Swedish phrases – Here you will find the most common phrases in Swedish with translation. | Free & useful
Swedish phrases are short expressions or idioms often used in speech to be polite, express gratitude, greet or say goodbye or simply to have a pleasant conversation.
They are an important part of Swedish culture and can be useful in different situations, both in private and business life.
Swedish phrases you should know
OUR TIP: If you want to learn these phrases interactively, we recommend the free language course demo from 17-Minute-Language, where you can learn Swedish phrases and dialogues today.
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Greet someone in Swedish
If you want to greet someone in Swedish, it’s actually quite easy:
| English | Swedish | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome to the site. | Välkommen till sidan. | [ˈvɛlˌkɔmːɛn tɪl ˈsiːdan] |
| Welcome to the site | Välkommen till sidan | [ˈvɛlˌkɔmːɛn tɪl ˈsiːdan] |
| Good day to you! | God dag på dig! | [ɡuːd dɑːɡ poː dɛj] |
| Good morning to you! | God morgon på dig! | [ɡuːd ˈmɔrːɔn poː dɛj] |
| Good evening! | God kväll! | [ɡuːd kvɛl] |
| Good to see you. | Trevligt att se dig. | [ˈtreːvlɪɡt at seː dɛj] |
| I’m glad to see you. | Jag är glad att se dig. | [jɑː ɛːr ɡlɑːd at seː dɛj] |
If you are greeted in Swedish, the best way to respond is as follows:
| English | Swedish | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Have a nice day too! | Ha en trevlig dag du med! | [hɑː ɛn ˈtreːvlɪɡ dɑːɡ dʉː meːd] |
| Thanks, it’s nice to see you too. | Tack, trevligt att se dig också. | [tak ˈtreːvlɪɡt at seː dɛj ˈɔkːsɔ] |
How is my dialogue partner?
As in any other country, it is polite to start by asking where the person you are talking to is located. Here’s how you do it:
| English | Swedish | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| How are you doing? | Hur mår du? | [hʉːr moːr dʉː] |
| Are you doing well? | Mår du bra? | [moːr dʉː brɑː] |
If you are asked how you feel, you can answer with the following phrases:
| English | Swedish | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Thank you for asking, I am fine. | Tack för att du frågar, jag mår bra. | [tak fœr at dʉː ˈfroːɡar jɑː moːr brɑː] |
| Thank you, I am fine. | Tack, jag mår bra. | [tak jɑː moːr brɑː] |
| Thank you, I am not doing so well. | Tack, jag mår inte så bra. | [tak jɑː moːr ˈɪnːtə soː brɑː] |
| Thanks, I’m fine. How are you doing? | Tack, jag mår bra. Hur mår du? | [tak jɑː moːr brɑː hʉːr moːr dʉː] |
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How do I say goodbye to someone in Swedish?
Saying goodbye to a friend or stranger in Swedish is not that difficult. Just use the following phrases:
| English | Swedish | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Goodbye! | Hej då! | [hɛj doː] |
| Take care of yourself! | Ta hand om dig! | [tɑː hanːd ɔm dɛj] |
| Goodbye | Adjö | [aˈjøː] |
| See you tomorrow | Vi ses imorgon | [viː seːs ɪˈmɔrːɔn] |
| See you soon | Vi ses snart | [viː seːs snɑːʈ] |
| See you later | Vi ses senare | [viː seːs ˈseːnarɛ] |
| Good night | God natt | [ɡuːd nat] |
| Sleep well | Sov gott | [soːv ɡɔt] |
| Talk to you later. | Vi hörs senare. | [viː høːʂ ˈseːnarɛ] |
| Nice to have met you! | Trevligt att träffas! | [ˈtreːvlɪɡt at ˈtrɛfas] |
How do I introduce myself in Swedish?
