Once you begin learning a new language, you quickly realize numbers are hiding in plain sight, from prices in shops to telling your age and saying what day it is. And if you happen to be a math and language nerd, well, you’ve just found your happy place.
This guide will teach you Icelandic numbers up to 100, with pronunciation tips and examples you can use right away. Let’s start counting in Icelandic!
How Do Icelandic Numbers Work?
Icelandic numbers follow a logical system, and some even sound similar to English. Once you understand the basic building blocks, you’ll be able to form any number up to 100 with ease.
Icelandic also uses some unique letters, which can make them confusing to pronounce. But don’t worry, we’ll explain everything as we go along!
Numbers 0 to 10
Let’s jump right into it with the core Icelandic numbers you’ll need first. These are perfect for starting to learn how to count.
| English | Number | Icelandic | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| zero | 0 | núll | |
| one | 1 | einn | |
| two | 2 | tveir | |
| three | 3 | þrír | |
| four | 4 | fjórir | |
| five | 5 | fimm | |
| six | 6 | sex | |
| seven | 7 | sjö | |
| eight | 8 | átta | |
| nine | 9 | níu | |
| ten | 10 | tíu |
Numbers 11 to 20
Icelandic forms teen numbers in a similar way to English, but the words are not always a direct combination of the smaller numbers.
Numbers 11 and 12 are unique, while 13 to 19 are based on the unit number followed by tán or tán-like endings.
The number 20 has its own separate word.
| English | Number | Icelandic | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| eleven | 11 | ellefu | |
| twelve | 12 | tólf | |
| thirteen | 13 | þrettán | |
| fourteen | 14 | fjórtán | |
| fifteen | 15 | fimmtán | |
| sixteen | 16 | sextán | |
| seventeen | 17 | sautján | |
| eighteen | 18 | átján | |
| nineteen | 19 | nítján | |
| twenty | 20 | tuttugu |
Counting By Tens
Now let’s learn how to count by tens in Iceland.
Each multiple of ten has its own word. We suggest you learn this first so that you can later more easily combine it with unit numbers.
| English | Number | Icelandic | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| twenty | 20 | tuttugu | |
| thirty | 30 | þrjátíu | |
| forty | 40 | fjörutíu | |
| fifty | 50 | fimmtíu | |
| sixty | 60 | sextíu | |
| seventy | 70 | sjötíu | |
| eighty | 80 | áttatíu | |
| ninety | 90 | níutíu | |
| one hundred | 100 | hundrað |
How To Build Larger Numbers
Once you learn the basic numbers, you can combine them to form larger ones by adding words together.
A key feature here is the word og (and) which is used between tens and units. For example, 42 is fjörutíu og tveir (forty and two).
This pattern stays consistent for all numbers between 21 and 99: say the tens number, then og, then the unit number. Really easy, right?
A few examples so you can practice:
| English (Number) | Icelandic | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| twenty one (21) | tuttugu og einn | |
| twenty seven (27) | tuttugu og sjö | |
| thirty four (34) | þrjátíu og fjórir | |
| forty nine (49) | fjörutíu og níu | |
| fifty eight (58) | fimmtíu og átta | |
| sixty three (63) | sextíu og þrír | |
| seventy one (71) | sjötíu og einn | |
| eighty five (85) | áttatíu og fimm | |
| ninety two (92) | níutíu og tveir |
Challenges For Beginners
Icelandic numbers follow a logical system, but pronunciation can be hard for new learners.
For example, þrír (three) includes a letter that doesn’t exist in English. The letter þ, called thorn, sounds like the ‘th’ in the word thumb.
The letter á represents a long ‘a’ sound, similar to the “a” in father. In átta (eight), it is pronounced ‘ah-tah.’
The letter í sounds like the ‘ee’ in see. In fimmtíu (fifty) it is pronounced ‘fim-tee-oo’.
The letter ö in Icelandic sounds a bit like the ‘u’ in ‘burn’ in English. It’s a rounded vowel, so you shape your lips as if saying ‘o’ but pronounce an ‘e’ sound.
Learning these letters will help you read numbers correctly and is a good first step to understanding the Icelandic alphabet.
Icelandic Numbers And Gender
The first four numbers in Icelandic change based on the gender of the thing you’re counting. Each number has three forms: masculine, feminine, and neuter.
Once you know the gender of the noun, you pick the matching form of the number, like so:
- 1: einn (masculine), ein (feminine), eitt (neuter)
- 2: tveir (masculine), tvær (feminine), tvö (neuter)
- 3: þrír (masculine), þrjár (feminine), þrjú (neuter)
- 4: fjórir (masculine), fjórar (feminine), fjögur (neuter)
Everything else from five onward stays the same, no matter the noun.
Ordinal And Cardinal Icelandic Numbers
In Icelandic, cardinal numbers are used for counting (one, two, three), while ordinal numbers show order or position (first, second, third).
