Icelandic online course
Questions about this Icelandic course? (+34) 644016219 (phone and WhatsApp) (+354) 8462553 | [email protected] | Messenger | Hours: Mo-Fr: 15:00-23:00 CEST/CET
Online format
This course’s online format makes having one class at a time possible. This way, you can assimilate the content gradually and use all your attention in each class.
Onsite courses often teach two classes or more in a row (intensive Icelandic courses) because it doesn’t make sense to teach only one when you have already made a trip to the school.
Teaching more than one class at a time is not the most optimal arrangement from a pedagogical point of view. As teachers, this is one of the first things we learn as students of Education in Psychology. However, schools insist on offering intensive courses and double and triple classes for organizational reasons (not because it’s the best way to learn). Keeping your attention for that long and using the following classes well is challenging. Concentration drops after 40 minutes.
Also, the course finishes too quickly, but you need more time to digest what you are learning. Icelandic is a language that requires time to assimilate.
With online teaching, you just need to click on a link to enter the class. Say goodbye to using time and money to commute to a brick-and-mortar language school.
ℹ This Icelandic course is taught in English but is open to people whose primary language may be another. Spanish speakers: You may want to join this same course taught in Spanish.
ℹ Este curso se enseña en inglés pero está abierto a personas cuya primera lengua puede ser otra. Alumnos hispanohablantes: quizá queráis apuntaros a este mismo curso impartido en español.
- Recap of Icelandic 1 and Icelandic 2. Vocabulary about neighbors and relationships. Speaking about habits.
- Vocabulary and dialogs about familiar places.
- Moving. Apartments.
- Customs. Weddings. Celebrations. Parties. Personality. The time (know how to say and ask what time something happens or during what part of the day.
- Physical descriptions. Accidents and emergencies.
- Family. The past tense. Kitchen. Plans.
- Employment. Training.
- Telling what you have done. Vocabulary about flights. Health. The human body. Emotional state. Thermic feeling. The pharmacy. Booking an appointment with the doctor.
- Recap and self-assessment.
Level 3 is the first part of the A2 level in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. You will complete A2 when you finish Icelandic 4. Therefore, this course is an initiation to the following competencies (which you’ll consolidate in Icelandic 4).
The general description of the A2 level as it appears on Wikipedia is this:
Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters. Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment, and matters in areas of immediate need.
And specifically for each ability:
👂 Listening:
I can understand phrases and the highest-frequency vocabulary related to areas of most immediate personal relevance (e.g., very basic personal and family information, shopping, local area, employment). I can catch the main point in short, clear, simple messages and announcements.
📖 Reading:
I can read very short, simple texts. I can find specific, predictable information in simple everyday material such as advertisements, prospectuses, menus and timetables and I can understand short simple personal letters.
💬🗨 Spoken interaction:
I can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar topics and activities. I can handle very short social exchanges, even though I can’t usually understand enough to keep the conversation going myself.
🗯 Spoken production:
I can use a series of phrases and sentences to describe in simple terms my family and other people, living conditions, my educational background, and my present or most recent job.
✍ Writing:
I can write short, simple notes and messages relating to matters in areas of immediate needs. I can write a very simple personal letter, for example thanking someone for something.
Teacher
My name is Fernán González Domingo, and I teach this Icelandic course. I hold a BA in Icelandic as a Second Language, a three-year diploma as a Specialist Teacher in Foreign Language (English), and an MA in Intercultural Communication, Interpretation, and Translation in Public Services (Spanish<>English). The Icelandic Ministry of Education certified me in 2008 as a Primary school teacher (validation of my teacher diploma from Spain). I am also a sworn translator from Icelandic into Spanish (Icelandic certification). I have been an interpreter for multinationals and in public services in Iceland (hospitals, health clinics, schools, municipal service centers, police stations, courts, etc.)
At the moment, I teach Icelandic full-time.
I have years of experience as a teacher, both on my own and as an employee, and have worked as a freelancer since 2012. I am always studying a language (or something else, to remind me what being a learner is) and learning about Second Language Acquisition to improve my training as a teacher. I no longer translate or interpret; all my work (full-time) is in the language education sector—more information.