When travelling in Sweden, sooner or later you will come into contact with local people. Naturally, you’ll want to introduce yourself in Swedish and know who you’re talking to.
| English | Swedish | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| My name is Jonas. | Jag heter Jonas. | [jɑː ˈheːtɛr ˈjuːnas] |
| What is your name? | Vad heter du? | [vɑːd ˈheːtɛr dʉː] |
| What is your surname? | Vad är ditt efternamn? | [vɑːd ɛːr dɪt ˈɛftɛrˌnamn] |
| What is your first name? | Vad är ditt förnamn? | [vɑːd ɛːr dɪt ˈfœːrˌnamn] |
| What is your surname? | Vad är ditt efternamn? | [vɑːd ɛːr dɪt ˈɛftɛrˌnamn] |
If you want to tell people where you come from, the following sentences are useful:
| English | Swedish | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Where do you come from? | Var kommer du ifrån? | [vɑːr ˈkɔmːɛr dʉː ɪˈfroːn] |
| I am from London. | Jag är från London. | [jɑː ɛːr froːn ˈlɔnːdɔn] |
| Are you from Birmingham? | Är du från Birmingham? | [ɛːr dʉː froːn ˈbœrmɪŋˌhæm] |
| No, I’m from Madrid. | Nej, jag är från Madrid. | [nɛj jɑː ɛːr froːn maˈdriːd] |
| Great, I’m from Madrid too. | Vad kul, jag är också från Madrid. | [vɑːd kʉːl jɑː ɛːr ˈɔkːsɔ froːn maˈdriːd] |
| Where do you live? | Var bor du? | [vɑːr buːr dʉː] |
| I live in Berlin. | Jag bor i Berlin. | [jɑː buːr iː bɛrˈliːn] |
If you have problems with your Swedish, it is good to know which languages are still spoken:
| English | Swedish | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Do you speak English? | Talar du engelska? | [ˈtɑːlar dʉː ˈɛŋːɛlska] |
| Yes, I speak English. | Ja, jag talar engelska. | [jɑː jɑː ˈtɑːlar ˈɛŋːɛlska] |
| Yes, I speak some English. | Ja, jag talar lite engelska. | [jɑː jɑː ˈtɑːlar ˈliːtɛ ˈɛŋːɛlska] |
| No, I do not speak any English. | Nej, jag talar inte engelska. | [nɛj jɑː ˈtɑːlar ˈɪnːtə ˈɛŋːɛlska] |
| I only speak English. | Jag talar bara engelska. | [jɑː ˈtɑːlar ˈbɑːra ˈɛŋːɛlska] |
| I understand some Swedish. | Jag förstår lite svenska. | [jɑː fœˈʂtoːr ˈliːtɛ ˈsvɛnska] |
Useful sentences with ‘I am…’
The following sentences will help you orientate yourself in Swedish and express your wishes and concerns:
| English | Swedish | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| I am English. | Jag är engelsk. | [jɑː ɛːr ˈɛŋːɛlsk] |
| I am injured. | Jag är skadad. | [jɑː ɛːr ˈskɑːdad] |
| I am here. | Jag är här. | [jɑː ɛːr hɛːr] |
| I am hungry. | Jag är hungrig. | [jɑː ɛːr ˈhɵŋːrɪɡ] |
| I am thirsty. | Jag är törstig. | [jɑː ɛːr ˈtœʂːtɪɡ] |
| I am a single person. | Jag är singel. | [jɑː ɛːr ˈsɪŋɛl] |
