120+ Basic Swedish Words and Phrases for Travel
Sweden is an incredibly beautiful country with a rich – but difficult – native language. While you can get by with English, learning a few basic Swedish words and phrases for travel to know before your trip will go a long way in warming you to its local residents.
Swedish is a fun language to listen to, but it’s notoriously tricky to read and speak. Full of unfamiliar symbols and words that frequently sound very differently than they look, it’s unrealistic to expect that you’ll blend in with the locals on your vacation.
However, just because you won’t sound fluent doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try! Learning a few basic Swedish words and phrases for travel before your visit will certainly be appreciated make your trip go more smoothly. So, after living in Stockholm for a month, we’ve curated the most important Swedish words you need to know and their English translations in this post.
Visiting Stockholm while in Sweden? Don’t miss our 3-day autumn itinerary and our guide to where to stay in Stockholm.
Update note: This guide was reviewed in August 2026 to confirm current openings, pricing, and overall relevance.
Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you visit a link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products and services we trust, and all opinions are our own.
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Basic Swedish Words and Phrases for Travel
We’ve broken up our list of basic Swedish words and phrases for travel into logical categories below to help you digest things easier. Each word or phrase is provided with an English to Swedish translation using a phonetic spelling to help you pronounce it properly. As always with our blog, the foreign language words will be in italics. When relevant, we’ve included some helpful notes on when it’s appropriate (or not) to use the Swedish word or phrase.
Without further ado, let’s learn some Swedish!
The Basics
Let’s start off with something simple – everyday basics like “hello,” “goodbye,” “please,” and “thank you” – arguably the most basic Swedish phrases for travel you most need to know!
- Hello/Hi – Hej – HAY (informal, good for any time of day)
- Goodbye – Hej då – HAY doh
- See you later – Vi ses – vee SEHS
- Nice to meet you – Trevligt att träffas – TREHV-leet aht TREH-fahs
- How are you? – Hur mår du? – hur MORE dew?
- Please – Snälla – SNELL-ah (literally “kind,” for a casual request)
- Thank you – Tack – Tahk (the most important)
- You’re welcome – Varsågod – VAR-shuh-good (also means “here you go”)
- Yes – Ja – Yah
- No – Nej – Nay
- Excuse me/beg pardon – Ursäkta – oor-SHEHK-tah (for passing through a crowd)
- I’m sorry – Förlåt – fur-LOHT
- I don’t speak Swedish – Jag pratar inte svenska – yah PRAH-tar IN-teh SVEN-skah
- Do you speak English? – Pratar du engelska? – PRAH-tar dew EN-gel-skah?
- Are dogs allowed? – Får man ha hundar? – for mahn hah HOON-dar?
Getting Around
Google Maps not working? These basic Swedish phrases for travel will help you out in a pinch.
- Where is…? – Var är…? – var AIR…?
- How do I get to…? – Hur kommer jag till…? – hur KOM-mer yah till…?
- I’m lost – Jag har gått vilse – yah har gott VEEL-seh
- Left – Vänster – VEN-ster
- Right – Höger – HUR-ger
- Straight ahead – Rakt fram – rahkt frahm
- Near – Nära – NAIR-ah
- Far – Långt bort – lawngt BORT (where-eeeeever you are)
- Train – Tåg – Tohg
- Bus – Buss – Booss (other popular transit modes metro and taxi are the same in both languages, so you get some freebies there!)
- Airport – Flygplats – FLEEG-plahts
- Train station – Tågstation – TOHG-sta-shoon
- Platform – Perrong – peh-RONG
- Stop – Hållplats – HALL-plahts
- A ticket for… – En biljett till… – en bee-LET till… (to purchase a train ticket, followed by the name of your destination)
- One-way – Enkel biljett – EN-kel bee-LET
- Round-trip – Tur och retur – TOUR oh reh-TOOR
- When does it leave? – När går det? – nair gore deh?
- When does it arrive? – När kommer det fram? – nair KOM-mer deh frahm?
We highly recommend traveling by train in Sweden whenever possible – it’s sustainable, affordable, but most importantly, SO much easier than flying. In Stockholm, it also means arriving closer to your hotel, as central station is right in the thick of it, while Arlanda Airport is 45 minutes or more from the city center. We recommend Omio for easy research and train ticket bookings.
