Swedish has 9 vowels (vokaler).

Each vowel can be long or short when it is stressed (betonad). Unstressed (obetonad) vowel is always short.

Listen to examples:

• Betonad: Han tar den. (long a)
• Obetonad: Han tar ut den. (short a)

Long - short vowel:

• a: glas - glass
• e: bred - bredd
• i: vi - hitta
• o: ko - kort
• o: kol - kolla
• u: mus - buss
• y: yr - yttre
• å: på - åtta
• ä: bär - fräsch
• ö: kö - kött

Following are Swedish consonants (konsonant): b c d f g h j k l m n p r s t v x.

*q w z are used in some foreign names.

Listen to examples:

• b - be
• d - då
• f - fin
• g - ge, gilla, gymnastik, gäs, göra, älg, berg, gren, stig, gata, Gud, gå
• h - han
• j - ja, journalist
• k - kemi, kyrka, känna, kök, klass koka, kål, tak, lek
• l - le
• m - min
• n - nu
• p - på
• r - ro
• s - se
• t - te
• v - vit
• c - centrum, crawl
• q - Qvist
• w - Taiwan
• x - yxa
• z - zon

2 Swedish consonants put together can make pronunciation different.

Listen to examples:

• ch: chef
• ng: hänga
• gn: regna
• sk: sked, skina, skör, skär
• sk: skriva, skola, skål, fisk, mask
• sj: sju
• sk: skjuta
• stj: stjärna
• sch: schack
• sch: dusch
• sion: mission
• tion: station
• rd: bord
• rl: härlig
• rn: barn
• rs: fors
• rs: Han tvättar sig
• rt: bort

Sometimes when the consonant is not stressed (obetonad), we tend to not pronounce it.

Listen to examples:

• alltid - allti
• idag - ida
• vad - va
• det - de
• mycket - mycke
• hemskt - hemst
• huset - huse
• ropade - ropa
• ropat - ropa
• morgon - moron
• någon - nån
• något - nåt
• några - nåra
• och - o
• är - ä
• huvudet - huvet

Let's practice long/short vowels (lång/kort vokal) by examples!

Listen to examples:

kort vokal

• dum/dumt/dumma
• rum/rummet
• glömmer/glömde/glömt

lång vokal

• bekväm/bekvämt/bekväma
• problem/problemet

kort vokal

• sann/sant/sanna
• känner/kände/känt
• man/mannen/män/männen
• vän/vännen/vänner/vännerna

lång vokal

• fin/fint/fina
• ben/benet/ben/benen

Lång

• av
• hare
• färd
• gjord
• hård
• vård
• karl
• barn
• torn
• varna

Kort

• böj
• höja
• dum
• gym
• kom
• vem
• lyx
• läxa
• sex
• älg
• kaffe
• saft
• mask
• export
• kort
• fart

Betoning refers to stress or accent in pronunciation. It's a crucial aspect of spoken Swedish, as it affects the meaning of words and makes your speech sound natural.

Listen to examples:

• stol - stolen
• barn - barnet
• flicka - flickan - flickor
• bagare - bagaren
• lejon - lejonet - lejon - lejonen
• ros - rosor
• gubbe - gubbar
• besök
• prinsessa
• rektor
• son - söner
• kostym - kostymer
• restaurang - restauranger
• äpple - äpplet - äpplen - äpplena
• knä - knän
• blommor - blommorna
• hundar - hundarna
• katter - katterna
• skor - skorna

(focus on the stress in each word)

Verb (verb)

• bada - badar - badade - badat
• stänga - stänger - stängde - stängt
• läsa - läser - läste - läst
• tro - tror - trodde - trott
• skriva - skriver - skrev - skrivit - skriven

Adjektiv (adjective)

• typisk
• enkel
• mager
• höger
• kärleksfull
• intressant
• kompetent

Sammansatta ord (compound words)

• höghus
• järnväg
• kortlek
• synskadad

Obetonad (unstressed) prefix be-, för-

• stå (stand) → bestå (consist of, endure)
• söka (seek, search) → besöka (visit)
• skriva (write) → beskriva (describe)
• arbeta (work) → bearbeta (process, edit)
• lora (lose) → förlora (lose, be defeated)
• svinna (vanish) → försvinna (disappear)
• se (see) → förse (provide)

Betonad (stressed) prefix an-, av-, er-, miss-, om-, till-, under-, ut-, åter-, över-

• komma (come) → ankomma (arrive)
• sluta (end) → avsluta (finish, conclude)
• känna (know, feel) → erkänna (admit, recognize)
• förstå (understand) → missförstå (misunderstand)
• skriva (write) → omskriva (rewrite)
• låta (allow, let) → tillåta (permit)
• söka (seek) → undersöka (investigate, examine)
• veckla (fold) → utveckla (develop)
• komma (come) → återkomma. (return, come back)
• leva (live) → överleva (survive)

Namn (name)

• Lars
• Erik
• Nils
• Göran
• Ann-Marie
• Anna
• Sofia

The pronunciation of the letter g in Swedish is one of the most important rules to master because it changes completely based on the vowel that follows it.

