawlp!) Look out! Gtinn! (Gigh-tin!) Good morning.
Gan daginn. (Goh-dhan da-kin.) Good evening. Gott kvld. (Got kvur-lt.) Good night. Ga ntt. Sofu vel. (So-vdhu vel.) I don't understand. g skil ekki. (Yeh skil eh-ki.) Could you speak more slowly? Gtiru tala hgar? (Gigh-tir-dhu ta-ladh high-kar?) How do you say _____ in Icelandic? Hvernig segir maur _____ slensku? (Kver-nik se-kir ma-dhur _____ aw ees-len-sku?) OK. Allt lag. (Atlt ee lak-i.) Or; kei (Oh-kay; this is used amongst younger generations.) Where is the toilet? Hvar er klsetti? (Kvar er klow-sett-idh?)
Problems
Leave me alone. (Atlt ee lak-i.) Or; kei (Oh-kay; this is used amongst younger generations.) Where is the toilet? Hvar er klsetti? (Kvar er klow-sett-idh?)
Problems
Leave me alone.
Faru burtu. Or just faru (Fa-r thu i bur-tu.) Don't touch me! Ekki snerta mig! (E-kki snert-a mig.) I'll call the police. g kalla lgreglunna. (Ye kat-la a lurk-rek-luna.) Police! Lgregla! (Lurk-rek-la!) Stop! Thief! Stopp! jfur! (Sto-hp! Thyoh-vur!) I need your help. g arf sm hjlp. a er randi. (Thadh er awr-eedh-an-ti.) I'm lost. g er tndur. (Yeg er teen-tur.) My bag is missing. (Yeg er teen-tur.) My bag is missing.
Taskan mn er tnd. (Tas-kan meen er teen-ed.) My wallet is missing. Leurveski mitt er tnt. (Ledh-ur-ves-kidh mi-ht er teent.) My purse is missing. Buddan mn er tnd. g er veikur. (Yeg er vai-kur.) I've been injured. g er srur. (Yeg er sair-thur.) I need a doctor. g arf lkni. (Yeg tha-rf lai-kni.) Can I use your phone? M g nota smann inn? (Maw ye not-a see-min thin?)
Numbers
number _____ (train, bus, etc.) nmer _____ (noo-mer) half hlfur (hawl-vur) third riji (thri-dhyi) quarter fjrungur (fjohr-dhun-gur) less minni (min-ni) more meiri (may-ri)
Cardinal
Examples: (m) Einn maur (ay-tn madh-ur) one man . (f) Ein kona (ayn kon-a) one woman . (n) Eitt barn (ay-ht barn) one child . einn , (masculine) (a-te) much like the word eight or ate but with a softer T ein , (feminine) (ayn) eitt , (neuter) (ay-ht) tveir , (masculine) (tvay-r) tvr , (feminine) (tvigh-r) tv , (neuter) (two-ah) much like the word Twas without the S rr , (masculine) (threer) rjr , (feminine) (three-aw) rj , (neuter) (three-oo) fjrir , (masculine) (fjoh-rir) fjrar , (feminine) (fjoh-rar) fjgur , (neuter) (fyoh-ur) fimm (fim) sex (sex) sj (syur) tta (ohw-ta) nu (nee-u) tu (tee-u) ellefu (et-le-vu) tlf (toe-lv) rettn (threh-tawn) fjrtn (fyohr-tawn) fimmtn (fim-tawn) sextn (sex-tawn) sautjn (sur-ee-tyawn) Or, seytjn (say-tjawn) tjn (aw-tyawn) ntjn (nee-tyawn) tuttugu (tuh-tu-ghu) tuttugu og einn (tuh-tu-ghu oh aydn) tuttugu og tveir (tuh-tu-ghu oh tvayr) tuttugu og rr (tuh-tu-ghu oh threer) rjtu (thryaw-tee-u) fjrutu (fyoh-ru-tee-u) fimmtu (fim-tee-u) sextu (sex-tee-u) sjtu (syur-tee-u) ttatu (awh-ta-tee-u) nutu (nee-u-tee-u) hundra (hun-tradh) hundra og einn (hun-tradh oh ay-dn) tv hundru (tvur hun-trudh) rj hundru (thryow hun-trudh) 1000 sund (thoo-sunt) 2000 tv sund (tvur thoo-sunt) 100,000 hundra sund (hun-tradh thoo-sunt) 1,000,000 milljn (mil-yohn) 1,000,000,000 miljarur (mil-yar-dhur) 1,000,000,000 billjn (bil-yohn)
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