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Listen up, Swedish learners! We know that learning a language isn’t always fun and games. In fact, it can be downright boring at times. But there are things you can do to banish boredom and stay motivated – and listening to Swedish podcasts is one of them!
There are so many benefits to listening to podcasts to learn Swedish. But with so many options out there, it can be tricky to find the right ones for you. That’s why we’ve compiled a handy guide to the best Swedish podcasts to learn Swedish for beginners, intermediates, and advanced learners.
Ready to listen and learn? Read on!
Best Swedish podcasts for beginners
Beginners, it might seem scary to start learning through podcasts. But rest assured, these are all easy to follow and contain helpful tips. Let’s take a look!
1. Swedish podcast for beginners (Lätt svenska med Oskar)
If you’re looking for a podcast to teach you beginners Swedish, then this is it. Oskar, the host, talks you through popular topics and gives the listener pronunciation tools, grammar tips and varied vocabulary. It’s available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts free of charge.
Benefits: This is most useful for beginners. Episodes are only a few minutes long so you won’t feel overwhelmed, and there’s an episode to cover pretty much any occasion you can think of.
Favorite episode: Sommar i Sverige
This episode is a review of key verbs you need to know for Swedish summer, such as “swimming” and “sunbathing”. It’ll also keep you going during the colder months in Sweden!
2. Sweasy Lessons
This fun and engaging podcast gives listeners the chance to learn in bitesize chunks. Each lesson is usually around five minutes or less and covers a specific topic such as “verbs”. The host invites you to pause and practice saying what you learned out loud.
Benefits: Easy-to-follow lessons that won’t overwhelm beginners. Listeners get a head’s up when to pause and practice for themselves. Each lesson builds on the previous episode’s teaching.
Favorite episode: Sweasy Lesson 1: I
Learn how to say I before getting into more complex vocabulary. If you’ve already learned how to do this, it’s a great opportunity to reinforce what you already know.
3. Say It In Swedish
Say It In Swedish offers a little more complexity to beginners learning Swedish. It’s still easy to follow, but will probably build on what you have already learned through Swedish apps or books with pronunciation tips. Topics include how to ask questions in Swedish and helpful guides to learning “ett” and “en” words.
Benefits: More of a challenge for beginners which may help some learners stay motivated. It also has its own community which you can join to meet other learners and exchange tips and learning resources.
Favorite episode: Pronunciation #1 – The Alphabet
I love this simple and easy-to-follow guide to learning the Swedish alphabet. It’s a great starting point to improving pronunciation and nailing the “difficult” sounds.
4. Simple Swedish Podcast
If you’re unsure about whether you’re ready to move beyond the beginner stages of learning Swedish, this podcast is for you. Test your skills and learn alongside the host, Fredrik Arhusiander, who supplies engaging content at a slower and more digestible pace.
Benefits: Interesting range of subjects covered. There are difficulty markers so you can pick episodes based on what interests you and your ability level.
Favorite episode: #129 – Att få en naturlig accent
This episode covers different Swedish accents and connections to identity. This episode and all others have partial transcripts available for free, and there is an option to pay for the full Swedish podcast with transcript.
5. My Swedish Område
If you’re looking to live in Sweden, this is the Swedish podcast for you. Follow British student, Emma, around Sweden as she meets locals, immigrants and students who introduce you to their neighborhood.
Benefits: You’ll learn a lot about Swedish geography, what people like and dislike about living in Sweden. This podcast is in English so you won’t pick up new words, per se, but it will diversify your knowledge of Sweden.
Favorite episode: Södermalm
I am from Söder originally, so there is definitely a bias here. However, one of the interviewees, a Parisian, tells a funny story about seeing dads with strollers and how he deals with the cold weather.
6. Coffee Break Swedish
One of our favorite podcasts to learn Swedish is Coffee Break Swedish. Mark is a fun and friendly tutor and his student, Hanna, explore Swedish culture and give Swedish learners pronunciation tips, fun grammar lessons and new vocabulary each week.
Benefits: Offers varied topics such as culture, questions and specific scenarios. Always engaging and episodes last a little longer than typical “lesson” based Swedish podcasts – around 15 minutes in total.
Favorite episode: Kulturhörnan 05 – Samisk kultur i Sverige
Learn about Sweden’s indigenous peoples, the Samis, and you even get to learn some bonus words in Northern Sami.
