How to Type in Faroese — Faroese Touch Typing
Faroese has ~70,000 speakers in the Faroe Islands — one of Europe's smallest language communities. Like Icelandic, it preserves Old Norse letters: ð (eth) (though NOT þ thorn). Plus acute-accented vowels and æ, ø, å (from Nordic alphabet).
Faroese alphabet (29 letters)
- Standard Latin A-Z (without C, Q, W, Z)
- Á á, Í í, Ó ó, Ú ú, Ý ý — acute-accented vowels
- Ð ð (eth) — same as Icelandic
- Æ æ (ash)
- Ø ø (slashed o)
- Å å (occasional, in Danish loanwords)
Unlike Icelandic, Faroese doesn't preserve þ (thorn).
QWERTY-FO layout
Similar to Norwegian QWERTY-NO but with ð and acute-accented vowels added. See QWERTY-FO layout deep-dive.
Practice at /fo/qwerty_fo/.
Common Faroese typing patterns
- og, í, til — common short words
- føroyskt, Føroyar, føroyingar — proper nouns
- takk fyri, vinarliga — politeness
- Tórshavn, Klaksvík — city names
- góðan dag, góða kvøld — greetings
Touch typing tips
- Drill ð specifically (less common than in Icelandic)
- Master á, í, ó, ú, ý — common in Faroese
- Right pinky workload — multiple specials on right side
- Small language community — fewer learning resources online
Target: 35-45 WPM in 6-8 weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Faroese similar to Icelandic?
Closely related (both descended from Old Norse). Mutually somewhat intelligible in writing. Different keyboards (Faroese lacks þ).
Why preserve ð?
Like Icelandic — preserves Old Norse heritage. Both languages are conservative in retaining old characters.
How many Faroese speakers exist?
About 70,000 — almost entirely in the Faroe Islands (autonomous territory of Denmark).
Can I type Faroese on Norwegian QWERTY-NO?
Missing ð and acute-accented vowels. Most Faroese speakers use QWERTY-FO.
Is there a Sami or Greenlandic keyboard?
Both have their own layouts with additional characters. Different from Faroese.
Should I learn Faroese touch typing?
Only if you speak Faroese — extremely niche otherwise.
Practice Faroese typing
Practice Faroese on Typing Hero App — 19 lessons including ð and Faroese accents.
For more: QWERTY-FO layout, How to type in Icelandic, How to type in Norwegian.