The Hard G (Hårt G)

This is pronounced exactly like the English g in "good" or "go." Use the hard G when it is followed by a hard vowel (a, o, u, å) or a consonant.

The Soft G (Mjukt G)

This is pronounced like the English y in "yellow" or "yes." (It is the same sound as the Swedish letter j). use the soft G when it is followed by a soft vowel (e, i, y, ä, ö).

Listen to examples:

• gest (gesture)
• garage (garage)
• regna (rain - verb)
• religiös (religious)
• gjort (made)
• ung (young)
• bingo (bingo)

Compared to the complex rules for g, the letter j is much more straightforward, but it comes with a few interesting spelling variations.

The Main Rule: J = English Y

In Swedish, the letter j is always pronounced like the English y in "yes," "yellow," or "you." It is never pronounced like the English j (as in "jump" or "jungle").

The "Silent" Helpers (Consonant Clusters)

The most tricky part of the "j-sound" in Swedish is that several consonant combinations are pronounced simply as j. In these cases, the first letter becomes silent.

If you see these combinations at the beginning of a word, ignore the first letter and just say "y" (dj, hj, lj, gj)

French Loan Words (The "Sje" Sound Exception)

There is one major exception. Words borrowed from French that start with j often take the sje-ljud.

Listen to examples:

• djup (deep)
• djur (animal)
• djävul (devil)
• gjorde (made)
• hjärna (brain)
• hjärta (heart)
• kjol (skirt)
• ljuda (sound)
• ljuga (lie)
• ljus (light)
• sjunga (sing)
• sjö (lake)
• skjorta (shirt)
• skjuta (shoot)
• stjärna (star)
• njure (kidney)

The pronunciation of k in Swedish is determined by the "hard" and "soft" vowels. Mastering this rule is essential because the "soft K" is one of the most distinct sounds in the Swedish language.

The Hard K (Hårt K)

This is pronounced exactly like the English k in "key" or "car," or the c in "cat." Use the Hard K when it is followed by a hard vowel (a, o, u, å) or a consonant.

The Soft K (Mjukt K) – "The Tje-sound"

This sound does not exist perfectly in English. It is called the tje-ljud. It is a soft, hissing sound. It is similar to the English "sh" in "sheep" or the "ch" in "check," but softer. Use the Soft K when it is followed by a soft vowel (e, i, y, ä, ö).

Listen to examples:

• kex (biscuit)
• kille (guy)
• kebab (kebab)
• docka (doll)
• kjol (skirt)
• sked (spoon)
• skida (ski)
• skära (cut)
• skjorta (shirt)
• skjuta (shoot)

The letter o is widely considered the trickiest vowel in Swedish because it refuses to follow a single consistent rule. It is a "chameleon" letter that often steals the sounds of other vowels.

The Long O

When o is a long vowel (usually at the end of a word or followed by only one consonant), it sounds like the "oo" in "cool" or "moon," but your lips must be very pursed and protruding (sticking out), almost like you are whistling.

The Short O

When o is a short vowel (followed by two or more consonants), it changes completely. It sounds exactly like the Swedish letter å.

The "Rule Breakers" (Exceptions)

Long O sounding like Å

Sometimes, a Long O (1 consonant) decides to sound like a Long Å (like the "o" in "so," but darker).

Short O sounding like U

Sometimes, a Short O (2 consonants) keeps the "oo" sound.

Listen to examples:

lång

• sol (sun)
• bok (book)
• stor (big)

kort

• blomma (flower)
• bomull (cotton)
• bonde (farmer)

lång

• lov (permission)
• sova (sleep)

kort

• komma (come)
• locka (attract)
• docka (doll)

The "Silent P" Rule

For words of Greek origin that start with ps, the p is silent in standard spoken Swedish. You should treat the word exactly as if it started with an s.

Listen to examples:

• psykolog (psychologist)
• psykiatrisk (psychiatric)
• psalm (psalm)

The sje-ljud (the sj-sound) is the most famous and complex sound in Swedish. It is notorious for two reasons:

• It has a unique pronunciation (often made deep in the throat) that doesn't exist in English.
• It has many different spellings (sj, sk, stj, skj, sch, ch...).

The Two Ways to Say It

Depending on the dialect and the speaker, there are two main ways to pronounce this sound. Both are correct.

• The "Dark" Sound (Bakre sje-ljudet):Used in standard Swedish (Stockholm, Southern/Middle Sweden).This sound is produced far back in the mouth. Round your lips (like you are saying "ooo") and make a blowing/sighing sound from the back of your throat. It sounds like a mix of a "wh" and a heavy "h."

• The "Front" Sound (Främre sje-ljudet):Used in northern Sweden (Norrland), Swedish spoken in Finland, and sometimes for emphasis.This is very close to the English "sh" in "shoe," but with the tongue curled slightly further back.