Why should you take this Icelandic course with me?
Because I have walked the path you have in front of you and reached professional proficiency in Icelandic.
And because I am going to accompany you personally during at least 150 hours from Icelandic 3 to Icelandic 5, if you want 🙂. You’ll also have the opportunity to take other specialized courses between those courses or after them.
Derek Sivers (former student and TED speaker) left this comment:
«GREAT teacher. Very helpful teaching Icelandic. The fact that it’s not his mother tongue makes him better at this, because he has really thought about the subject.»
I started studying online on my own in 2006, a few months before moving to Iceland. I learned all I could at university and outside. Years later, I started interpreting from and into Icelandic for corporations (consecutive and simultaneous interpreting).
I am a realistic optimist. Everyone can learn Icelandic, but I’m not going to lie to you like ads that say, “Learn X quick and easy.” The hardest part is in the beginning, making Icelandic less rewarding than English or Spanish, which start easy but get harder after some time. Because of this, many students quit Icelandic before they progress significantly. It’s not strange. I wanted to quit two or three times. But I didn’t throw in the towel.
Don’t give up. If you strengthen that base and keep moving forward, you’ll be able to communicate in Icelandic, live your daily life in Icelandic, and become part of a society that works, with its advantages and disadvantages, as happens in all neighboring countries. And this is very gratifying. The experience of living in Iceland, with or without Icelandic, is radically different.
Other teachers can teach you Icelandic, but they haven’t gone through the path you have to walk to learn it. In many cases, they haven’t learned a language with similar complexity and experienced the process you will go through. This makes a difference because, in the end, the materials you will see are similar, but understanding the learning process and developing attitudes that will help you learn matters the most. You’ll spend a few hours with me, but each week has 165 hours more, and because of this, you must be as independent as possible.
Besides teaching you Icelandic in class, I’ll help you learn how to learn and understand the process. I encourage and challenge you to become better. You will also see different approaches about how to learn a language that may be helpful to you.
By teaching and speaking with other foreigners, I’ve seen students often significantly influenced by the marketing of language classes and other products. It reminds me of TV ads with gadgets to achieve a six-pack while you watch TV sitting. Nobody with a six-pack uses those products (or not exclusively). These trends are sometimes ineffective, or worse, they are an obstacle because they waste your time with fantasy instead of doing what you have to do to reach your goal. They also give you unreal expectations, which will frustrate you when you don’t see results. If you want to learn how to learn, pay attention to someone who has learned, not the TV ad.
Clear pronunciation
I emphasize pronunciation. It is essential for the other person to understand you and to minimize the number of times an Icelander switches to English when speaking with you. You don’t need to speak like a native speaker; you need clear Icelandic. Having clear pronunciation also helps you to understand others.
As an additional benefit, you’ll learn about the pronunciation of other languages and understand why you pronounce things the way you do (this is important to know what to do).
Materials
This Icelandic course uses:
– Íslenska fyrir alla 3 as its textbook. Students can view it electronically for free, but having a copy to write on is recommended. If you live in Iceland, Bóksala stúdenta sells this book. You can also ask Penninn Eymundsson. If you’d like to buy it as cheap as possible, you can get a black and white copy for about half the price from Háskólaprent. If you live in another country, I recommend having it printed and bound at a copy center (I’ll send you the PDF before you start the course).
– Units 5 and 6 in Colloquial Icelandic. We use this book from Icelandic 1 to Icelandic 5. Students in Iceland can get it at Bóksala stúdenta (you can order it online). If you often travel abroad, it may be cheaper to buy it in another country (for example, from your local Amazon). Students in other countries can buy it on their local Amazon or any other bookstore.
– Icelandic Grammar Step by Step – Exercise book A1 – A2 by Stefan Drabek. Students work independently on this book during Icelandic 2, 3 and 4. Students are expected to finish two thirds by the end of Icelandic 3 (students finish the first third during Icelandic 2, but if you’re starting the book, one third will be enough). Students in Iceland can buy it at Bóksala stúdenta (just like the textbook). Students in other countries can buy it directly from the author (the book ships from Germany; if you live outside the EU, you may need to pay customs and other fees).
