Language/Icelandic/Vocabulary/Numbers-1-20

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Icelandic → Vocabulary → 0 to A1 Course → Numbers and Time → Numbers 1-20

Introduction

In this lesson, we will focus on learning the numbers from 1 to 20 in Icelandic. Numbers are an essential part of any language, and mastering them will allow you to communicate effectively in various situations, such as telling time, giving your age, or counting objects. We will also practice the pronunciation of each number to ensure a better understanding and fluency in Icelandic.

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to confidently count from 1 to 20 in Icelandic and use these numbers in everyday conversations. Let's dive in!

Numbers 1-20

In Icelandic, numbers are used to represent quantities, order, and various other numerical concepts. Learning the numbers from 1 to 20 is a fundamental step in building a strong foundation in the language.

Here are the numbers from 1 to 20 in Icelandic:

Icelandic	Pronunciation	English Translation
einn	[ei̯tn]	one
tveir	[tvei̯r]	two
þrír	[θriːr]	three
fjórir	[fjouːrɪr]	four
fimm	[fɪm]	five
sex	[sɛx]	six
sjö	[sjœː]	seven
átta	[auʰtʰa]	eight
níu	[niːʏ]	nine
tíu	[tiːʏ]	ten
ellefu	[ɛtlɛːvʏ]	eleven
tólf	[toulv]	twelve
þrettán	[θrɛːtauːan]	thirteen
fjórtán	[fjourtʰauːan]	fourteen
fimmtán	[fɪmtʰauːan]	fifteen
sextán	[sɛkstʰauːan]	sixteen
sautján	[sœʏcʰauːan]	seventeen
átján	[auʰcʰauːan]	eighteen
nítján	[niːcʰauːan]	nineteen
tuttugu	[tʰʏtʏɣʏ]	twenty

Now, let's break down the pronunciation of each number to ensure accurate and clear communication in Icelandic.

Pronunciation Guide

- "einn" (one): Pronounced as [ei̯tn], this number is relatively easy to pronounce. The "ei" sound is similar to the "ay" sound in the English word "day," and the "tn" sound is similar to the "tn" sound in the English word "button." Remember to keep the pronunciation crisp and clear.

- "tveir" (two): Pronounced as [tvei̯r], this number includes the "tve" sound, which is similar to the "tve" sound in the English word "twelve." The "ir" sound is similar to the "ear" sound in the English word "ear." Practice pronouncing this number to ensure accuracy.

- "þrír" (three): Pronounced as [θriːr], this number includes the "θ" sound, which does not have an exact equivalent in English. It is similar to the "th" sound in the English word "thin." The "riːr" sound is similar to the "rear" sound in the English word "rear." Pay attention to the pronunciation of the "θ" sound to master this number.

- "fjórir" (four): Pronounced as [fjouːrɪr], this number includes the "fj" sound, which is similar to the "fy" sound in the English word "few." The "ouːrɪr" sound is similar to the "our" sound in the English word "four." Practice pronouncing this number to ensure clarity.

- "fimm" (five): Pronounced as [fɪm], this number is relatively straightforward. The "f" sound is similar to the "f" sound in the English word "five," and the "ɪ" sound is similar to the "i" sound in the English word "bit." Keep the pronunciation crisp and clear.

- "sex" (six): Pronounced as [sɛx], this number includes the "ɛ" sound, which is similar to the "e" sound in the English word "bed." The "x" sound is similar to the "x" sound in the English word "six." Pay attention to the pronunciation of the "ɛ" sound to accurately pronounce this number.

- "sjö" (seven): Pronounced as [sjœː], this number includes the "sj" sound, which does not have an exact equivalent in English. It is similar to the "sh" sound in the English word "shower." The "œː" sound is similar to the "uh" sound in the English word "duh." Practice pronouncing this number to ensure accuracy.

- "átta" (eight): Pronounced as [auʰtʰa], this number includes the "auʰ" sound, which is similar to the "ow" sound in the English word "how." The "tʰa" sound is similar to the "ta" sound in the English word "tackle." Pay attention to the pronunciation of the "auʰ" sound to accurately pronounce this number.

- "níu" (nine): Pronounced as [niːʏ], this number includes the "niː" sound, which is similar to the "knee" sound in the English word "knee." The "ʏ" sound is similar to the "y" sound in the English word "yes." Practice pronouncing this number to ensure clarity.

- "tíu" (ten): Pronounced as [tiːʏ], this number includes the "tiː" sound, which is similar to the "tea" sound in the English word "tea." The "ʏ" sound is similar to the "y" sound in the English word "yes." Keep the pronunciation crisp and clear.

- "ellefu" (eleven): Pronounced as [ɛtlɛːvʏ], this number includes the "ɛt" sound, which is similar to the "et" sound in the English word "eternal." The "lɛːvʏ" sound is similar to the "levy" sound in the English word "levy." Pay attention to the pronunciation of the "ɛt" sound to accurately pronounce this number.

- "tólf" (twelve): Pronounced as [toulv], this number includes the "ou" sound, which is similar to the "ow" sound in the English word "how." The "lv" sound is similar to the "lv" sound in the English word "solve." Practice pronouncing this number to ensure accuracy.

- "þrettán" (thirteen): Pronounced as [θrɛːtauːan], this number includes the "θ" sound, which does not have an exact equivalent in English. It is similar to the "th" sound in the English word "thin." The "rɛːtauːan" sound is similar to the "retown" sound in the English word "retown." Pay attention to the pronunciation of the "θ" sound to accurately pronounce this number.

- "fjórtán" (fourteen): Pronounced as [fjourtʰauːan], this number includes the "fj" sound, which is similar to the "fy" sound in the English word "few." The "ourtʰauːan" sound is similar to the "ourtown" sound in the English word "ourtown." Practice pronouncing this number to ensure clarity.

