How To Speak Swedish Fluently: 21 Tips For Beginners

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So you’ve decided to learn Swedish. Bra jobbat! If you’re here, you’re probably looking for some tips to learn how to speak Swedish fluently or improve your Swedish accent. Well, good news, you’ve come to the right place!

We’ve gathered 22 of the best tips and tricks to help you perfect your Swedish speaking skills. Ready to sound super svensk? Of course, you are. Let’s jump in!

1. Identify your strengths and weaknesses

It looks like a boring tip, but believe me, it’ll save you a whole heap of time. Spend just five minutes making a list of your strengths and weaknesses. Think about: What do you get corrected on most often? Which words do I avoid saying? What do I want to achieve?

Only when you’ve identified, specifically, what you need to improve, can you channel your time wisely and efficiently.

2. Record yourself speaking Swedish

I know, many of us hate hearing our own voices played back to us. But honestly, it’s much easier to identify where you’re going wrong if you can hear it clearly and succinctly. 

Play the recording of your own voice, and compare it to a Swedish speaker. Google Translate offers a free “speak aloud” function, with the option of slowing down the audio. Note where your voice and the other speaker’s voice differ – then practice!

3. Get to know “soft” k’s and g’s

Anyone who has tried to learn Swedish will understand what a nightmare pronouncing “k” and “g” words are in Swedish. In general, Swedish is pronounced exactly how it’s written, but these are the two exceptions. And yes, it matters enormously. This boils down to “soft” and “hard” sounds, which you can identify by looking at the vowels that come after them. 

Here’s a tip: 

Words beginning with k followed by the letters e, i, y, ä, ö, almost always have a “soft” ‘k’: the one that sounds a bit like “sh” to English-speaking ears: “kärlek” (love) “kök” (kitchen). The exceptions to this rule are, of course, homophones. For example: “kör” (drive) and “kör” (choir). 

The same applies to the letter ‘g’. Words beginning with a g that is followed by the letters e, i, y, ä, ö are “soft”: similar to the English ‘y’ sound in words like “year”. For example: “get” (goat), “Göteborg” (Gothenburg).

4. Get to know “hard” k’s and g’s

Now you’ve understood the “soft” side of k’s and g’s, let’s take a look at the “hard” side. All words that start with a k or a g in Swedish that are followed by a consonant are “hard”.
That is to say, you pronounce a k or a g the same way you would in English in words such as “grin” or “crust”. 

You still need to pay attention to vowels, however. Luckily, the formula is the same. 

Words beginning with k followed by a, o, u, å are nearly always pronounced with a “hard” ‘k’, the same sound we make in English with words such as “kid” or “kipper”: “kust” (coast) “kål” (cabbage). 

The same rule applies to “g” words. Words beginning with a g followed by a, o, u, å are “hard”, the same g we use in English for words like “garden” or “got”: “gåta” (mystery), “gul” (yellow).

5. Use English words (Seriously!)

Swedish, just like English, likes to borrow words from other languages. In fact, one of my favorite Swedish language academics, Fredrik Lindström, actually wrote in his book Världens Dåligaste Språk: “these days, you have to have a decent understanding of English to make sense of the contents of a Swedish newspaper”. And that was back in 2000. 

Swedish is littered with English words and they turn up in very unusual places. Your Swedish boss will almost certainly talk to you about “deadlines”, and a friend will compliment your new hairdo by calling it “nice”. You get the picture. 

The good news is that quite a lot of the time, if you want to sound really Swedish, throw in a few English words said with a Swedish accent.

6. Learn regional slang

As a Stockholmer, my Swedish friends have always poked fun at how “bad” our slang is. Sweden’s dialects are very diverse, and each thinks theirs is superior (naturally).

If you want to speak Swedish fluently, at least according to the locals, the best way to get them on your side is to show you’ve done your homework when it comes to slang!

7. Listen to an audio course

Listening is everything when it comes to language learning. The more intently you listen, the easier it will be to pick up nuances and identify new sounds and patterns in the language you’re trying to learn.