Drinking and Dining
While you may not be expecting the food to be a highlight of your trip to Sweden (I mean, pickled herring?? – it’s not for everyone), their local cuisine and restaurants are actually top-notch, especially in Stockholm. Here are the basic Swedish words you need to know to order it.
- Restaurant – Restaurang – res-tuh-RANG
- A table for two – Ett bord för två – ett boord fur tvaw
- Menu – Meny – meh-NEE
- Waiter/Waitress – Servitör / Servitris – ser-vee-TUHR / ser-vee-TREES
- Excuse me – Ursäkta mig – oor-SHEHK-tah may (to grab a waiter’s attention)
- I’d like… – Jag skulle vilja ha… – yah SKOOL-leh VEEL-yah hah…
- What do you recommend? – Vad rekommenderar du? – vahd re-ko-men-DEH-rahr dew?
- Where is the bathroom? – Var är toaletten? – var AIR too-ah-LET-en?
- Can I pay? – Kan jag betala? – kahn yah beh-TAH-lah?
- The bill/check – Notan – NOH-tahn
- Water still/sparkling – Vatten stilla / med kolsyra – VAHT-ten STILL-ah / mehd KOHL-see-rah
- Wine red/white – Vin rött / vitt – veen ruht / veet
- A glass of wine/water – Ett glas vin/vatten – ett glahs VEEN/VAHT-ten
- Beer – Öl – uhl
- Cheers! – Skål! – Skohl!
- Delicious – Jättegott – YET-teh-gott
- I’m allergic to… – Jag är allergisk mot… – yah AIR ah-LEHR-gisk moot…
- Vegetarian – Vegetarian – veh-geh-tar-EE-ahn
- Gluten-free – Glutenfri – GLOO-ten-free (two more freebies!)
Shopping
Whether you’re buying a Viking horn or just some Advil, here are some Swedish words to know to help you complete your purchase.
- What is this? – Vad är det här? – vahd AIR deh hair?
- How much is this? – Hur mycket kostar den? – hur MEEK-eh KOH-star den?
- Do you accept credit card? – Tar ni kort? – tar nee kort?
- Do you have change? – Har ni växel? – har nee VEHK-sel?
- Do you have…? – Har ni…? – har nee…?
- Where can I find…? – Var kan jag hitta…? – var kahn yah HIT-tah…?
- I’m just looking – Jag tittar bara – yah TIT-tar BAR-ah
- Can I try it on? – Kan jag prova den? – kahn yah PROH-vah den?
- I’ll take it – Jag tar den – yah TAR den
- Size – Storlek – STOOR-lehk (clothing)
- Do you have this in a small/medium/large? – Har ni den i small/medium/large? – har nee den ee smahl / MEH-dee-um / larsh? (same as English, but pronounced with a Swedish twist)
- Open – Öppet – UHP-pet
- Closed – Stängt – stengt
Heads up – Sweden, or at least Stockholm, is almost entirely cash-less. However, all it takes is a short internet outage to put you in a tough spot. We recommend you take out a small amount of cash at the airport (ATMs are hard to find here!) in case of emergency. 1,000 Swedish krona (~$105) should do it. Don’t forget our top tip for withdrawing cash in foreign currency!
Pro tip: When offered an exchange rate by an ATM, you can – and should – always decline the rate displayed. This rate often includes a heavy markup on top of the market exchange rate. Declining the rate will not stop your transaction, but rather allow your personal bank to set the rate instead.
At the Hotel
Checking in at the hotel always leads to a few key questions to facilitate your stay. Use our Stockholm hotel guide to find your perfect stay, then reference these basic Swedish phrases for travel to handle any issues that arise!
- Hotel – Hotell – hoo-TELL (use vandrarhem – VAN-drar-hehm for hostels)
- I have a reservation – Jag har en bokning – yah har en BOHK-ning
- Do you have a room available? – Har ni ett ledigt rum? – har nee ett LAY-dit room?
- What time is checkout/breakfast? – När är utcheckning / frukost? – nair air OOT-check-ning / FROO-kohst?
- Can we leave our bags here? – Kan vi lämna väskorna här? – kahn vee LEM-nah VESK-or-nah hair?