Here is a simple table showing the basic cardinal and ordinal numbers from 1 to 10 in Icelandic:
| Number | English Cardinal | Icelandic Cardinal | English Ordinal | Icelandic Ordinal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | one | einn | first | fyrsti |
| 2 | two | tveir | second | annar |
| 3 | three | þrír | third | þriðji |
| 4 | four | fjórir | fourth | fjórði |
| 5 | five | fimm | fifth | fimmti |
| 6 | six | sex | sixth | sjötti |
| 7 | seven | sjö | seventh | sjöundi |
| 8 | eight | átta | eighth | áttundi |
| 9 | nine | níu | ninth | níundi |
| 10 | ten | tíu | tenth | tíundi |
Ordinal numbers also change their endings depending on gender and case, so they agree with the noun they describe.
For example, the masculine form is fyrsti, as in fyrsti dagurinn (the first day).
For feminine nouns, it becomes fyrsta, like fyrsta vikuna (the first week).
How Do You Say ‘Number’ In Icelandic?
The word for ‘number’ in Icelandic is tala.
The plural of tala (number) in Icelandic is tölur.
Vocabulary Related To Numbers
Numbers come up all the time in daily conversations. This vocabulary list includes common Icelandic phrases where numbers are useful, like talking about time, age, prices, and dates. Practice these to feel more confident using numbers in real situations.
| English | Icelandic | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| age | aldur | |
| price | verð | |
| time | tími | |
| date | dagsetning | |
| phone number | símanúmer | |
| How many? | Hversu margir? | |
| I am thirty-eight years old (man) | Ég er þrjátíu og átta ára gamall. | |
| I am thirty-three years old (woman) | Ég er þrjátíu og þrjú ára gömul. | |
| How much does this cost? | Hvað kostar þetta? | |
| It costs thirty-five kronur. | Það kostar þrjátíu og fimm krónur. | |
| My phone number is nine one three, two four six. | Símanúmerið mitt er níu eitt þrjú, tvö fjögur sex. | |
| The meeting starts at three o’clock. | Fundurinn byrjar klukkan þrjú. | |
| I have three brothers and one sister. | Ég á þrjá bræður og eina systur. | |
| Today is the first of September. | Í dag er fyrsti september. |
Tips For Learning Icelandic Numbers
Use these simple tips to reinforce your learning of Icelandic numbers:
- Say the date out loud every morning, for example, Í dag er fimmti október (Today is the fifth of October), to practice ordinal numbers.
- Always use og (and) to link tens and units.
- Count to ten in Icelandic a few times every day to practice the basic numbers.
- Count things around the house, like chairs, windows, or steps, as you walk.
- Master pronouncing tricky letters like þ and ð by listening to native speakers’ audio on apps like Ling.
FAQ About Icelandic Numbers
What Is The Declension Of Numbers In Icelandic?
Declension of numbers in Icelandic means that the cardinal numeral adjectives of number 1, 2, 3 and 4 are declined by gender case and number. For example, one can be einn (m), ein (f), or eitt (n).
What Does The ''Og'' Mean In Icelandic Numbers?
The word og means 'and' and is essential when saying numbers between 21 and 99, linking the tens and units, for example, fimmtíu og þrír (53).
How Do I Say My Age In Icelandic?
When you talk about your age, you start with Ég er, which means I am. After that comes your age as a number, like tuttugu og fimm for twenty-five. The final word changes depending on your gender: for a man, you say ára gamall, and for a woman, you say ára gömul. For example:
Ég er þrjátíu og átta ára gamall. (I am thirty-eight years old – man)
Ég er tuttugu og tveggja ára gömul. (I am twenty-two years old – woman)
Wrapping Up Your Icelandic Numbers Lesson
Numbers are around us all the time, so learning how to count from 1 to 100 is the first step to having everyday conversations in Icelandic.
In this guide, we explored the basics, starting with numbers 0 to 10, moved through the teens, learned how to count by tens, and how to combine them with og (and) to build numbers all the way to 99.
Another important skill is knowing that the first four numbers change depending on the gender. Practical tips like saying the date out loud each morning, counting everyday items, and listening to native pronunciation will help you remember the numbers more easily and use them naturally.
With these tools, you’re ready to count confidently in Icelandic and bring numbers into your everyday conversations.
Make Icelandic Part Of Your Life With Ling
Though Icelandic only has about 330,000 speakers, it’s one of the most interesting and well-preserved languages in the world!
Despite its rather low number of speakers, it is a proud addition to the Ling app, where you can practice Icelandic numbers, learn how to say good morning in Icelandic, and explore many other topics on the go!
What makes Ling such a great tool for mastering a language like Icelandic is the way it blends fun, variety, and science-backed learning techniques. Lessons are short and interactive, using spaced repetition to make sure new words and phrases stay in your memory for the long term.
From the very beginning, you can practice with real-world dialogues through the chatbot, hear native speaker audio, and even receive pronunciation feedback to help you sound more natural.
If you are just getting started, the free version already gives you daily lessons, vocabulary reviews, and essential conversation practice, which is more than enough to build a solid foundation.
For those who want to go further, Ling Pro opens access to the full library of over two hundred lessons, unlimited speaking practice, and advanced review tools that help you progress toward fluency.
Begin your Icelandic journey today with Ling’s clean design and engaging activities. With every new word and expression you master, you will feel more confident using the language in real conversations. Download the app and make learning Icelandic a part of your everyday life.