Students buy their materials (the tuition doesn’t include them).
The course uses English as the language of instruction. Language classes involve easy but abstract concepts and therefore you need an upper-intermediate level of English. To take this course, you need to be a native English speaker or have a B2 level.
If you’re unsure about your English level, fill in the form anyway (checking the box about language requirements) and ask me about it.
Fernán is a wonderful teacher. His methods work very well, considering that Icelandic is a difficult language. I have tried other courses, and they did not work for me. I stagnated and threw in the towel. But since I started classes with him, I have started to really learn.
I always recommend him to friends or acquaintances interested in learning Icelandic, and he also has many tricks that help you understand grammar. He also gives students a lot of resources (dictionaries, books, etc.), which are always good for extra material. And most importantly, he keeps students motivated since it’s not always easy to study this language
.
He’s great!
Excellent teacher. He goes out of his way to help his students learn and understand things. In addition, he is very accessible (he invites you to ask him any questions you may have). Thank you for everything you have taught me, Fernán! 
All reviews can be verified on the Google page, the Facebook reviews section, and the UpWork profile, where they were initially published.
✅ Bonus 1: Free access to Snara during the course
Snara offers monolingual and bilingual dictionaries from and into Icelandic with the following languages: Danish, English, French, German, Greek, Italian, Polish, and Spanish. It also has a database with recipes in Icelandic so that you can test your cooking and Icelandic skills at the same time. The key you will receive will work throughout the course until thirty days after the last class. Still, you may have access for an entire year, depending on when you sign up and Snara renews our key. Save up to ISK 8,800 (ca. EUR 58) yearly.
✅ Bonus 2: A native revisor will correct your assignments
As the number of students has grown and I teach more groups weekly, it’s become more difficult for me to correct my students’ homework promptly. A native revisor can do this much quicker, which means you’ll receive personalized feedback earlier. Value: ISK 10,000 (ca. EUR 66).
✅ Bonus 3: A planning tool for you to succeed 🚀
Many students have good intentions and want to work on their own. However, the course flies by, and they realize they couldn’t do as much as they wanted due to a lack of planning. This bonus lets you plan everything you want to do outside the virtual classroom (listen to podcasts, watch movies and series in Icelandic, etc.) Value: ISK 10,000 (ca. EUR 66).
✅ Bonus 4: A list of resources in Icelandic you can enjoy on your own 📺📓
You will receive a PDF with links to resources to watch Icelandic movies and series, etc. You’ll also discover where you can find free ebooks in Icelandic (also audiobooks) or how to buy ebooks in Icelandic for your ebook reader (Kindle). Value: ISK 14 000 (ca. EUR 93).
✅ Bonus 5: An accountability buddy 👦👩
I pair each student with another so that they share their progress and what they have done in Icelandic each week. An accountability buddy helps you remain accountable to yourself and motivates you to do more. Many people set learning a language as a New Year resolution, but only 8% reach their goal. An accountability buddy helps you turn the tables, making things go in your favor and making you responsible for your progress. Many start an Icelandic course, and suddenly, they’ve reached the last class without doing as much as they wanted. Value: ISK 14 000 (ca. EUR 93).
✅ Bonus 6: Badges related to Icelandic
Show the world 🌍 you’re learning Icelandic. While supplies last (hurry up!) Eight different models (colors are random; I’ll try to send you the most varied kit possible 🙂).
They are sent anywhere in the world for free. However, if you live outside the EU, the customs in your country may charge you some fee or tax; check with the authorities before placing your order to avoid surprises 🙂. I can’t be responsible for customs/import fees. Value: 3800 ISK (ca. 25 EUR).
✅ Bonus 7: Networking event
We celebrate a networking event every four months. You’ll meet students from the other groups. Whether you live in Iceland or another country, this event can help you meet like-minded people and plan things together. A solid social circle is essential for those who have moved to Iceland. Also, you can speak about what you do in the event, which may open doors for you in the Icelandic labor market, find a rental through another student, etc.
