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Although Icelandic looks very formidable with its strange characters "þ" and "ð" and many accented vowels, once the basic rules have been learned, pronunciation is fairly straightforward. Note that stress always falls on the first syllable of any word.
Vowels
Some vowels in Icelandic can have accent marks which modify the sound of each vowel. Vowels can come in long or short forms. In Icelandic, all vowels can be long or short. Vowels are long when they are in single syllable words, or when they form the penultimate syllable in two syllable words.
- A a
- (Short) like "a" in "land", (long) like "a" in "car"; or like "ow" in "now" when followed by "ng" or "nk".
- Á á
- Like "ow" in "now".
- E e
- (Short) like "e" in "met", (long) like "ea" in "bear".
- É é
- 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".
- Í í
- Like "ee" in "meet".
- O o
- (Short) like "o" in "hot", (long) like "or" in "door".
- Ó ó
- 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".
- Ú ú
- 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".
- Ý ý
- Same as Icelandic "í": like "ee" in "meet".
- Æ æ
- Like "i" in "mile".
- Ö ö
- (Short) like "ur" in "fur" but shorter, (long) like "ur" in "fur"; (do not pronouce the "r").
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