The Viking Language Series

Viking Language 1 (Third Edition):
Learn Old Norse, Runes, and Icelandic Sagas

5 star review on Amazon: “This course is a brilliantly designed introduction to a fascinating language. What Makes It Shine: Engaging Lessons: The material is presented in a clear, digestible, and genuinely interesting way. It doesn’t feel like a chore to learn; rather, it feels like an adventure into history and mythology. Structured Approach: The progression from basic vocabulary and grammar to more complex sentence structures is logical and well-paced. I never felt overwhelmed, always guided. Authentic Feel: You really get a sense of the language as it was spoken and written. The inclusion of cultural context and historical insights adds so much depth to the learning process. Practical Application: I was surprised at how quickly I started recognizing words and phrases, and even constructing simple sentences. It truly equips you with a foundational understanding. Highly Recommended! If you have any interest in Norse mythology, Viking history, or simply want to learn a unique and beautiful language, Viking Language 1 is the perfect starting point. It’s accessible, effective, and incredibly rewarding!”

Journey through Viking Age Denmark, Iceland, Greenland, Norway, Sweden, Britain, Russia, and Byzantium with original Old Norse readings of Vikings, Norse mythology, gods, heroes, sacral kingship, blood feuds, and daily life. There are highly-accurate maps and sections on Viking history, literature, myth, and runic inscriptions. You quickly learn how to read original saga passages and Viking-Age runes from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. An innovative word-frequency method eases and speeds learning. Modern Icelandic has changed little from Old Norse, and with the new 3rd edition, the learner is well on the way to mastering the modern language.

Viking Language 1 (Second Revised Edition):
Learn Old Norse, Runes, and Icelandic Sagas

Journey through Viking Age Denmark, Iceland, Greenland, Norway, Sweden, Britain, Russia, and Byzantium with original Old Norse readings of Vikings, Norse mythology, gods, heroes, sacral kingship, blood feuds, and daily life. There are highly-accurate maps and sections on Viking history, literature, myth, and runic inscriptions. You quickly learn how to read original saga passages and Viking-Age runes from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. An innovative word-frequency method eases and speeds learning. Modern Icelandic has changed little from Old Norse, and with the new 3rd edition, the learner is well on the way to mastering the modern language.

Viking Language 1 (Second Edition):
Learn Old Norse, Runes, and Icelandic Sagas

5 star review from Amazon: “Amazing book to learn how to learn Old Norse. A must have!”

This book is a complete introduction to Old Norse, runes, Icelandic sagas, mythological tales, and the culture of the Vikings.  Journey through Viking Age Denmark, Iceland, Greenland, Norway, Sweden, Britain, Russia, and Byzantium with original Old Norse readings of Vikings, Norse mythology, gods, heroes, sacral kingship, blood feuds, and daily life. The 15 graded lessons include vocabulary and grammar exercises, 35 readings, pronunciation, 15 maps, 45 illustrations, and 180 exercises.

Viking Language 2:
The Old Norse Reader

This reader is a stand-alone work that immerses the learner in Icelandic and Viking Age sources, including a wide selection of original texts about the Scandinavian gods and beliefs. It provides the tools necessary to read complete sagas and Norse mythic and heroic poetry. The book takes the student directly into the Viking World with introductions, history, notes, maps, and cultural discussions as well as comprehensive grammar and vocabulary sections. Where lessons contain exercises, answers given.

Viking Language 1 (3rd or 2nd Revised Editions):
Audio Lessons

5 star review: “If you want to learn how pronounce and sound like viking. Everything you need to pronounce Old Norse!”

Listen to native Icelanders Ása Bjarnadóttir and Magnús Lyngdal Magnússon and learn to pronounce Old Norse and Icelandic passages from the sagas, myths, and runes.  With introductions by Jesse Byock, these carefully crafted audio Mp3 albums coordinate with the readings and  lessons of Viking Language 1 (Third Edition) or Viking Language 1 (Second Revised Edition), reinforcing and speeding the learning.  No previous foreign language knowledge is required!

Please note that these are professional mp3 files and not pdfs. It is recommended to download them onto your computer.

Please note that Third Edition has a new set of audio lessons that are different from the 1st and 2nd Edition Audio Lessons.

Viking Language 1
(1st and 2nd Edition): Audio Lessons

5 star review: “This is an absolute must have for any serious student of Old Norse. Good, clear pronunciation by a native Icelander, with plenty of readings.”

In addition to Viking Language 1 & 2,  we’ve put together two MP3 audio albums that teach the pronunciation of saga passages and runes from the Viking Language series. The audio passages are spoken by native Icelander Ása Bjarnadóttir with introductions by Jesse Byock. Also available on iTunes.

Please note that the Audio Pronunciation Albums for the First and Second Editions of Viking Language 1 are the same.

Old Norse-Old Icelandic:
Concise Introduction to the Language of the Sagas

5 star review on Amazon: “A book that makes learning Old Norse easy!” “This book delivers what it offers: a concise introduction into Old Norse in a beautiful layout with a few exercises. One realizes that the authors have put a lot of thought into how to structure the subject. I like this book very much.”

Old Norse – Old Icelandic: A Concise Introduction answers the need for a modern “primer” for learning the language of the Icelandic sagas (and of runes).From the first pages, the beginner reads original Old Norse passages. This emphasis on original texts continues throughout the book with readings drawn from Icelandic sagas, Old Scandinavian myths, and Norse sources about the Viking Age. The 17 short lessons supply all necessary grammar, vocabulary, and exercises. They are designed for quick learning on one’s own or in class and lessons are carefully graded for difficulty. The primer offers a full reference grammar and a full vocabulary.

Supplementary Exercises for Old Norse-Old Icelandic

Supplementary Exercises answers the need for a modern method to learn the language of the sagas. This new primer requires no previous language knowledge, and the beginner quickly starts reading original passages from Icelandic sagas, mythological texts, and sources about the Viking Age. Designed for quick learning on one’s own or in class, the lessons supply all necessary grammar, exercises, and vocabulary.