Value: priceless.
✅ Bonus 8: Alumni page
Students and alumni may appear on an alumni webpage where they can promote what they do and display the field they work in. It’s the perfect place to let everyone see what you sell, offer, etc. You can include links and contact information. Thanks to the alumni page, someone may find you and become a lifetime customer. Value: priceless.
- Live classes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
- Hours: 19:00-19:55 CEST/CET. The official timezone for this course is Central European (Summer) Time. This means that for Iceland students, the hours will be from 17:00 to 17:55 until the end of October. After that date, the EU changes the clock, and the Icelandic time will be 18:00-18:55. If you live in another country, check this converter for summertime and this one for wintertime. Not every country changes the time (the case of Iceland). Nothing will change for countries that change the clock on the exact dates as the EU, but please note that some countries/states do it on different dates than the EU. Contact me if you have any questions. In any case, Google Calendar will handle everything and show you the right time for each class.
- The equivalent of six students must sign up for the course to start. Students will receive a refund if the group doesn’t have enough participation to start.
- There’s a maximum of ten live attendants.
- If you are reading this after the start date, don’t worry. You can watch the recordings of the previous classes and attend the rest.
This round starts on September 2, 2024, and ends when we finish the 50 classes. Sign up in the form below.
If you are at work at that time, ask your supervisor if it is possible to attend classes then. From experience with other students, I know that many employers in Iceland are willing to allow some flexibility or that lessons become part of the work schedule. Many employers are interested in you learning Icelandic.
🟢 Guidelines about the course’s calendar:
Start and end dates are flexible. Officially, we should start on Monday, September 2, 2024, and finish on Christmas Day if the course had no pauses. However, Icelandic 3 will take longer: there are public holidays, Christmas, and I still owe myself free days from this year and last year. I regularly check each course’s progress to forecast when one course finishes and the next starts realistically. We should finish in January 2025.
More factors can affect the dates, such as when the group needs more classes (at no cost) to finish the official material, technical issues, sick days, the teacher’s personal or professional commitments, etc.
In the same way there is flexibility and students will receive free extra classes if necessary so that we can finish the materials, it is expected that students will be flexible about dates. Mastering a language takes 2,000-3,000 hours, which means it is no use to get frustrated because the end date changes a few weeks or a month. Students can also use the recordings in case that expanding the course or a delay doesn’t allow them to attend some classes (many students travel during the course, and this works for them).
Nevertheless, if you have much availability and can do more than the official material, I can assign you more materials to help you solidify what you’ve learned and keep moving forward.
I follow Castile and León (Spain) school calendar and Burgos’s work calendar (Spain). Since this course starts in September 2024, these are the most relevant dates for public holidays:
- November 1: All Saints' Day.
- December 6: Constitution Day (Spain).
- December 9: Day of the Immaculate Conception (moved from December 8).
- December 23 - January 6: Christmas.
There can also be administrative days. I take administrative days when I launch rounds of other courses or have pending work that requires canceling classes. Administrative days usually take a full day, and classes are canceled. There shouldn’t be many, but in any case, don’t worry—you’ll have plenty of work 🙂, which means you won’t be stuck. I’ll be available to you via email on those days for any questions you may have.
Tuition
How much is this Icelandic course? With all the bonuses, the value of this course is up to ISK 117,000 or EUR 775. But you don’t have to pay that.
117,000 ISK o 775 € 79,000 ISK or 523 €
The course has 50 55-minute classes and a cost of ISK 79,000 (or EUR 523).
Don’t forget that this Icelandic course has numerous bonuses
Contract conditions for this Icelandic course
- Students pay for the course in advance, formalizing their reservation of a seat. As soon as the course is confirmed (when the equivalent of six students has paid), students will receive an invoice and receipt in their email as proof of charge. Places are granted depending on who makes the reservation earlier (on a first-come, first-served basis).
- Once the seat is reserved, due to the course’s fixed costs, there are no tuition refunds unless other students are on the waiting list and formalize their registration. If the course has already started, the return of the tuition will be proportional to the unused part of the course if another person substitutes for the person leaving.
