Icelandic words change their endings a lot, so it helps to meet each new word inside a sentence and to hear it. This page compares eight Icelandic word tools by where the words come from, how you save them, how you review them, and what comes with each word. Some give you a list, some give you sentences, and some let you build your own deck. For a wider look at courses and tutors, see our Icelandic app comparison. For reading and listening, see our Icelandic comprehensible input comparison.
Bubblegum
For serious learners, Bubblegum is the best app to learn Icelandic. You learn from Icelandic you can mostly understand, which is called comprehensible input.
Tell Poppy, your AI tutor, your level and what you like, and she writes your Icelandic lessons. If a sentence is hard to follow, ask Poppy to explain it.
With Regenerative Review™, words you save show up again in new lessons, so that you can review words in new contexts without having to use flashcards.
- Words you save come from the Icelandic sentences you read, and every lesson has read-aloud audio.
- Regenerative Review™ brings a saved word back in a new Icelandic lesson.
- Poppy explains hard Icelandic sentences in English, and saved words can go to Anki.
- Clear, expressive AI voices read every lesson aloud, with a different voice for each speaker.
- Learn every letter and its sound in the free Icelandic Alphabet course.
- Review happens inside new lessons, not as a flashcard schedule. You also can't turn an Icelandic book or article you own into a lesson, but Poppy will explain a passage you paste in.
- Custom lessons cost us money to make, so you need Bubblegum Pro for unlimited custom lessons. Lessons Poppy wrote for other learners are free for everyone to read.
- Regenerative Review™
- Teaches the Icelandic Alphabet
Mobile
Drops
Drops suits learners who want quick picture games for Icelandic words.
- Illustrated Icelandic words and phrases with pronunciation audio.
- Favorites, Review Dojo, Quiz and Word Collection let you go back to words.
Mobile
uTalk
uTalk suits learners who want to hear a word and say it back.
- Practical Icelandic words and phrases by topic, each with written text and audio from native speakers.
- You can record yourself, and memory games bring back the harder words.
MobileWeb
Clozemaster
Clozemaster suits learners who want to see how an Icelandic word sits in a full sentence.
- An Icelandic collection for English speakers, where you fill in the missing word of a sentence.
- Sentences you practiced return in spaced review, with an English translation and audio.
MobileWeb
LingQ
LingQ suits learners who want to build their word list from what they read.
- An Icelandic library of text and audio, plus text you import.
- Tap an unknown word to save it, then review it or meet it again as you read.
- Flashcards
MobileWeb
Other Apps We Looked At (4)
- Anki with IceFlash 4KIceFlash 4K is an Icelandic and English deck made at the University of Iceland. It has English meanings and selected inflection details, and its pronunciation is synthesized. Anki reviews it on a schedule you choose. Anki is free on computers and on Android through AnkiDroid, and AnkiMobile for iPhone is a one-time purchase.
- Tobo IcelandicIcelandic flashcards you swipe as learned or to repeat, with pictures, word pronunciation, favorites and word lists that open as you progress. The download is free, and a subscription removes ads and adds sync and unlimited hints.
- MuninnAn iPhone app where you save words to your own decks, paste Icelandic text to make cards and import Anki decks. It offers flashcards, gap fill, synonym match and quizzes. The download is free.
- MemriseAn official Icelandic course by topic, with a free plan and a Pro plan.
| App | English help | Where words come from | How you review | Sentences and audio | Free part |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bubblegum | Partly | Lessons Poppy writes | Saved words return in new lessons | Lesson sentences with read-aloud audio | Library lessons |
| Drops | Yes | Supplied topic lists | Favorites, Review Dojo, Quiz | Pictures and word audio | Free sessions with time limits |
| uTalk | Yes | Supplied topic phrases | Memory games, self-recording | Written phrase and native audio | A few starter words, the course is paid |
| Clozemaster | Yes | Supplied sentences | Spaced review of fill-in sentences | Sentence, translation, audio | Free practice |
| LingQ | Yes | Library and imported text | Save words, review or meet them again | Library text and audio | Limited saving and importing |
| Anki with IceFlash 4K | Partly | The IceFlash deck or your own cards | Anki schedule you choose | English meanings and inflection details, synthesized audio | Computer and Android |
| Tobo Icelandic | Unconfirmed | Supplied flashcards | Swipe learned or repeat, games | Pictures and word audio | Free download |
| Muninn | Unconfirmed | Your feed, pasted text, Anki decks | Flashcards, gap fill, quizzes | Translations and pronunciation advertised | Free download |
Which Icelandic vocabulary app should a beginner choose?
If you are serious about learning Icelandic, start with Bubblegum. Poppy, your AI tutor, writes lessons at your level about things you like. Or start with Drops if you want pictures and short games for your first Icelandic words.
Is IceFlash a separate app?
No. IceFlash 4K is a deck of Icelandic words with English meanings that the University of Iceland made for Anki. You import it into Anki, so it is one tool and not two.
Which apps let me use my own words?
Anki lets you write your own cards, and Muninn lets you paste Icelandic text to make cards. LingQ lets you import text and save words from it. Clozemaster and Drops give you words they supply.
Is Bubblegum free?
Yes. Lessons Poppy wrote for other learners are free for everyone to read. Custom lessons cost us money to make, so you need Bubblegum Pro for unlimited custom lessons.
Sources
- Drops: learn Icelandic
- uTalk: Learn Icelandic
- Clozemaster: Icelandic from English
- LingQ: learn Icelandic online
- University of Iceland: new vocabulary app for people learning Icelandic
- Anki: what's free
- Tobo Icelandic: iPhone App Store listing
- Muninn: iPhone App Store listing
- Memrise: learn Icelandic
- Bubblegum
- Clozemaster
- LingQ