- More towels – Fler handdukar – flair HAND-doo-kar
- Key – Nyckel – NICK-el
- Elevator – Hiss – hiss
- Wi-fi password – Wifi-lösenord – WEE-fee LUR-sen-oord
Numbers and Time
Keeping track of time is key on vacation to make sure you don’t miss out on any of your activities! Use these Swedish phrases for travel to make sure you get to the ticket office on time – and understand the price, too.
- One – Ett – ett
- Two – Två – tvaw
- Three – Tre – treh
- Four – Fyra – FEW-rah
- Five – Fem – fehm
- Six – Sex – sehks
- Seven – Sju – hwew
- Eight – Åtta – AW-tah
- Nine – Nio – NEE-oh
- Ten – Tio – TEE-oh
- Eleven – Elva – EL-vah
- Twelve – Tolv – tohlv (or Tolv på dagen – tohlv poh DAH-gen if you mean noon)
- Twenty – Tjugo – HWEW-goo
- One hundred – Ett hundra – ett HOON-drah
- What time is it? – Vad är klockan? – vahd air KLOK-an?
- Today – Idag – ee-DAHG
- Tomorrow – Imorgon – ee-MOR-gon
- This morning – I morse – ee MOR-sheh
- In the afternoon – I eftermiddag – ee EF-ter-mid-dahg
- Tonight – Ikväll – ee-KVELL
- Half past (time) – Halv – halv (for example, halv tre is 2:30)
- Quarter past – Kvart över – kvart UH-ver
- Quarter till – Kvart i – kvart ee
Be prepared, the Swedes eat dinner early! Expect to make your reservations for around 5 or 6pm, especially in the colder months.
In an Emergency
Sometimes, bad things happen. While we hope your vacation goes flawlessly, it’s best to be prepared with basic Swedish words to know for travel emergencies, just in case.
- Help! – Hjälp! – yelp!
- Can you help me? – Kan du hjälpa mig? – kahn dew YEL-pah may?
- Can I borrow your phone? – Kan jag låna din mobil? – kahn yah LOH-nah din moh-BEEL?
- Call the police! – Ring polisen! – ring po-LEE-sen!
- Call an ambulance! – Ring en ambulans! – ring en am-boo-LAHNS!
- Emergency – Nödsituation – NERD-see-too-ah-shoon
- I’m sick – Jag är sjuk – yah air hwewk
- I need a doctor – Jag behöver en doktor – yah beh-HER-ver en DOCK-toor
- Pharmacy – Apotek – ah-po-TEHK
- Hospital – Sjukhus – HWEWK-hoos
- I lost my passport – Jag har tappat mitt pass – yah har TAH-pat mitt pahss (we really, really hope you don’t need this one)
Sweden is a very safe country, but make sure to take common sense precautions, especially when you’re in crowded tourist areas. Wear a purse with a zipper, don’t keep your phone in your back pocket, and leave your passport locked in the safe at your hotel room.
Bonus: Colloquial Phrases
Want to really impress the locals? Learn some of these common colloquial phrases to sling around. These Swedish words for travel to know will really make you stand above the rest!
- What’s up? – Vad händer? – vahd HEN-der?
- Really? – Verkligen? – VERK-lee-en?
- No way! – Inte möjligt! – IN-teh MEW-leet! (also Va?! – vah?! for a more casual What?!)
- So… / Well… – Asså… – AH-saw… (Sweden’s filler word of choice, used constantly in speech)
- It’s all good – Det är lugnt – deh air loongt
- Don’t worry – Oroa dig inte – OO-roo-ah day IN-teh
- No problem – Inga problem – ING-ah proh-BLEM
- Let’s go! – Nu kör vi! – new SHUR vee! (a common Swedish hype phrase that literally means “Let’s drive!”)
- It’s beautiful – Det är vackert – deh air VAH-kert
- It’s cold! – Det är kallt! – deh air kahlt!
- So expensive! – Så dyrt! – saw DEERT (unfortunately, you’ll consider using this one a lot)
- I love Sweden! – Jag älskar Sverige – yah EL-skar SVAIR-yah
You May Also Like:
- Stockholm in October: The Ultimate 3-Day Itinerary & Guide
- The Best Neighborhoods in Stockholm: Where to Stay by Vibe
- 5 Top Tips for Visiting the Stockholm Royal Palace
- The 7 Best Museums in Stockholm: Which Are Worth Your Time
- Where to Eat in Stockholm: Your Must Eat Food Guide
- 13 Best Cocktail Bars in Stockholm (Neighborhood Nightlife Guide)
FAQs - Other Sweden Travel Tips
When Is the Best Time to Visit Sweden?
