Essential Swedish Phrases for Your First Week in Sweden

Start with the basics

You do not need hundreds of words to get through your first week. A small set of practical phrases covers most daily situations. Learn these first, and build from there.

Greetings and polite phrases

Swedish	English
Hej!	Hi!
Hej då!	Goodbye!
Tack!	Thank you!
Tack så mycket!	Thank you very much!
Ursäkta	Excuse me
Förlåt	Sorry
Ja / Nej	Yes / No

Tip: Swedes appreciate when you try, even if your pronunciation is not perfect.

At the supermarket

Swedish	English
Jag vill ha…	I would like…
Hur mycket kostar det?	How much does it cost?
Var finns…?	Where is…?
Kan jag betala med kort?	Can I pay by card?
Kvittot, tack.	The receipt, please.

Most stores in Sweden accept card payments. Cash is rarely needed.

Taking public transport

Swedish	English
En biljett, tack.	One ticket, please.
Var är hållplatsen?	Where is the bus stop?
Vilken linje går till…?	Which line goes to…?
Nästa station	Next station

Download the local transport app (SL in Stockholm, Västtrafik in Gothenburg, Skånetrafiken in Malmö) for real-time schedules.

At the doctor or pharmacy

Swedish	English
Jag mår inte bra.	I do not feel well.
Jag behöver en tid.	I need an appointment.
Jag har ont i…	I have pain in…
Har ni något mot huvudvärk?	Do you have something for a headache?

Call 1177 (Vårdguiden) for non-emergency health advice. They often have English-speaking staff.

At work or meetings

Swedish	English
Jag heter…	My name is…
Trevligt att träffas!	Nice to meet you!
Kan du upprepa?	Can you repeat that?
Jag förstår inte.	I do not understand.
Kan vi ta det på engelska?	Can we do this in English?

Most Swedish workplaces are fine with English, but trying Swedish shows effort and builds goodwill.

Numbers you need

Swedish	English
ett, två, tre, fyra, fem	1, 2, 3, 4, 5
sex, sju, åtta, nio, tio	6, 7, 8, 9, 10
tjugo, trettio, fyrtio, femtio	20, 30, 40, 50
hundra, tusen	100, 1000

Learn numbers early — you will use them for prices, addresses, and appointments.

Build from here

These phrases will get you through most first-week situations. As you get comfortable, start adding one or two new phrases each day. Within a month you will have a working vocabulary for daily life.

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