Everything You Need To Learn Swedish

Everything You Need To Learn Swedish

Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 8 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland. It is one of five recognized official languages in Sweden; the others include Finnish, Meänkieli (a variety of Finnish) spoken mainly in the Torne Valley region, and Sami (a minority language) spoken in certain northern parts of Sweden.

Swedish is part of the Indo-European language group and is closely related to Norwegian and Danish, with which it is somewhat mutually intelligible. It is a descendant of Old Norse, the common language of the Germanic peoples living in Scandinavia during the Viking Era.


Printable SWEDISH Flashcards [PDF Download]

Printable SWEDISH Flashcards [PDF Download]

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Written Swedish, as with Danish and Norwegian, is said to be one of the easiest languages for English speakers to learn. This is because Swedish has preserved many features of its Germanic heritage, including nouns and verbs that are conjugated much like English verbs.

Below, you’ll find a list of useful resources to help you learn Swedish. Though it isn’t a long one, there’ll more than enough here to get you to a good level on your own.

Swedish Language Learning Books

One of the best ways to learn the language without spending too much money would be with a good, old-fashioned Spanish course book or textbook. These books cover everything from Swedish grammar to pronounciation and basic conversation, setting a solid foundation in the language.

Get yourself a concise English-Swedish dictionary, and you’ll be able to look up the meaning of all the new words you encounter, and find easy-to-understand examples of how to use them in different contexts.

Traveling to Sweden any time soon? Consider getting a Swedish phrasebook to help you make the most of your trip. It’s a great way to learn the most useful words and phrases to use with the natives.

And if you like puzzles, then a Swedish word search puzzle book is a fun way to pick up plenty of new vocabulary.

Complete Swedish Beginner to Intermediate Course
Amazon.com
Complete Swedish Beginner to Intermediate Course
Swedish-English English/Swedish Practical Dictionary
Amazon.com
Swedish-English English/Swedish Practical Dictionary
Essentials of Swedish Grammar: A Practical Guide to the Mastery of Swedish
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Essentials of Swedish Grammar: A Practical Guide to the Mastery of Swedish
Berlitz Swedish Phrase Book & Dictionary
Amazon.com
Berlitz Swedish Phrase Book & Dictionary
From English to Swedish 1: A basic Swedish textbook for English speaking students
Amazon.com
From English to Swedish 1: A basic Swedish textbook for English speaking students
Learn Swedish with Word Search Puzzles
Amazon.com
Learn Swedish with Word Search Puzzles
Insight Guides: Swedish Phrasebook & Dictionary
Amazon.com
Insight Guides: Swedish Phrasebook & Dictionary
201 Swedish Verbs: Fully Conjugated in All the Tenses
Amazon.com
201 Swedish Verbs: Fully Conjugated in All the Tenses

Swedish Children’s Books

Another great way to learn some new words and familiarize yourself with how the language works, is by reading children’s books in Swedish. Swedish kids’ books are written in simple language, are filled with lots of colorful, memorable illustrations, making them perfect for beginners.

Some of the books on this list are bilingual English-Swedish kids’ stories that give you both texts in the same book, allowing you to use the English version as a guide for understanding the Swedish.

Jag älskar min pappa (I Love My Dad): Swedish-English Bilingual Children's Book
Amazon.com
Jag älskar min pappa (I Love My Dad): Swedish-English Bilingual Children's Book
My First Swedish Alphabets Picture Book with English Translations
Amazon.com
My First Swedish Alphabets Picture Book with English Translations
The Fabulous Lost & Found and the little Swedish mouse: Learn 50 Swedish Words
Amazon.com
The Fabulous Lost & Found and the little Swedish mouse: Learn 50 Swedish Words
Jag Alskar Att Sova I Min Sang (I Love to Sleep in My Own Bed): Swedish-English Kids' Book
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Jag Alskar Att Sova I Min Sang (I Love to Sleep in My Own Bed): Swedish-English Kids' Book
Counting Sweden - Räkna med Sverige: A bilingual counting book in English and Swedish
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Counting Sweden - Räkna med Sverige: A bilingual counting book in English and Swedish
I love my Mormor: A Bilingual English-Swedish Story Book
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I love my Mormor: A Bilingual English-Swedish Story Book
Tomten Saves Christmas (Tomten räddar julen): A Bilingual English-Swedish Christmas Tale
Amazon.com
Tomten Saves Christmas (Tomten räddar julen): A Bilingual English-Swedish Christmas Tale
Hejsan Hösten (Hello Autumn/Fall): Swedish-English Bilingual Children's Activity Book
Amazon.com
Hejsan Hösten (Hello Autumn/Fall): Swedish-English Bilingual Children's Activity Book