| I need help! | Jag behöver hjälp! | [jɑː bɛˈhøːvɛr jɛlp] |
| I am tired. | Jag är trött. | [jɑː ɛːr trœt] |
| I am happy. | Jag är glad. | [jɑː ɛːr ɡlɑːd] |
| I am sad. | Jag är ledsen. | [jɑː ɛːr ˈlɛsːɛn] |
| I am in love. | Jag är kär. | [jɑː ɛːr ɕæːr] |
| I am ill. | Jag är sjuk. | [jɑː ɛːr ɧʉːk] |
| I am ready. | Jag är redo. | [jɑː ɛːr ˈreːdʊ] |
| I am busy. | Jag är upptagen. | [jɑː ɛːr ˈɵpˌtɑːɡɛn] |
| I am lost. | Jag har gått vilse. | [jɑː hɑːr ɡɔt ˈvɪlsɛ] |
| I am a tourist. | Jag är turist. | [jɑː ɛːr tʉˈrɪst] |
| I am new here. | Jag är ny här. | [jɑː ɛːr nyː hɛːr] |
| I am confident. | Jag är självsäker. | [jɑː ɛːr ˈɧɛlvˌsɛːkɛr] |
| I am proud. | Jag är stolt. | [jɑː ɛːr stɔlt] |
| I am a teacher. | Jag är lärare. | [jɑː ɛːr ˈlæːrarɛ] |
| I am late. | Jag är sen. | [jɑː ɛːr seːn] |
| I am 30 years old. | Jag är 30 år gammal. | [jɑː ɛːr ˈtrɛtːɪ uːr ˈɡamːal] |
| I am in a hurry. | Jag har bråttom. | [jɑː hɑːr ˈbrɔtːɔm] |
| I am happy. | Jag är lycklig. | [jɑː ɛːr ˈlʏkːlɪɡ] |
| I am surprised. | Jag är överraskad. | [jɑː ɛːr ˈøːvɛˌraskad] |
| I am angry. | Jag är arg. | [jɑː ɛːr arj] |
Apologising in Swedish
Here’s how to apologise to a Swedish speaker:
| English | Swedish | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| I apologise. | Jag ber om ursäkt. | [jɑː bær ɔm ɵrˈsɛkt] |
| Sorry, that was not the intention. | Förlåt, det var inte meningen. | [føːrˈloːt deːt vɑːr ˈɪntə ˈmeːnɪŋɛn] |
| Sorry, I did not do it on purpose. | Förlåt, jag gjorde det inte med flit. | [føːrˈloːt jɑː ˈjʊrdɛ deːt ˈɪntə meːd fliːt] |
| Sorry, that was very clumsy of me. | Förlåt, det var väldigt klumpigt av mig. | [føːrˈloːt deːt vɑːr ˈvɛldɪɡ ˈklɵmːpɪkt av mɛj] |
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Useful signs and notices in Swedish
Useful signs and messages in Swedish that you will often see.
| English | Swedish | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance | Ingång | [ˈɪnˌɡoŋː] |
| Toilet | Toalett | [tuˈalɛtː] |
| Exit | Utgång | [ˈɵtˌɡoŋː] |
| Attention! | Uppmärksamhet! | [ˈɵpːmɛrˌsakːhɛt] |
| Police | Polis | [puˈliːs] |
| Emergency services | Nödnummer | [ˈnøːdˌnɵmːɛr] |
| Fire brigade | Brandkår | [ˈbranːdˌkoːr] |
| Passage forbidden. | Förbjuden passage. | [fœrˈbjʉːdɛn paˈsasːə] |
| Caution! | Varning! | [ˈvɑːrnɪŋ] |
| This building is under video surveillance. | Denna byggnad övervakas med videoövervakning. | [ˈdɛnːa ˈbʏɡˌnɑːd ˈøːvɛrvɑːkas meːd ˈviːdeːoˌøːvɛrvɑkːnɪŋ] |
Numbers to 25 in Swedish
Counting in Swedish is not that difficult. Here are the numbers in Swedish from 1 to 25.
