The Alphabet

The Icelandic alphabet has 32 letters. Twenty two of them are conventional Latin alphabet letters; Aa, Bb, Dd, Ee, Ff, Gg, Hh, Ii, Jj, Kk, Ll, Mm, Nn, Oo, Pp, Rr, Ss, Tt, Uu, Vv, Xx, Yy. (All of the letters of the English alphabet except Cc, Qq, and Ww.) Icelandic also has the letters Þþ and Ð,ð, which were once also part of the English alphabet. In addition the Icelandic also has the superscripted letters Áá, Éé, Íí, Óó, Úú, Ýý and Öö. These are letters in their own right and not just phonetic modifications of the superscripted letter. In addition to the above there is the ligature combining a and e, æ. It is also a separate letter on its own.

In addition to letters denoting phonemes there are combinations of letters which denote sounds completely unrelated to the sounds of the letters which make them up. These are two letter combinations and are called diagraphs. For example, in English thare the diagraphs, th, ch, sh and qu. In Icelandic æ and hv are diagraphs. The superscripted letters of the Icelandic alphabet are in the nature of diagraphs.

Pronunciation of Icelandic Letters and Diagraphs