Listen to examples:

• sjö (lake)
• sjunga (sing)
• själ (soul)
• skjuta (shoot)
• stjäla (steal)
• chef (boss)
• schack (chess)
• schema (schedule)
• shoppa (shop- verb)
• jounalist (journalist)
• station (station)
• energi (energy)

The tje-ljud (tje-sound) is the lighter, sharper cousin of the "sje-sound." While the sje-sound is often dark and round, the tje-sound is bright and "smiley."

This sound is produced at the front of the mouth. Your tongue should be close to the roof of your mouth, just behind your teeth.

English loan words starting with ch often use this sound (or a harder English 'ch', depending on the speaker).

Listen to examples:

• chatt (chat)
• kyrka (church)
• kök (kitchen)
• kämpa (fight)
• kiosk (kiosk)
• kjol (shirt)
• tjej (girl)
• tjock (thick)
• tjuv (thief)
• tjäna (earn)

The Swedish y is a vowel, and it is famous for being tricky for English speakers because English doesn't really have an equivalent sound.

The Rounded I

The best way to find this sound is to use your lips.

• Say a long, sharp "iii" (like in "see"). Your mouth is in a wide smile.
• Freeze your tongue in that exact position. Do not move it.
• Now, simply round your lips tightly (like you are going to whistle or kiss someone).
• The sound that comes out is the Swedish y.

Listen to examples:

• yr (dizzy)
• ny (new)
• lyssna (listen)
• nytt (new)
• yttre (outer)
• yacht (yacht)
• yoghurt (yogurt)

Z = S

In Swedish, there is no "buzzing" Z sound.

The voiced "z" sound you hear in English words like zoo, lazy, or zebra does not exist in the Swedish sound system. Instead, the letter z is pronounced exactly like a sharp, unvoiced s.

Listen to examples:

• jazz
• zebra
• pizza
• enzym

Swedish is famous for its long words, thanks to its ability to form compound words (sammansatta ord) by stringing together nouns, verbs, and adjectives.

Födelsedagspresent (födelsedags-present)

• födelsedag (birthday) + present (present)

Sjukhusbesök (sjuk-hus-besök)

• sjuk (sick) + hus (house) + besök (visit)

Brandförsvarsutrustning (brand-försvars-utrustning)

• brand (fire) + försvar (defense) + utrustning (equipment)

Grundvattenståndsundersökningar (grund-vatten-stånds-undersökningar)

• grundvatten (groundwater) + stånd (level) + undersökningar (investigations)

The written endings -go (in tjugo) and -tio (in trettio, fyrtio, femtio) are often shortened in pronunciation to the single vowel sound /e/ or /i/

• 9: nio → nie
• 10: tio → tie
• 20: tjugo → tjuge, tjugu, tjugi
• 22: tjugotvå → tjutvå
• 23: tjugotre → tjutre
• 30: trettio → tretti
• 40: fyrtio → förti
• 50: femtio → femti

Now we're going to tackle one of the most typical challenges in Swedish pronunciation: combinations of 'R' and a following consonant, such as rd, rt, rn, rl, and rm.

In many Swedish dialects, the 'r' sound merges with the next consonant to form a new, unique sound called retroflex (except with 'm').

This can be difficult to achieve, but it's super important for you to sound more natural!

Listen to examples:

1. RD (Retroflex D: /ɖ/) sounds like a 'd' but with your tongue curled back.

• jord (earth/soil)
• bord (table)

2. RT (Retroflex T: /ʈ/) sounds like a 't' but with your tongue curled back.

• hjärta (heart)
• svart (black)

3. RN (Retroflex N: /ɳ/) sounds like an 'n' but with your tongue curled back.

• varna (to warn)
• korn (grain)

4. RL (Retroflex L: /ɭ/) sounds like an 'l' but with your tongue curled back.

• pärla (pearl)
• kärlek (love)

5. RM (No Retroflexion - 'r' and 'm' are typically separate) unlike RD, RT, RN, and RL, the 'r' and 'm' in 'rm' do not typically merge into a retroflex sound. You pronounce the 'r' and then the 'm' distinctly.

• arm (arm)
• storm (storm)

Now we're going to really hone your pronunciation of the common endings " -sion" and " -tion" in Swedish.

Remember that both of these have the special sje sound, regardless of whether you pronounce it as "shoon" or "hoon". The most important thing is that you get the unique sound and feel comfortable with it.

Listen to examples:

• diskussion (discussion)
• information (information)
• passion (passion)
• funktion (function)

I hope you enjoy the pronunciation practice! These exercises are simple to help you understand the core ideas of Swedish sounds.

However, the examples provided are limited. We need more practice for our speaking and listening skills.

I will now show you how to use an online tool for listening to and practicing Swedish pronunciation.

Practicing Swedish pronunciation

1. Access the Svenska Akademien website.
2. Enter the word.
3. Look for the search result from SO (Svensk Ordbok).
4. Click the sound icon to hear the recorded pronunciation.