- We offer this course on-demand, which ends when the 50 classes are over or when we finish the material if we need more classes. There is no official end date.
- The teacher of this Icelandic course is Fernán González Domingo. However, if he is ill or has professional or personal commitments, another teacher can replace him. If no teacher is available or the course dates need an extension, the teacher will try to find a solution, taking into account the students’ schedules so that all students receive the classes they have contracted.
- Etiquette: Out of respect for your classmates and the teacher, we ask you to attend classes alone in a room without noise and with your camera on. By default, all attendees have their microphones open to ask questions when they want, as in a face-to-face classroom. Still, if there is noise, you must turn your microphone off (or we’ll do it for you; you can turn it on again to participate at any point). The virtual classroom has a feature to raise your hand. Private classes may fit your needs better if your situation makes participation impossible. It is not allowed to photograph, copy/reproduce, record, or distribute the content of the classes. Failure to follow these instructions or being disrespectful to other students or the teacher may result in the student’s expulsion from that class or the course (no refund).
- If no student shows up, the teacher will teach the class with no students. The students will be able to watch the recording afterward.
If you have any questions, you can contact me via email, Messenger, Telegram, or WhatsApp. You can also call me at +354 846 25 53 (Iceland) or +34 644 01 62 19 (Spain).
💰 Grants and easy payment terms
If you live in Iceland:
ℹ All employees in Iceland are unionized, and most unions offer reimbursements for courses taken by their members. Ask your union about your situation and how much you could receive before signing up for the course. The scholarship can be up to 100% of the price of the course, so hopefully, money is not an obstacle for anyone who lives in Iceland and wants to learn Icelandic. With the grants and all the bonuses, it’s almost like getting paid for learning Icelandic 😉.
Putting grants in perspective: with a 75% refund, this 50-lesson course would cost ISK 19,750 (each class would be ISK 395); with a 50% refund, the course would cost ISK 39,500 (about ISK 790 per class).
Other countries:
Check with your union or other institution. You may have access to some scholarships. I also offer scholarships (partial grants) for students in some countries.
If you can’t access any grant from your union or other institution, these options can help:
- Students in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Finland, France, Greece, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, the US can use buy now pay later options that let them pay in 3-4 installments without interest (selecting more installments may add interest) through Affirm, Afterpay/Clearpay, Klarna, Meses Sin Intereses (MX), PayPal (only Spain) and Zip. The availability of these platforms depends on your location and the currency for the payment. Let me know if you need any accommodations to use these services (such as using another currency). I’ll see if it’s possible 🙂. Filling in the form doesn’t commit you to anything. It can be an excellent opportunity to get in touch and see what’s available.
- If you live outside Iceland, besides the buy now pay later plans, I also have partial grants for students in some countries. The idea is that the course’s price is in line with the prices in other countries, according to an economic index. You’ll need to prove you live in the country you say you live in. Feel free to fill in the form (no commitments); we can go from there. You can also email me or send me a line on Messenger, and I’ll provide more information. Using these grants excludes other promotions. If there are different promotions and discounts available, I’ll help you choose the best one.
- Remember that if it is hard to pay at once, you can use a credit card or consumer credit. Ask your bank or another institution that provides loans (but please avoid falling into a credit trap).
Bring a friend
Bring a friend who has never been our student and both of you will receive a 10 % off discount. You must pay simultaneously (depending on the situation, a different time could be ok). This promotion/discount excludes any other promotion/discount. If you could benefit from various promotions/discounts, I’ll help you choose the best one.
Partners' and families' plan
Partners and family members who learn Icelandic together have 10 % off for each signup as long as at least another relative is enrolled. Family covers up to fourth-degree relatives (parents and children; grandparents, grandchildren, and siblings; uncles and aunts; great-grandparents and great-grandchildren; first cousins and great-uncles and great-aunts). This promotion/discount excludes any other promotion/discount. If you could benefit from different promotions/discounts, I’ll help you choose the best one.