I recommend using an audio-focused course like Pimsleur for this. It gives you the chance to really focus on what is being said in a clear manner. You’ll learn new vocabulary along the way, but most importantly, it will help you emulate natural conversation in Swedish.

8. Listen to Swedish radio

I’ll be honest, many Swedish radio programs are full of nonsense. Think about your local station, wherever you’re from: people call in to tell weird stories, the host will ramble on about how their morning was turned upside down by a spilled coffee or something. You know the drill. 

But the honest truth is… these are the kinds of things people talk about, all the time. Chances are, you’ll want to be able to have these frivolous conversations with people, and understand them when you’re on the receiving end. I recommend listening to P3 or P4. 

PSST: If you fancy getting your daily news in Swedish, check out Ekot: it’s a run-down of the day’s news and it’s available for free on Spotify. Great for practicing listening AND you’ll sound worldly and informed when you next speak in Swedish!

9. Start texting in Swedish

I know what you’re thinking: “I want to speak Swedish, not write in it!” Well, the two go hand-in-hand. If you want to boost your speaking skills, you can’t neglect your duties in writing or reading. And the great part about texting is it gives you the chance to delay your responses and learn a thing or two about spelling.

So if you have a friend who speaks Swedish, ask them if you can text in Swedish instead of English. And don’t forget, you can always send voice notes to a patient friend who will most likely correct you and help you understand how you can improve!

10. Learn Swedish ‘sounds’

Again, I know this sounds weird, but you’ll never truly pass as a fluent Swedish speaker if you don’t get the hang of Swedish “noises”. Let me explain.

Americans have filler sounds such as “er” or “um”. A sound to indicate pain is usually something like “ow”. The same is true no matter what language you speak. Try saying “aj” instead of “ow” or “ouch”. Instead of “mhmm” to indicate the affirmative, shorten it to “mm”. If you want to be really Swedish, say “ja” on an intake of breath.

11. Revise prepositions

I’m assuming you know your prepositions in English: you put something “on” the table, your keys are “in” your bag, etc. Quite often, Swedish uses the same prepositions as English. However, this is not always true. 

For instance, in Swedish you work “on” a place: “jag jobbar på Södersjukhuset” (I work at south hospital”. If you work “in” a place in Swedish it is usually geographical: “jag jobbar i Solna kommun” (I work in Solna municipality).

12. Remember do’s and don’ts of cursing

You might hate cursing. That’s fine. But I’ll bet you use some kind of replacement to announce your displeasure: think “shoot” or “sugar” or “dang”. If you are offended by rude language, skip this point. But I will just say, generally speaking, many Swedes are a lot more relaxed about cursing than English speakers. 

Don’t be surprised if young Swedish children exclaim that their dinner tastes “shit good” (skit gott”. This just simply isn’t considered cursing for many Swedes. However, some people still shy away from using offensive language (and there are varying degrees of it, as in English). 

Now don’t get excited, I’m not going to teach you The Worst Words here. But if you want to sound more Swedish, and you think it appropriate, you can definitely throw in a “jäkla” or a “fy faro” instead of the more offensive terms “jävla” or “fy fan” if you’re in friendly company.

13. Learn the correct pronouns

If there’s one thing native Swedes get wrong in their own language, it’s confusing pronouns. This is a regional thing that tends to be a giveaway of someone’s geographical background. 

For instance, some Swedes will unblushingly say “jag såg han!” instead of “jag såg honom!” (I saw his/him). You don’t need to know the complex history behind the reasons why, but if you’re interested, then basically both forms used to be correct until Swedish was standardized. It’s kind of the Swedish equivalent of saying “ain’t” instead of “isn’t”.

14. Learn the differences between Swedish accents

Think about it: wherever you’re from, and whichever language you speak, there’s bound to be different accents and regional dialects. Now, being able to hear the difference between accents isn’t as easy as you might think. 

Look up different Swedish accents. Where will you be speaking Swedish, and to whom? What accents do they have? Which do you find easiest to pronounce? It might be that one comes more naturally to you, and if that’s the case, I would recommend you go for that one.