Swedish Fiction

You’ll experience the biggest boost to your vocabulary reading more advanced books, namely Swedish books for adults/older readers. The language used in these books is more complex, relevant and engaging. Though they may be challenging at first, they’re totally worth it.

Harry Potter och De Vises Sten (Harry Potter & The Philosopher's Stone): Swedish Edition
Amazon.com
Harry Potter och De Vises Sten (Harry Potter & The Philosopher's Stone): Swedish Edition
Short Stories in Swedish for Beginners
Amazon.com
Short Stories in Swedish for Beginners
Alices Äventyr i Sagolandet (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland in Swedish)
Amazon.com
Alices Äventyr i Sagolandet (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland in Swedish)

Swedish Movies & TV Shows

Watching movies or TV shows with Swedish dubbing or audio is an excellent way to learn the language. One of the main reasons is because you have visual cues to help you remember words and learn their meanings in context. Another reason is that you’ll learn proper Swedish pronunciation.

Also, you’ll pick up things like Swedish slang, idioms and turns of phrase that you probably wouldn’t find in textbooks.

Bilingual Baby Learn Swedish Language DVD
Amazon.com
Bilingual Baby Learn Swedish Language DVD
THE RESTAURANT- STAFFEL 1 [DVD]: Swedish Language TV Series
Amazon.com
THE RESTAURANT- STAFFEL 1 [DVD]: Swedish Language TV Series
THE RESTAURANT- STAFFEL 2 [DVD]: Swedish Language TV Series
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THE RESTAURANT- STAFFEL 2 [DVD]: Swedish Language TV Series

Swedish Digital Courses

You can skip books for the time being and get your start with a Swedish e-course that uses audio or video instruction to teach you the language.

These types of courses are more focused on building your Swedish listening and speaking skills, but will also introduce you to all the grammar concepts you need to speak the language correctly.

Udemy’s comprehensive Swedish course is great value for money, even without the heavy discounts. You get an impression 13.5 hours of video lessons (150 lessons in total), plus lifetime access on any smart device.

SWEDISH UDEMY COURSES

Swedish Udemy

SWEDISH AUDIO COURSES

There are also a number of audio-only courses available from many of the major digital language course providers.

Pimsleur’s Conversational Swedish and Basic courses along with the Michel Thomas Method’s Foundational Swedish course all offer hours of audio lessons. They aim to get you conversational using nothing but audio, and are perfect for those with limited time.

Pimsleur Swedish Conversational Course - Level 1 Lessons 1-16 CD
Amazon.com
Pimsleur Swedish Conversational Course - Level 1 Lessons 1-16 CD
Foundation Swedish: Learn Swedish with the Michel Thomas Method
Amazon.com
Foundation Swedish: Learn Swedish with the Michel Thomas Method
Pimsleur Swedish Basic Course - Level 1 Lessons 1-10 CD: Learn to Speak and Understand Swedish
Amazon.com
Pimsleur Swedish Basic Course - Level 1 Lessons 1-10 CD: Learn to Speak and Understand Swedish

Swedish Products

Typing in Swedish, using the Swedish alphabet, can be a chore without the right keyboard. With Swedish keyboard stickers, you can easily transform your regular keyboard into a Swedish one.

Swedish - Finnish Non-Transparent Keyboard Stickers

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