| English | Swedish | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ett | [ɛt] |
| 2 | två | [tvoː] |
| 3 | tre | [treː] |
| 4 | fyra | [ˈfʏːra] |
| 5 | fem | [fɛm] |
| 6 | sex | [sɛks] |
| 7 | sju | [ɧʉː] |
| 8 | åtta | [ˈɔtːa] |
| 9 | nio | [ˈniːʊ] |
| 10 | tio | [ˈtiːʊ] |
| 11 | elva | [ˈɛlːva] |
| 12 | tolv | [tɔlv] |
| 13 | tretton | [ˈtrɛtːɔn] |
| 14 | fjorton | [ˈfjʊʈːɔn] |
| 15 | femton | [ˈfɛmːtɔn] |
| 16 | sexton | [ˈsɛkstɔn] |
| 17 | sjutton | [ˈɧʉtːɔn] |
| 18 | artton | [ˈɑʈːɔn] |
| 19 | nitton | [ˈnɪtːɔn] |
| 20 | tjugo | [ˈɕʉːɡʊ] |
| 21 | tjugoett | [ˈɕʉːɡʊˌɛt] |
| 22 | tjugotvå | [ˈɕʉːɡʊˌtvoː] |
| 23 | tjugotre | [ˈɕʉːɡʊˌtreː] |
| 24 | tjugofyra | [ˈɕʉːɡʊˌfʏːra] |
| 25 | tjugofem | [ˈɕʉːɡʊˌfɛm] |
The colours in Swedish
The most common colours in Swedish with phonetic transcription for pronunciation.
| English | Swedish | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Red in Swedish | Röd | [røːd] |
| Blue in Swedish | Blå | [bluː] |
| Green in Swedish | Grön | [ɡrœn] |
| Yellow in Swedish | Gul | [ɡʉːl] |
| Black in Swedish | Svart | [svart] |
| White in Swedish | Vit | [viːt] |
| Orange in Swedish | Orange | [ʊˈrɑːnʃ] |
| Purple in Swedish | Lila | [ˈliːla] |
| Pink in Swedish | Rosa | [ˈruːsa] |
| Brown in Swedish | Brun | [brʉːn] |
Days of the week, months and seasons in Swedish
Of course, you will also need the days of the week in Swedish and the pronunciation of the months and seasons in dialogues and daily communication in Swedish.
| English | Swedish | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Monday in Swedish | Måndag | [ˈmoːndag] |
| Tuesday in Swedish | Tisdag | [ˈtiːsdag] |
| Wednesday in Swedish | Onsdag | [ˈɔnːsdag] |
| Thursday in Swedish | Torsdag | [ˈtuːʂdag] |
| Friday in Swedish | Fredag | [ˈfreːdag] |
| Saturday in Swedish | Lördag | [ˈlœrˌdɑːg] |
| Sunday in Swedish | Söndag | [ˈsøːndag] |
| January in Swedish | Januari | [jaˈnuːarɪ] |
| February in Swedish | Februari | [feˈbruːarɪ] |
| March in Swedish | Mars | [mars] |
| April | April | [aˈpriːl] |
| May in Swedish | Maj | [maj] |
| June in Swedish | Juni | [ˈjʉːnɪ] |
| July in Swedish | Juli | [ˈjʉːlɪ] |
| August in Swedish | Augusti | [auˈɡʉstɪ] |
| September in Swedish | September | [sɛpˈtɛmbɛr] |
| October in Swedish | Oktober | [ʊkˈtuːbɛr] |
| November in Swedish | November | [nuˈvɛmbɛr] |
| December in Swedish | December | [dɛˈsɛmbɛr] |
| Spring in Swedish | Vår | [voːr] |
| Summer in Swedish | Sommar | [ˈsʊmːar] |
| Autumn in Swedish | Höst | [hœst] |
| Winter in Swedish | Vinter | [ˈvɪntɛr] |
OUR TIP: If you want to learn these Swedish phrases interactively, we recommend the free language course demo from 17-Minute-Language, where you can learn Swedish phrases and dialogues.
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More information about the Swedish Business Course.
Additional links
- Learn Swedish with Mondly
- Learn Swedish with Babbel
- The different ways of learning languages
- Learning vocabulary successfully
- Motivated language learning
- It is so easy to train your understanding of a language at the same time
- Learning languages quickly? – Is it possible?
- The different types of learners when learning languages
More information about the Swedish Course for Children.