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Å Ä Ö

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Speaking Swedish

Speaking Swedish

The Swedish language has three extra letters apart from the 26 in the basic Latin alphabet: å, ä and ö. The letter ‘å’ sounds like the ‘o’ in ‘for’, ‘ä’ like ‘fair’ and ‘ö’ like ‘fur’.

The language law

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Swedish was long taken for granted as the language to use in government and most of the educational system, even though the language didn’t have any official status in law. Then, in 2000, five minority languages gained official status, and in 2009 a new language law established Swedish as our official main language. Among other things the law says that safety instructions and product information must be available in Swedish. And the language used in schools should normally be Swedish.

National minority languages

Sweden’s five national minority languages are Finnish, Meänkieli, Romani Chib, Sami and Yiddish, which the language law promotes and protects. Children whose parents belong to a national minority are entitled to learn that language. To qualify as an official national minority language in Sweden, two conditions must be met: it must be a language, not a dialect, and it must have been spoken without interruption for at least three successive generations or 100 years.

Mini glossary

Fika [`fiːka]

The Swedish language law also covers all other mother tongues spoken in Sweden, about 150 different ones. It states that everyone is entitled to use their mother tongue, so it can’t be forbidden anywhere. The Education Act determines the right for children of immigrant parents to Mother Tongue Studies in school. 

Coffee break (including the socialising that goes with it)

Glögg [ɡlœɡː]

Swedish mulled wine

Hej! [he̞ʝː] Hello

Hej då! [he̞ʝdɔ] Bye-bye

Lagom [`lɒːɡɔm]

Just right – not too little, not too much

Nja (nej + ja) [nʝɒː]

No and yes

Ombudsman [`ɔmːbʉ̟d̥s´m̥an]

Ombudsman

Påtår [`pʰoː´tʰoːɹ]

A refill of coffee

Sambo [samːbʊ]

Someone who lives together with his/her partner without being married (short for samboende, Swedish for ‘living together’)

Smörgåsbord [`sm̥ɶɹːɡɔs´b̥uːɖ]

Smorgasbord

Tack! [tʰakʰː]

Thank you/Please (depending on the context)

Särbo [sæːɹbʊ]

Someone who is in a long-term relationship but does not live together with his/her partner

Talar du engelska? [`tʰɑːlɐɖʉ̟´ɛŋːəl̥skɐ]

Do you speak English?

Ursäkta mig! [ʉ̟ʂɛkːtɐmɛʝ]

Excuse me

Varsågod! [vɑʂɔɡuːd]

Here you go/Please/You’re welcome (depending on the context)

Älg [ɛlːʝ]

Moose (Eurasian elk)

Photos: iStock, or as otherwise stated

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