7. Fikadrottning
This has to be one of the most wholesome Swedish podcasts available. The host, Tina Ismail, is a Singaporean who loves experimenting with Swedish culture and Fika treats. That’s right, this is a Swedish lesson disguised as a sweet-treat tasting session.
Benefits: Tina’s episodes range from talking about why Swedes have special days allocated to cakes and even how she tries to emulate Fika in her home country of Singapore.
Favorite episode: Peanut Pancake
I love this episode because not only does Tina introduce listeners to the Swedish for “I love you” but also takes time to talk about Singapore’s favorite dessert, the peanut pancake. Do not listen when hungry!
8. Pimsleur
Admittedly, this isn’t a podcast but an audio course. But Pimsleur will teach you more than a podcast can if you’re really looking to get to grips with the mechanics of Swedish. Most importantly, it can really benefit Swedish learners who learn best through audio.
Benefits: Listen and learn at the same time at your own pace. You can listen to Pimsleur’s 30-minute audio lessons, and you get flashcards and reading material to supplement your learning.
Best Swedish podcasts for intermediates
Once you’ve moved beyond ‘lessons’, it might be time to start listening to a more challenging podcast. Don’t worry, though. These are all short and sweet and will incorporate nicely into your learning routine!
9. Aftonbladet Daily
Staying up to date on the news might not be your favorite way to pass the time, but it’s an excellent way to learn new vocabulary. These bite-sized episodes are great for doing just that!
Benefits: Episodes are short but sweet, cover topical issues and are narrated in clear, concise Swedish. Excellent for picking up new vocabulary and staying current on Swedish news.
Favorite episode: Shein – Ultra Fast Fashion, till vilket pris?
Just over fifteen minutes of coverage about the world of fast fashion and its impact on the environment, people all over the world and our wallets.
10. Snabb Fakta
Are you one of those people who often finds themselves in the remote depths of Wikipedia? Me too. This is one of the best Swedish podcasts for beginners looking to up their skills. Topics include mysteries such as “what is the world’s funniest joke” and “why did the Titanic sink?”
Benefits: All episodes are around ten to fifteen minutes long, the narrator reads slowly but clearly and you can sound like a smarty-pants when you tell your friends what you learned.
Favorite episode: 20 fakta om ditt liv
Did you know, the average American spends around nine years of their life watching TV? This episode also tells you roughly how many Audi A1’s of poop the average person produces in a lifetime. Fascinating stuff, I think you’ll agree.
11. Klubbarna
If you’re into soccer, you’ll love this podcast. If you’re not into soccer, listen to it anyway. This podcast is hosted by Marcus Leifby, and discusses the top five biggest teams in the Swedish soccer league (Allsvenskan).
Benefits: You’ll learn plenty of new vocabulary, particularly within the realms of sports. Episodes are around half an hour, and contain lots of trivia about Swedish soccer legends.
Favorite episode: DIF: Morsan
Again, I’ll admit I’m biased as a daughter of a lifelong Djurgården fan. But this episode follows the life of Merit Wahlgren, who owns the “home” restaurant of Djurgården’s soccer club. It’s a fascinating listen which gives insight into the community of soccer in East Stockholm. FYI: There are also episodes about Hammarby, AIK, Göteborg IFK and Malmö FF.
12. P3 Musikdokumentär
Ok, so soccer isn’t for everyone. But surely, music has a place in everyone’s hearts? This is a personal favorite podcast of mine because it covers artists from all genres. This podcast is a great way to learn new vocabulary about artists you already like, and are yet to discover.
Benefits: Episodes are quite long and contain some more complex vocabulary. Interviews are often conducted in English, if the artists covered are English speakers, but the host will often summarize in Swedish giving you an opportunity to compare the differences.
Favorite episode: Avicii – Del 1
It could only be Avicii. Even if you aren’t into electronic / house music, Avicii is one of Sweden’s biggest music legends and has an important place in Sweden’s modern history.
Best Swedish podcasts for advanced learners
If you think you’ve got the hang of Swedish, it might be time to listen like a local. These Swedish podcasts are varied, interesting, and will teach you a lot about how Swedes think and feel. Ready for a challenge? Of course you are!
13. Spotify Dok
Another one of my favorite Swedish podcasts, Spotify Dok has a mini-series of audio documentaries on a whole range of subjects. This podcast is entertaining while at the same time being informative. Warning: the subjects can be quite heavy and triggering for some listeners.
