QWERTY-IS (Icelandic) — Þ, Ð, Æ, Ö in Icelandic

QWERTY-IS is the Icelandic keyboard layout — unique because Icelandic preserves two ancient letters most other European languages have lost: Þ (thorn) and Ð (eth). The layout also includes Æ, Ö, and dead-key accents for á, é, í, ó, ú, ý.

The Icelandic alphabet has 32 letters

Icelandic adds these to standard QWERTY:

• Á á, É é, Í í, Ó ó, Ú ú, Ý ý — accented vowels (acute)
• Þ þ (thorn) — Old Norse letter, "th" sound
• Ð ð (eth) — Old Norse letter, "soft th" sound
• Æ æ — ash ligature
• Ö ö — o with diaeresis

C, Q, W, Z are present but RARELY used in native Icelandic (mostly loanwords).

Where each Icelandic character lives

• þ: dedicated key (right of P top row, where [ is on US)
• ð: dedicated key (right of L home row, where ; is on US)
• æ: dedicated key (right of Ð, home row)
• ö: dedicated key (right of P, far position)
• á é í ó ú ý: dead key ´ + vowel
• å: not used in Icelandic (Norwegian/Danish letter)

Practice the Icelandic layout at /is/qwerty_is/.

Why Þ and Ð are unique

Icelandic preserves these letters from Old Norse:

• Þ (thorn): voiceless "th" sound (like English "think")
• Ð (eth): voiced "th" sound (like English "this")

English used to have both letters (you can see them in Old/Middle English texts) but lost them in the 1400s, replacing them with "th". Icelandic kept them, partly because Icelandic spelling changed less over time than English did.

Common Icelandic typing patterns

• og, er, í, á, en — common short words
• Reykjavík, Ísland, þjóð — proper nouns with multiple special characters
• þú, þetta, þannig — þ-starting words (very common)
• ekki, allt, jæja — common everyday words
• víkingar, sögur, sagan — Saga/history words

The þ at word-start is extremely common in Icelandic (similar to "the" in English). Drill it specifically.

Touch typing tips for Icelandic

1. Drill þ and ð specifically — they're frequent and unique to Icelandic
2. Memorize where æ lives (right of L on home row)
3. Acute accents via dead key — same ´ + vowel system as Spanish/Portuguese
4. C, Q, W, Z are rare — don't worry about them in real Icelandic text

After 30 days: 40-50 WPM in real Icelandic.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Icelandic still use þ and ð?

Iceland's language has changed less over the past 1000 years than most European languages. Icelanders can still read Old Norse sagas with effort. Þ and ð are part of that conservatism.

Can I read Old English with knowledge of Þ and Ð?

Helps significantly — Old English used both letters. Middle English still had them. They were lost only with the rise of Continental printing presses that didn't have the characters.

How is Þ pronounced in modern English borrowings?

The Old English ye olde was actually þe olde — the "Y" is a misreading of þ when printers substituted Y for the missing thorn type.

Is Faroese similar to Icelandic for typing?

Faroese uses ð (eth) but NOT þ (thorn). Different keyboard layout (QWERTY-FO). See QWERTY-FO.

Can I type Icelandic on a US keyboard?

Possible but slow — use Alt codes or US-International with custom mappings. QWERTY-IS is much more efficient.

Should I learn Icelandic touch typing if I'm a tourist?

Probably not — Icelandic is rarely needed for tourists. If you're learning the language, yes — start on QWERTY-IS to build muscle memory for þ/ð from day 1.

Try it

Practice QWERTY-IS on Typing Hero App — 19 progressive lessons including þ and ð from the home row.

For more: How to type in Icelandic, QWERTY-FO Faroese, How to type special characters.