Planning a trip to beautiful Sweden, connecting with Swedish colleagues, or just starting your journey into this fascinating Nordic language? Knowing how to greet people and use basic politeness phrases is the perfect first step to making connections and showing respect for the culture.

While many Swedes speak excellent English, making the effort to use even a few words of Swedish is always appreciated. It opens doors and makes interactions warmer. Luckily, basic Swedish greetings are quite straightforward. Let's learn some essentials!

Saying Hello: Choose Your 'Hej'

The most common and versatile greeting is Hej!.

• Hej! (Pronounced roughly like "Hey!") - This is the standard, all-purpose "Hello" or "Hi". You can use it anytime, with anyone, in almost any situation. Simple and friendly!
• Hallå! (Pronounced "hal-LAW!") - Similar to "Hello" in English, often used when answering the phone, but can also be used as a greeting, perhaps slightly more formal or attention-grabbing than 'Hej'.

Like in English, you can also greet based on the time of day:

• God morgon! (Pronounced "Good MOR-ron!") - Good morning! (Used until around 10 or 11 AM)
• God dag! (Pronounced "Good DAAG!") - Good day! (Can be used during the daytime, though 'Hej' is more common informally). Sounds a bit more formal.
• God kväll! (Pronounced "Good KVELL!") - Good evening! (Used from late afternoon/evening onwards).

Saying Goodbye

Just as easy as saying hello!

• Hej då! (Pronounced "Hey doh!") - This is the standard "Goodbye". It's friendly and common.
• Vi ses! (Pronounced "Vee sess!") - See you! (Literally "We see each other"). Used when you expect to see the person again.
• Adjö! (Pronounced "ah-YUH!") - Farewell/Goodbye. This sounds quite formal and final, less common in everyday chat than 'Hej då'.
• Ha det bra! (Pronounced "Hah deh brah!") - Have it good! / Take care! A nice, friendly way to part.

Essential Politeness: Please, Thank You, Excuse Me

Politeness is key in any language.

• Tack! (Pronounced "Tahk!") - Thank you! The fundamental word for thanks.
• Tack så mycket! (Pronounced "Tahk soh MICK-eh!") - Thank you very much!
• Varsågod! (Pronounced "VAR-shoh-good!") - You're welcome! / Here you go! (Used when giving something to someone).
• Snälla (Pronounced "SNEL-lah") - Please. Often used when making a request, e.g., Kan jag få en kaffe, snälla? (Can I have a coffee, please?). Note: 'Please' isn't used quite as automatically as in English; requests are often polite through phrasing (using 'Could I...' - 'Kan jag...')
• Ursäkta mig! (Pronounced "UR-sek-tah mey!") - Excuse me! (For getting attention, squeezing past someone).
• Förlåt! (Pronounced "Fur-LOHT!") - Sorry! (For apologizing for a mistake).

Basic Introductions

Ready to introduce yourself?

• Jag heter [Your Name]. (Pronounced "Yah HEH-ter [Your Name]") - My name is [Your Name].
• Vad heter du? (Pronounced "Vah HEH-ter doo?") - What is your name?
• Trevligt att träffas! (Pronounced "TREHV-ligt att TREFF-ahs!") - Nice to meet you!
• Varifrån kommer du? (Pronounced "VAR-ih-fron KOM-mer doo?") - Where do you come from?
• Jag kommer från [Your Country]. (Pronounced "Yah KOM-mer frohn [Your Country]") - I come from [Your Country].

Simple Questions & Answers

• Hur mår du? (Pronounced "Hoor more doo?") - How are you?
• Jag mår bra, tack. (Pronounced "Yah more brah, tahk.") - I am well, thank you.
• Och du? (Pronounced "Ok doo?") - And you?
• Pratar du engelska? (Pronounced "PRAH-tar doo ENG-el-skah?") - Do you speak English?
• Ja / Nej (Pronounced "Yah" / "Nay") - Yes / No.

Start Speaking!

Learning these simple greetings and phrases is a fantastic starting point for interacting in Swedish. Don't worry about perfect pronunciation initially – making the effort is what counts. Practice them aloud, listen to native speakers if you can (online resources are great for this), and try using them!

Ready to go beyond the basics and truly dive into the Swedish language and culture? Sprachlingua offers engaging and effective online Swedish courses.