Consonants
|
IPA |
Examples |
English approximation
|
c
|
gys
|
skew
|
cʰ
|
kær
|
cute
|
cː
|
baggi, seggja
|
American backgammon
|
ç
|
hjá
|
hue
|
ð
|
veður
|
weather
|
f
|
fyrir, dýpka
|
fun
|
fː
|
kaffi
|
offfield
|
ɣ
|
laga
|
Spanish trigo
|
h
|
hús
|
hop
|
ʰc
|
ekki
|
skew (with an h sound before it)
|
ʰk
|
þakka
|
sky (with an h sound before it)
|
ʰp
|
tappi
|
spy (with an h sound before it)
|
ʰt
|
stutt
|
sty (with an h sound before it)
|
j
|
jú, lagi
|
yes
|
k
|
göng, líka
|
sky
|
kʰ
|
koma
|
kite
|
kː
|
hryggur
|
stockgirl
|
l
|
líf
|
leap
|
l̥
|
stelpa, jökull
|
same as above but voiceless, like hl
|
lː
|
bolla
|
Italian bella
|
m
|
miði
|
moon
|
m̥
|
lampi
|
same as above but voiceless, like hm
|
mː
|
hlemmur
|
roommate
|
n
|
níu
|
noon
|
n̥
|
hnífur
|
same as above but voiceless, like hn
|
nː
|
brenna
|
unknown
|
ɲ
|
lengi
|
canyon
|
ɲ̊
|
banki
|
same as above but voiceless, like hny
|
ŋ
|
ungs
|
sing
|
ŋ̊
|
þungt
|
same as above but voiceless, like hng
|
p
|
böl, hjálpa, nafni
|
spy
|
pʰ
|
páfi
|
pie
|
pː
|
kobbi
|
flipbook
|
r
|
rós
|
ring, but trilled
|
r̥
|
hreinn
|
same as above but voiceless, like hr
|
rː
|
marra
|
Italian terra
|
s
|
saga
|
between sip and ship (retracted)
|
sː
|
messa
|
between this sip and trash ship (retracted)
|
t
|
dagur, út, jökull
|
sty
|
tʰ
|
tala
|
tie
|
tː
|
oddur
|
outdo
|
θ
|
það
|
think
|
v
|
verk, afi
|
very
|
x
|
sjúkt, sagt
|
Scottish loch
|
xʷ
|
hver[note 1]
|
why (without the wine–whine merger)
|
|
Vowels[note 2]
|
IPA
|
Examples
|
English approximation
|
Monophthongs
|
a
|
karl
|
art
|
aː
|
raka
|
father
|
ɛ
|
kenna
|
bet
|
ɛː
|
nema[note 3]
|
roughly like yes
|
i
|
fínt, sýndi
|
leaf
|
iː
|
líf, hlýt
|
leave
|
ɪ
|
yrði
|
kit
|
ɪː
|
yfir, vita
|
kid
|
ɔ
|
loft
|
RP or Australian hot
|
ɔː
|
von[note 3]
|
roughly like water
|
œ
|
dökk
|
nurse
|
œː
|
öl[note 3]
|
French actuel, but with lips rounded from start to end
|
u
|
full
|
pull
|
uː
|
núna
|
fool
|
ʏ
|
upp
|
German Mütter; like kit with lips rounded
|
ʏː
|
kul
|
German schön; like kid with lips rounded
|
Diphthongs
|
ai
|
ætla
|
RP right
|
aiː
|
æfing
|
pie
|
au
|
sjálfur
|
mouth
|
auː
|
páfi
|
allow
|
ei
|
engi
|
pace
|
eiː
|
heim
|
pay
|
ɔi
|
bogi
|
choice
|
ou
|
hóll
|
goal (short)
|
ouː
|
kópur
|
goal (long)
|
œy
|
laust
|
Scottish or Canadian rite
|
œyː
|
auga
|
ʏi
|
hugi
|
No English equivalent, similar to gooey
|
Other symbols
|
IPA |
Explanation
|
ˈ◌
|
primary stress (placed before the stressed syllable, e.g. langur [ˈlauŋkʏr̥])
|
ˌ◌
|
secondary stress (placed before the stressed syllable, e.g. afmælisdagur [ˈamailɪsˌtaːɣʏr̥])
|
|