Dictionary accessible from all computers connected to the University of Iceland network Snara.is an online dictionary Dictionaries accessible from Language Centre computers Le Petit Robert en ligne French-French dictionary, password-restricted. Request a password from a Language Centre staff member. Orðabók.is: English-Icelandic/Icelandic-English dictionary, password-restricted. Request a password from a Language Centre staff member. Free, open-access resources Frasar.net: Danish-Icelandic idioms TV5 French dictionary French-French, French thesaurus, English-French/French-English, French verb conjugations. French dictionary Trésor de la langue française. Glossa: Latin-English dictionary Ministry of Foreign Affairs Translation Centre Thesaurus ISLEX: Icelandic – Swedish/Danish/Norwegian/Faroese Lexilogos French multi-dictionary portal Liddell & Scott: Greek – English dictionary Merriam-Webster Online Norwegian dictionary Bokmål and nynorsk Norwegian dictionary Norwegian, Spanish and English SignWiki Ísland: Icelandic Sign Language Word reference multilingual German-English/English-German online dictionary Other resources Málið

Language centre

Listen

The Language Centre of the University of Iceland is open to all University students and staff interested in learning a foreign language. The Language Centre has a variety of resources for the study of language supported by the latest in information and communication technology.

The Language Centre organises a variety of language courses to meet the needs of students and staff.

Emphasis is placed on self-directed study, in which students manage all the main aspects of their learning with the support of an instructor.

Students set their own goals, choose their own learning methods, and work with materials related to their interests or areas of expertise. In this way, language instruction is personalised to suit the needs of each and every student.

Opportunity for UI students

ReyVarstígur – from Reykjavik to Warsaw in the Footsteps of the Polish Enlightenment is a multi-stage, interdisciplinary project including various educational and cultural activities that will be carried out in Iceland and Poland during the autumn semester of 2025.
The project is carried out by the University of Warsaw and the University of Iceland under the NAWA – Promotion of the Polish Language program.

ReyVarstígur information page.

The Language Centre oversees SIELE and TestDaF exams in Iceland. Test dates will be announced separately in events on the front page.

SIELE

SIELE: Servicio Internacional de Evaluación de la Lengua Española

The University of Iceland Language Centre now offers the electronic Spanish assessment test, SIELE. SIELE is an international, electronic assessment test of Spanish language proficiency organised by Instituto Cervantes, Universidad Autónoma de México, Universidad de Salamanca, and Universidad de Buenos Aires.

The exam is based upon the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and is divided into four modules: reading comprehension, listening, speaking, and writing. It is possible to take individual exam modules or all four together.

Registration and payment are completed online on the SIELE website.
The cost for the full exam is €155 and €55 - €100 for select modules. For further information regarding the cost of individual exam modules, please consult the SIELE website.

Please direct all further inquiries to Eyjólfur Már Sigurðsson: ems@hi.is

TestDaf

TestDaF is an electronic German language proficiency exam intended for those considering university studies in Germany. The exam fee is €210.
Registration and payment are completed online on the TestDaF website.

Dictionary accessible from all computers connected to the University of Iceland network

Snara.is an online dictionary

Dictionaries accessible from Language Centre computers

Le Petit Robert en ligne French-French dictionary, password-restricted.
Request a password from a Language Centre staff member.
Orðabók.is: English-Icelandic/Icelandic-English dictionary, password-restricted.
Request a password from a Language Centre staff member.

Free, open-access resources

Frasar.net: Danish-Icelandic idioms
TV5 French dictionary
French-French, French thesaurus, English-French/French-English, French verb conjugations.
French dictionary Trésor de la langue française.
Glossa: Latin-English dictionary
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Translation Centre Thesaurus
ISLEX: Icelandic – Swedish/Danish/Norwegian/Faroese
Lexilogos French multi-dictionary portal
Liddell & Scott: Greek – English dictionary
Merriam-Webster Online
Norwegian dictionary Bokmål and nynorsk
Norwegian dictionary Norwegian, Spanish and English
SignWiki Ísland: Icelandic Sign Language
Word reference multilingual
German-English/English-German online dictionary

Other resources

Málið

Self-directed language learning essentially means that students direct all of the main aspects of their study, such as the objectives, methods, materials, and evaluation.That way students can tailor their study to their own needs. There are, however, two conditions to self-directed study, students must:

be able to manage the aforementioned aspects of the study
have access to an assortment of resources suitable for autonomous learning

Self-directed study is founded upon the idea of learner autonomy, which is an acquired skill. Students must learn how to learn. In order to achieve this goal, students require expert guidance, in this case from a language teacher.

The teacher‘s role in self-directed language study is different than in traditional teaching. Here, the teacher is no longer an instructor so much as an advisor. As an advisor, the teacher helps students achieve increased autonomy by making them aware of the learning process, their own learning styles and strategies, and their attitudes towards their studies, target language and learning material. In this way, students gradually manage their own learning and adapt it to their individual needs.

Access to a variety of resources is essential to self-directed language learning. At the Language Centre, students can find various resources suitable for autonomous learning, both online and offline. Teachers and other Language Centre staff are available to assist with the selection.

Each and every student can, therefore, choose resources in accordance with their own interests and the goals they have set for themselves. Technology has facilitated access to resources for autonomous learning, particularly so-called authentic materials, i.e. materials that are not originally attended for language study but can be used as such. These authentic resources allow students to keep up with current events, thus bringing them closer to their target language and culture.

The Language Centre is a member of CERCLES, the European Confederation of Language Centres in Higher Education and has participated in various development projects funded by the European Commission.