LearnFrisian

Frisian is a language from Friesland in the Netherlands. LearnFrisian.com offers a free Frisian learning program, which includes audio for listening practice, exercise points, and competitive features for motivation. It’s a great resource for those exploring Frisian language and culture.

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Why you should learn Frisian

Closest language to English

Makes it the easiest language to learn as an English speaker.

The Coolest Words

Frisian’s vowel system has some unique features that make it distinct from other Germanic languages.

Oldest living Germanic language

Frisian is the oldest living Germanic language.

Viking-Age Heritage

The Frisians share a fascinating warrior heritage with the Scandinavians and were known as fierce seafarers themselves.

Join a community of only 500,000 speakers

The Frisian language has around 500,000 speakers.

Explore a whole new world

Explore the Frisian history, myths, folktales, culture and much more.

Start learning Frisian today.

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What can you learn?

Introduction

Frisian Words

Pronouns

Basics

Countries

Interested in Frisian articles?

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Frisian Articles

Frisian Surnames: The Family Names That Tell 1000 Years of History

If you’ve ever looked at a Frisian surname and thought “that looks weird,” congratulations. You’re noticing something that linguists and historians get really excited about. Frisian surnames are like time capsules. They carry stories from medieval trade routes, ancient professions, and geographical features that don’t even exist anymore. Let’s talk about why Frisian last names…

Read More Frisian Surnames: The Family Names That Tell 1000 Years of History
Frisian Articles

Frisian Medieval Manuscripts: The Handwritten Treasures That Almost Got Lost

Picture this: it’s the 1200s in Friesland, and someone’s hunched over a desk, carefully scratching out legal codes and religious texts on parchment by candlelight. These weren’t bestsellers. They weren’t meant to be. They were practical documents, written in Old Frisian, meant to settle land disputes and record church business. Fast forward 800 years, and…

Read More Frisian Medieval Manuscripts: The Handwritten Treasures That Almost Got Lost
Frisian Articles

The Frisians and the Nazis

The relationship between the Frisians and the Nazi regime is a complicated chapter that most Frisians would rather not dwell on. Like all of the occupied Netherlands, Friesland experienced German occupation from 1940 to 1945. But the Frisian situation had unique dimensions — the Nazis had specific ideas about Frisians, and those ideas created both…

Read More The Frisians and the Nazis
Frisian Articles

Frisian Textbooks: The Stubborn Little Books That Saved a Language

Here’s something wild: Frisian almost disappeared from schools completely. And the thing that saved it? A bunch of determined teachers who refused to let that happen, armed with homemade textbooks and a whole lot of stubbornness. For most of the 20th century, Dutch was the only language allowed in Frisian schools. Kids got punished for…

Read More Frisian Textbooks: The Stubborn Little Books That Saved a Language
Frisian Articles

Friesland Had Its Own Laws Before Most of Europe Even Had Countries

Here’s a fact that tends to make people sit up straighter. During the Middle Ages, when most of Europe was deep into the feudal system – peasants tied to land, lords owning everything, kings doing king things – the Frisians were doing something completely different. They called it “Frisian Freedom.” And it was exactly what…

Read More Friesland Had Its Own Laws Before Most of Europe Even Had Countries
Frisian Articles

Frisian Boats: The Ingenious Flat-Bottom Vessels That Conquered Shallow Waters

If you’ve ever wondered how Frisians became legendary sailors despite living in waters that are basically puddles compared to the open ocean, the answer is simple. They built boats that didn’t need deep water. Frisian boats are flat-bottomed, and that single design choice changed everything. Most boats need depth. They have keels that stick down…

Read More Frisian Boats: The Ingenious Flat-Bottom Vessels That Conquered Shallow Waters

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Common Questions

Everything you want to know about the Frisian language and this website.

Yes, it’s completely free to use.

www.learnfrisian.com is an online platform dedicated to teaching and promoting the Frisian language. Designed for both beginners and advanced learners, the website offers comprehensive resources, interactive lessons, and engaging content to help users grasp the nuances of Frisian. Whether you’re curious about Frisian culture, aiming to communicate with native speakers, or simply want to add another language to your repertoire, www.learnfrisian.com is your go-to destination to start your linguistic journey.

An account is only necessary for those who wish to track and save their progress, as well as for a more streamlined navigation experience.

We focus on teaching West Frisian, the dialect predominantly spoken in the Netherlands.

No, Frisian is considered one of the oldest Germanic languages, with its roots predating Dutch. Both languages, however, have evolved considerably over the centuries.

There are three main Frisian languages: West Frisian (spoken in the Netherlands), East Frisian (spoken in a small part of Germany), and North Frisian (spoken in parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany).

The ease of learning Frisian largely depends on your linguistic background. For English or Dutch speakers, certain aspects of Frisian might be easier to grasp due to some similarities in vocabulary and structure.

Frisian and English share a common Germanic origin. As a result, they have linguistic similarities, and some say that Frisian is the closest living language to English. However, they have also diverged over time and are distinct languages.

While both Frisian and Dutch are West Germanic languages and share some vocabulary, they have different phonetics, grammar, and vocabulary. They are distinct languages and are not mutually intelligible.

Frisian is a minority language, but efforts are being made to promote and preserve it. In Friesland, for instance, it’s taught in schools and used in public life.

Most Dutch people outside of Friesland do not understand Frisian. However, in Friesland, many residents are bilingual and can speak both Dutch and Frisian.

Frisian has ancient roots, tracing back to the early Germanic languages around the 1st century AD. It has evolved over the centuries and has distinct historical phases like Old, Middle, and Modern Frisian.

Like all living languages, the exact number of words in Frisian is difficult to pin down as it continually evolves. However, it has a rich vocabulary that serves the needs of its speakers in daily communication, literature, and other forms of expression.

Learning Frisian not only allows you to communicate with native speakers but also provides insight into a rich cultural heritage and history. It can also enhance cognitive abilities, as learning any language does.

‘â’ ‘aw’ as in ‘Dawn’
‘ê’ ‘he’ as in ‘Where’
‘g’ ‘g’ as in ‘Girl’
‘i’ ‘i’ as in ‘Bin’. Can also sound like ‘e’.
‘i’/‘y’ ‘e’ as in ‘He, She, We’
‘j’ ‘y as in ‘You’
‘û’ ‘o’ as in ‘Two’
‘w’ in Frisian is a sound in between ‘v’ and ‘w’ at the beginning of words.

‘oe’ ‘oo’ as in ‘Good’
‘ie’/’ii’ ‘ea’ as in ‘Leader’
‘ij’ ‘y’ as in ‘By’
‘ei’ it is near to ‘y’ as in ‘My’
‘oa’ ‘o’ as in ‘Bore’
‘ea’ ‘ea’ as in ‘Gear’
‘ch’ as in Scottish ‘loch’
‘iuw’ like ‘ee’ in ‘bee’ and ‘oo’ in ‘boot’ said together quickly.

The letters b, d, t, f, h, k, l, m, n, s are (nearly) the same as English.
The little ‘hat’ (circumflex) on top of these letters: â, ô, ê make the sound of the regular ‘a’, ‘o’, ‘e’ longer. This is not always the case with ‘û’.

While Frisian is predominantly spoken in the Netherlands, especially in Friesland, understanding the language can be beneficial in regions of Germany where East and North Frisian are spoken.

Yes, West Frisian, the variety taught on our platform, has a standardized orthography. However, like all languages, there are dialectal variations.

Frisian has its own set of phonetic rules which differ from both Dutch and English. Our platform provides guides and exercises to help learners with correct pronunciation.