Embarking on the journey of learning Swedish? Grattis! (Congratulations!) One of the best ways to start building confidence and understanding is by mastering some core vocabulary. Knowing common words allows you to recognize them when you hear or see them, and to start forming basic sentences yourself.

This list contains over 100 essential Swedish words perfect for beginners, categorized into nouns, verbs, adjectives, and useful small words. Focus on learning these, and you'll have a solid foundation for everyday communication. Lycka till! (Good luck!)

Nouns (Substantiv)

• en man (a man)
• en kvinna (a woman)
• ett barn (a child)
• en familj (a family)
• en vän (a friend)
• ett hus (a house)
• en lägenhet (an apartment)
• en dörr (a door)
• ett fönster (a window)
• ett bord (a table)
• en stol (a chair)
• en säng (a bed)
• mat (food - uncountable)
• vatten (water - uncountable)
• kaffe (coffee - uncountable)
• te (tea - uncountable)
• mjölk (milk - uncountable)
• ett bröd (a bread/loaf)
• ett äpple (an apple)
• en bil (a car)
• en cykel (a bicycle)
• ett tåg (a train)
• en buss (a bus)
• en gata (a street)
• en väg (a road/way)
• en stad (a city/town)
• ett land (a country/land)
• Sverige (Sweden)
• en skola (a school)
• ett jobb (a job)
• en affär (a shop/store)
• pengar (money - plural form, treated as uncountable)
• en bok (a book)
• en tidning (a newspaper)
• en dag (a day)
• en natt (a night)
• en vecka (a week)
• en månad (a month)
• ett år (a year)
• tid (time - uncountable)
• en timme (an hour)
• en minut (a minute)
• ett språk (a language)
• ett namn (a name)
• en fråga (a question)
• ett svar (an answer)

Verbs (Verb)

• vara (to be - Present: är)
• ha (to have - Present: har)
• göra (to do/make - Present: gör)
• säga (to say - Present: säger)
• gå (to go/walk - Present: går)
• komma (to come - Present: kommer)
• se (to see - Present: ser)
• höra (to hear - Present: hör)
• tala (to speak/talk - Present: talar)
• prata (to talk/chat - Present: pratar)
• förstå (to understand - Present: förstår)
• veta (to know [fact] - Present: vet)
• kunna (to be able to/can - Present: kan)
• vilja (to want - Present: vill)
• behöva (to need - Present: behöver)
• äta (to eat - Present: äter)
• dricka (to drink - Present: dricker)
• sova (to sleep - Present: sover)
• läsa (to read - Present: läser)
• skriva (to write - Present: skriver)
• arbeta (to work - Present: arbetar)
• studera (to study - Present: studerar)
• köpa (to buy - Present: köper)
• bo (to live/reside - Present: bor)
• tycka om (to like - Present: tycker om)
• älska (to love - Present: älskar)
• hjälpa (to help - Present: hjälper)

Adjectives (Adjektiv)

(Remember these change form based on noun gender/number!)

• bra (good)
• dålig (bad)
• stor (big/large)
• liten (small/little - Plural: små)
• ny (new)
• gammal (old - Plural: gamla)
• vacker (beautiful)
• ful (ugly)
• lång (long/tall)
• kort (short)
• svensk (Swedish)
• engelsk (English)
• varm (warm)
• kall (cold)
• glad (happy/glad)
• ledsen (sad)
• trött (tired)

Small Useful Words (Pronouns, Adverbs, Prepositions, Conjunctions, Question Words)

• jag (I)
• du (you - singular)
• han (he)
• hon (she)
• den/det (it - depends on noun gender)
• vi (we)
• ni (you - plural)
• de (they - Pronounced 'dom')
• mig (me - object)
• dig (you - object)
• honom (him)
• henne (her)
• oss (us)
• er (you plural - object)
• dem (them - Pronounced 'dom')
• min/mitt/mina (my - depends on noun)
• din/ditt/dina (your - singular, depends on noun)
• hans (his)
• hennes (her/hers)
• vår/vårt/våra (our - depends on noun)
• er/ert/era (your - plural, depends on noun)
• deras (their/theirs)
• här (here)
• där (there)
• nu (now)
• sedan (then/since)
• också (also/too)
• inte (not)
• mycket (much/very)
• lite (little/a bit)
• i (in/at)
• på (on/at)
• till (to)
• från (from)
• med (with)
• utan (without)
• och (and)
• eller (or)
• men (but)
• att (that/to [before infinitive])
• för (for/because)
• vad (what)
• vem (who)
• var (where)
• när (when)
• varför (why)
• hur (how)

Tips for Learning Vocabulary

• Flashcards: Digital (like Anki or Quizlet) or physical cards are great for active recall.
• Context is Key: Try to learn words within simple sentences rather than just isolated lists.
• Use It or Lose It: Actively try to use the new words when speaking or writing, even in simple ways.
• Listen & Read: Exposure to authentic Swedish helps solidify vocabulary in your memory.
• Consistency: Short, regular study sessions are more effective than infrequent long ones.

Build Your Swedish Foundation

This list provides a strong starting point. Learning these core words will allow you to understand basic conversations and start expressing yourself in everyday situations. Keep practicing, stay curious, and enjoy the process of learning Swedish!

Take your Swedish vocabulary and grammar to the next level with structured lessons and practice activities in Sprachlingua's engaging online Swedish courses.