Sweden is a beautiful country, and offers very different experiences depending on when you visit. Peak season is between June and August, when the weather is warmer and days are longer. Winter is also a great choice if you’re seeking the Northern Lights. But our favorite time to visit Sweden is October.
Visiting during the shoulder seasons of April – May and September – October will save you a few bucks, and while the October weather was brisk, the changing leaves against the archipelago waters of Stockholm was simply breathtaking.
Which Destinations Should I Visit in Sweden?
When visiting Sweden, you can’t miss one of our favorite cities in the world, Stockholm. We spent a month there and provide all our tips on where to stay, what to do, and what to eat in our Stockholm travel guide and itinerary here.
However, there are tons of other excellent destinations to visit in Sweden! We’ve also heard great things about Gothenburg, similar to Stockholm in many ways but offering a quieter, more relaxed alternative. For medieval and Viking vibes, try Visby on the island of Gotland. And for husky rides and the Northern Lights, head to Kiruna or Abisko in Swedish Lapland.
Do I Need a Visa to Visit Sweden?
Visitors from many countries can travel to Sweden (and the rest of the EU) visa-free for up to 90 days. Check if Sweden requires a visa for visitors from your home country here.
Are There Helpful Apps I Should Download Before I Visit Sweden?
Absolutely! These are the top apps we recommend you download before your trip to Sweden:
- Airalo – having full use of your phone while traveling is incredibly important! eSIM apps like Airalo make getting cell service anywhere you travel easy and affordable. If you haven’t used it before, you can use this Airalo code to get a discount on your first purchase.
- Bolt – while Sweden does have Uber, we generally found competitor Bolt to be much more affordable, all with the same ease of use.
- Omio – one of the greatest joys of European travel is their incredible train network. Use Omio to find and compare routes and purchase your tickets. And, if you’re on a budget, they show bus routes too!
- Foodora or Wolt – these are your go-tos for food delivery, in case you’re too tired to go out for the night.
- Google Translate – we recommend downloading the Swedish language for offline use on Google Translate, so you can always communicate even if you lose cell service. While our language guide is helpful, we don’t expect you to memorize all the basic Swedish words and phrases for travel you may need to know while visiting!
- Google Maps – for the same reason, we also recommend downloading the offline map of the city you’re visiting on Google Maps.
Which Travel Resources Should I Use to Plan My Trip to Sweden?
For starters, use our site! Check out all of our Sweden travel guides to help you decide where to go, what to do, and where to stay. We’ve got detailed itineraries and travel guides, plus recommendations on all our favorite bars, restaurants, and more.
Once you’re ready to plan your trip, we recommend the following resources:
- Flights – we use Google Flights and Skyscanner to book our flights. These resources help you compare all the airlines at once, plus give you tips on the best times to purchase. I use their price tracking features religiously to make sure we get the best deal.
- Hotels – we always use Booking.com for choosing hotel stays. We think they have the best prices, their star ratings are super reliable, and we love the perks we get with their rewards system.
- Transit – if you’re traveling throughout Sweden on anything other than planes – like trains and buses – we recommend Omio. Omio lets you find and compare and buy bus, train, flight, and ferry routes across Europe in one easy-to-use platform.
- Trip Planning – the most frequently opened app on our phone, regardless of our destination, is Wanderlog. This app makes travel planning SO easy. You can import all your flights, hotels, and transit information, add top sites to your itinerary, and even track and split your budget amongst your travel buddies. It also provides recommendations on where to visit and a map of all the attractions you plan to see, with transit time between each.
Do I Need Travel Insurance to Visit Sweden?
While it’s not required, we highly recommend it, especially if you’ll be partaking in boat tours or husky rides. You never know when something might go wrong, and it’s best to be prepared. We use and recommend SafetyWing, which is an especially good option for those traveling for a month or more. For as little as $63, it covers everything from lost luggage to hospital stays – a heck of a deal if you encounter any emergencies while abroad.
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