Learning Swedish is not that hard. Do you want to impress with some Swedish language skills at a restaurant or bar during your next trip to Sweden? Or would you like to polish your Business Swedish? Or maybe you just want to learn a few extra words to understand Swedish song texts or websites and be able to read books?
Here are my top 10 tips on how to easily learn and improve your Swedish – whether you are still a beginner or just want to improve your existing language skills.
Basic Swedish Phrases, Words & Common Sentences – for Your Trip to Sweden
Top 10 Tips: How to Learn the Swedish Language
1. Listen to Swedish Music
Here is a list of bands and artists who sing in Swedish. Listening to Swedish music makes it easier for you to get the Swedish language melody and pronunciation right. At the same time you learn lyrics of songs, so next time a song is played on the Swedish radio you can sing along and impress your Swedish friends.
- Kent (Sweden’s most famous rock band,
- Gyllene Tider (the band of Roxette‘s Per Gessle),
- Veronica Maggio (Pop)
- Timbuktu (Hip-Hop)
Here you can find the Spotify list „Pop på svenska“, Pop in Swedish
2. Listen to Swedish Radio and Podcasts
Listen to daily conversations in Swedish slang and get to know more than just the dry text book Swedish. Popular Swedish podcasts here.
3. Read Swedish Books
For beginners, a good tip would be to start out with reading children’s books. There is no shame in it! They can really help you improve your language skills! Advanced learners could try books for teenagers, as well. Pros can put their skills to the test by immersing themselves in Sweden thrillers in Swedish. To be able to read Beck and the Millennium Trilogy in Swedish may be enticing too.
Books in Swedish, here on Amazon
4. Watch Swedish Movies
Watch movies in Swedish. In many cases, it is possible to use Swedish subtitles or watch it in Swedish with German or English subtitles.
Here is a list with the top 100 Swedish movies on IMDB.
5. Swedish Websites
On these websites you can find useful material and inspirational content:
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- kreativpedagogik.se, collection with helpful websites all about the Swedish language
- 8 sidor, easily understandable news website in Swedish
Or why not adding Swedish blogs deal with a topic you’re interested in to your feed reader. Popular Swedish blogs, here.
6. Swedish Web TV and YouTube Videos
News on the website of the federal Swedish television SVT, watch”Nyheter“news there on svtplay.se , best would be to choose a version with subtitles to listen to the Swedish pronunciation and learn Swedish writing at the same time.
YouTube videos can be used as small minute sized learning bites for your breaks. A suggestion would be to watch Swedish sketches and stand-up shows for example. My recommendations: Johan Glans, who has a rather clear pronunciation and a kind of humour nearly everyone likes or episodes of the Raw Comedy Club.
7. Language Courses
For example at university or other public organisations. Look for Swedish language courses at local adult education centres.
Funny Swedish words and phrases
8. Online Courses
Online courses are best suited for people who prefer to learn in their own pace or want to refresh their Swedish on the go on a mobile device. My personal recommendation: Babbel. Ad banners on this online course used to annoy me for years on end after I surfed on Swedish websites. When I finally decided to try it a while ago, I had to admit, that the online course is not only well thought through but also really fun. They offer courses for beginners and advanced learners. I especially love the pronunciation exercises. Follow the link and try it for free: babbel.com.
Alternatively, as a good friend of mine recommended: Duolingo. Which seems to be Babbel’s main competitor on the online/app language learning market. Just check out the free versions and see which fits better to your personal learning style.
9. Trip to Sweden
A trip to Sweden not only motivates but is also a great opportunity to practice your recently learned Swedish.
My tips for your trip to Sweden
10. And last but not least…
A tip from my then 70-plus-year-old Swedish teacher. A tip that, in her opinion, can motivate you immensely to improve your Swedish and that I can highly recommend: pillow talk.
…preferably in combination with tip no. 9. ;)
More learning Swedish tips
- Basic Swedish Phrases, Words & Common Sentences – for Your Trip to Sweden
- Learning Swedish – course (By Sweden.se)
- Learn how to act like a typcial Swede, read How to be Swedish: A Click HereQuick Guide to Swedishness – In 55 Steps
Have fun learning and improving your Swedish!
Thanks for the info,
trying to learn swedish all the way from Oman.