Benefits: Each episode hones in on details of a particular issue, story or case study. A range of people are interviewed in each season which will help familiarize you with different Swedish accents.
Favorite episode: Min mamma och terrorn
This four-part series follows an ordinary Swedish man reflecting on his adolescence. He and his family were radicalized by ISIS, resulting in estrangement, terrible losses and renewed hope.
14. P3 Historia
Are you a history lover? Me too! This is one of the best Swedish podcasts to listen to if you want to combine an interest in history with learning Swedish. The host, Cecilia Düringer, breaks down historical figures into easy-to-follow narratives.
Benefits: This podcast combines interviews with experts and storylines. The language is fairly simple, although it may be too advanced for beginners.
Favorite episode: Karin Månsdotter – pigan som blev drottning av Sverige
This podcast covers everyone from Marie Curie to Sitting Bull, but Karin Månsdotter was a real-life Cinderella who is well-worth knowing about. History fans, this one’s for you!
15. Kafferepet
One of the best Swedish podcasts to learn about Swedish culture is, in my opinion, Kafferepet. A “Kafferep” is a slightly more formal version of Fika, usually for an occasion. And that’s the format this podcast follows. Every Friday, three comedians read out stories and gossip contributed by listeners from all over Sweden.
Benefits: This podcast is probably best suited to intermediate and advanced learners. This podcast will help you pick up a lot of slang and get to grips with Swedish humor (it’s easier than it seems!).
Favorite episode: En uppvisning i dumhet
This episode includes a guy called Pontus who solved the problem of not having a shower by attaching a hose to his bathroom sink and standing in an IKEA bag. Seriously.
16. Svenska folkets historia
To really get to know present-day Swedish, and Swedes, it can be useful to know what life was like for locals many years ago. This podcast focuses on the history of the Swedish people in various eras: Vikings, emigration to America, and The Black Death.
Benefits: Learn about Swedish history through interviews and scripts read by actors, all the while picking up vocabulary.
Favorite episode: Häxprocesserna
The story of how witchcraft unfolded in Sweden is unusual, to say the least. Learn about how a child’s lie about her new stepmother started widespread fear and murder of ordinary people.
17. Fallen jag aldrig glömmer
We’re guessing you know about the Scandi obsession with all things morbid and murder-related. Well, if you’ve got the Nordic Noir bug then this is the perfect podcast for you. Hasse Aro hosts the Swedish TV show Efterlyst where he helps the police appeal to the public to find witnesses or clues to solve crimes. He also hosts this podcast where he talks about the cases he’ll never forget.
Benefits: A lot of the stories discussed in this podcast are almost unbelievable. You’ll gain insight into the Swedish police and issues surrounding sentencing, compensation for victims and breakthroughs in investigating.
Favorite episode: 63 unga dog i lågorna
It seems a bit awful to have a favorite episode of this but the one that sticks with me the most has to be this one. It’s all about how a popular nightclub burned down in Gothenburg during the late 90s, leading to the loss of 63 young people.
Tips to learn Swedish with podcasts
So you have all the material, but what do you do now? Well, here are some handy tips to get the most out of learning Swedish through podcasts. Incorporate all or some of these things into your routine, and watch yourself go from amateur to pro!
- Slow down the audio: There’s no shame in asking a recording to repeat what they said.
- Vary the difficulty of your chosen podcasts: Sometimes, you might want a quick episode that covers something you just can’t get the hang of. But other times, you might want to set yourself a challenge of seeing how much you understand from a 15-minute episode instead.
- Read the transcripts: If you need to, read the transcripts while you listen. Otherwise, read it afterwards and see how much you understood.
- Keep a note on your phone of new words: It’s always handy to have a pocket bank of vocabulary with you.
- Try to match your podcasts to what you’re learning that week: If you’ve learned all about introductions, don’t confuse yourself by listening to a podcast about adverbs, for example. Keep your lessons as consistent as possible.
And there you have it! You’re ready to go and download some podcasts and get listening. Lycka till with learning and we hope you enjoy your new favorite Swedish podcasts! And for more learning resources, check out this comprehensive list of apps, podcasts, books, and online courses for learning Swedish.
Such an honour to be mentioned on your site! We are excited to keep the Sweasy Lessons coming!