- "fimmtán" (fifteen): Pronounced as [fɪmtʰauːan], this number includes the "fɪ" sound, which is similar to the "fi" sound in the English word "fit." The "mtʰauːan" sound is similar to the "mtown" sound in the English word "mtown." Keep the pronunciation crisp and clear.

- "sextán" (sixteen): Pronounced as [sɛkstʰauːan], this number includes the "sɛ" sound, which is similar to the "se" sound in the English word "seal." The "kstʰauːan" sound is similar to the "kstown" sound in the English word "kstown." Practice pronouncing this number to ensure accuracy.

- "sautján" (seventeen): Pronounced as [sœʏcʰauːan], this number includes the "sœʏ" sound, which is similar to the "soy" sound in the English word "soy." The "cʰauːan" sound is similar to the "chown" sound in the English word "chown." Pay attention to the pronunciation of the "sœʏ" sound to accurately pronounce this number.

- "átján" (eighteen): Pronounced as [auʰcʰauːan], this number includes the "auʰ" sound, which is similar to the "ow" sound in the English word "how." The "cʰauːan" sound is similar to the "chown" sound in the English word "chown." Practice pronouncing this number to ensure clarity.

- "nítján" (nineteen): Pronounced as [niːcʰauːan], this number includes the "niː" sound, which is similar to the "knee" sound in the English word "knee." The "cʰauːan" sound is similar to the "chown" sound in the English word "chown." Keep the pronunciation crisp and clear.

- "tuttugu" (twenty): Pronounced as [tʰʏtʏɣʏ], this number includes the "tʰʏ" sound, which is similar to the "to" sound in the English word "toe." The "tʏɣʏ" sound is similar to the "tug" sound in the English word "tug." Practice pronouncing this number to ensure accuracy.

Now that we have covered the pronunciation of each number, let's move on to some practice exercises.

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Listening Comprehension Listen to the audio recording and write down the numbers you hear from 1 to 20 in Icelandic. Then, check your answers with the provided solution.

Audio recording: [insert audio recording link]

Solution: 1. einn 2. tveir 3. þrír 4. fjórir 5. fimm 6. sex 7. sjö 8. átta 9. níu 10. tíu 11. ellefu 12. tólf 13. þrettán 14. fjórtán 15. fimmtán 16. sextán 17. sautján 18. átján 19. nítján 20. tuttugu

Exercise 2: Speaking Practice Practice saying the numbers from 1 to 20 out loud. Pay attention to your pronunciation and try to mimic the native speaker's accent and intonation. Repeat each number several times until you feel confident in your pronunciation.

Exercise 3: Writing Practice Write down the numbers from 1 to 20 in Icelandic. Pay attention to the spelling and make sure to use the correct characters and accents. Check your answers with the provided solution.

Solution: 1. einn 2. tveir 3. þrír 4. fjórir 5. fimm 6. sex 7. sjö 8. átta 9. níu 10. tíu 11. ellefu 12. tólf 13. þrettán 14. fjórtán 15. fimmtán 16. sextán 17. sautján 18. átján 19. nítján 20. tuttugu

Great job! You have successfully learned the numbers from 1 to 20 in Icelandic and practiced their pronunciation. Keep practicing regularly to reinforce your knowledge and improve your fluency in Icelandic.

Cultural Insights

In Icelandic culture, numbers hold significant importance not only in everyday life but also in folklore and traditions. One interesting cultural fact is that Icelanders have a tradition called "Náttúruvaktin," which translates to "Nature Watch." In this tradition, Icelanders count the days from Christmas to the New Year using a specific set of numbers known as "jóladagatal" or "Christmas calendar." Each day, a different number is associated with a specific event or activity, creating a sense of anticipation and excitement leading up to the New Year.

Additionally, it's worth noting that numbers in Icelandic are gender-neutral. Unlike some languages where numbers change depending on the gender of the noun they modify, Icelandic numbers remain the same regardless of the noun's gender. This simplifies the learning process and allows for easier communication when using numbers in various contexts.

Conclusion

Congratulations on completing the lesson on numbers 1-20 in Icelandic! You have learned how to count from 1 to 20 and practice the pronunciation of each number. Remember to regularly review and practice these numbers to reinforce your knowledge and improve your fluency in Icelandic.

In the next lesson, we will delve into the topic of telling time in Icelandic. Stay tuned and keep up the great work!

Table of Contents - Icelandic Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Pronouns and Articles

• Personal Pronouns
• Definite and Indefinite Articles

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-20
• Telling Time

  ---

Present Tense Verbs

• Regular Verbs
• Irregular Verbs

  ---

Everyday Activities

• Daily Routine
• Hobbies and Interests

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjective Agreement
• Adverbs Formation

  ---

Food and Dining

• Fruits and Vegetables
• Meals and Dining Out

  ---

Questions and Negation

• Question Words
• Negation

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Directions and Locations

  ---

Prepositions

• Common Prepositions
• Prepositional Phrases

  ---

Weather and Seasons

• Weather Vocabulary
• Seasons and Months

  ---

Icelandic Culture and Traditions

• Icelandic Holidays
• Icelandic Music and Literature

Sources

• Icelandic Numbers
• Icelandic Numbers 1 - 20 with video | Icelandic Language Blog
• Learn the Icelandic language with fun practice games

Other Lessons

• Information about origins
• Spending Money
• Useful vocabulary for Partying
• Meals and Dining Out
• Holidays Þegar maður óskar einhverjum einhvers
• Restaurant
• Feelings and Emotions
• Days of the week
• Basic phrases: I don't understand something
• Telling Time

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