From personal experience, I can tell you that even as a Swede, I struggle with some Swedish accents – especially over the phone. But then, I also struggle with strong accents in English, too. There’s no shame in it – just admit you didn’t hear/understand. Any reasonable person is likely to repeat themselves more slowly, after all!

15. Use Swedish language learning apps

Even if you’ve got the hang of Swedish, learning extra vocab never hurt anybody. And if you’re still in the early stages of your learning journey, this is especially helpful. Apps are super useful for quick, on-the-go learning.

Remember, not all language apps are born equal. If you’re serious about learning a language, then it’s best to invest your time in one that works for you. Check out our article on Swedish learning apps to find one that works for you.

16. Get a tutor

The best way to approach learning Swedish, or any language for that matter, is to cover all your bases: reading, listening, writing, and speaking. And the last one can be the hardest to overcome for many people.

That’s where a tutor can help you. Not only do they know the language you’re trying to learn inside out, but they can help you refine the knowledge you’ve learned elsewhere and put it into practice. Italki and Preply are two of the best online-tutoring apps – and lessons can cost as little as a few dollars.

17. Learn a few jokes

Admittedly, Swedes aren’t world-renowned for their sense of humor. But that doesn’t mean they don’t like to laugh. Laughter is a universal language that we can all speak, so use it to your advantage. Fluency is best achieved with a smile on your face, after all.

People from Gothenburg are Sweden’s most famous jokers – though their jokes might not be to your taste. Gothenburg jokes are Sweden’s equivalent to dad jokes, and are as likely to make you sigh as crack a smile. Here’s one:

I vilken stad bor det flest pirater?
Arrrrrrrrboga! 

Which city do most pirates live in? 
Arrrrrrboga!

18. Watch Swedish movies & TV shows

Wherever you live in the world, I can almost guarantee you have access to Swedish movies if you have Netflix. Sweden takes cinema pretty seriously (think Ingmar Bergman, who is considered to be one of the best filmmakers of all time). 

But there are plenty of contemporary examples of Swedish cinematography out there. I can highly recommend Netflix’s adaptation of Anxious People, originally a novel by Fredrik Backman. It’s hilarious and weird in equal measure. There’s also The Bonus Family, another comedy series. 

Of course, Sweden is most famous for its thrillers and Nordic Noir series, and if that’s your cup of tea then I can really recommend The Bridge and Quicksand (but, a trigger warning: both of these series include graphic scenes of violence and scenes some may find distressing).

19. Listen to Swedish podcasts

I am a huge podcast fan. Listening to podcasts can improve your listening skills and build your vocabulary – and you can have some fun while you learn. Some podcasts offer Swedish lessons, others are simply topics discussed in Swedish. 

Luckily, we have a handy guide to 18 of the best Swedish podcasts to help you.

20. Join a Swedish language forum

Even lone wolves can benefit from a pack mentality when it comes to speaking Swedish fluently. Whether you want to get something off your chest or simply ask a question, online forums are a great place to start. 

The benefits are many. Firstly, you get instant answers/responders. You’ll pick up helpful tips and tricks. Other members will be further ahead, or slightly behind you – and you can learn from all of them. 

Check out the Reddit page r/Svenska for all things Swedish-related.

21. Browse TikTok

If you’re a fellow dinosaur, you might be unsure about using TikTok. In fact, I still don’t really understand the hype. That said, there are a lot of TikTokers out there who make funny videos about learning Swedish and some even teach Swedish via TikTok.

Personally, I like SvenskaCoachPetra (@paroxidy) – her videos are informative and make me giggle. Just search “Learn Swedish” on TikTok and you’ll find plenty of others doing similar stuff. And don’t worry – you can view TikToks online without using the app.

Final Thoughts

There are so many ways you can start improving your Swedish accent and becoming fluent in Swedish. The best way to learn languages is through trial and error, and seeing what works for you. So give each of these a try and let us know how you get on.

Best of all, help each other out! What are your favorite tips for learning Swedish? Tell us about them in the comments below!

Looking for more ways to become fluent in Swedish? Check our list of common Swedish idioms and funny Swedish sayings!