https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Sweden in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Today we look at a word that technically means 'woman', but you should be very careful about when you use it. https://www.thelocal.se/20190404/swedish-word-of-the-day-karring Thu, 04 Apr 2019 13:13:09 +0200 swedish-word-of-the-day-karring Should you tip in Sweden? Habits are changing fast thanks to new technology and a hard-pressed restaurant trade, writes James Savage. https://www.thelocal.se/20240405/opinion-are-tips-in-sweden-becoming-the-norm Fri, 05 Apr 2024 13:59:48 +0200 opinion-are-tips-in-sweden-becoming-the-norm For most Swedish schoolchildren, February (or the beginning of March) is synonymous with sportlov, or the annual sports vacation. The vacation was initially created during World War Two as a response to Sweden's energy crisis. https://www.thelocal.se/20190218/swedish-word-of-the-day-sportlov Mon, 18 Feb 2019 10:15:04 +0100 swedish-word-of-the-day-sportlov Looking for a Swedish novel for the bookworm on your Christmas list? Here are five Swedish titles that have recently been published in English translation. https://www.thelocal.se/20251030/laslov-reading-list-5-swedish-books-newly-translated-into-english Thu, 30 Oct 2025 14:27:19 +0100 laslov-reading-list-5-swedish-books-newly-translated-into-english Anyone who's attempted it will admit that the Swedish language has its tricky aspects. The unique sounds, the rules regarding word order, and the frankly obscene number of plural forms all make it difficult to master, leaving many learners uncertain how to reply when asked the inevitable questions of 'do you speak Swedish?' and the ensuing 'so are you fluent?' The good news is, if you identify with most of the items on this list, you're well on your way. https://www.thelocal.se/20180817/the-signs-youve-mastered-the-swedish-language-learning-fluency Fri, 17 Aug 2018 15:13:21 +0200 the-signs-youve-mastered-the-swedish-language-learning-fluency When The Local recently asked its readers about Swedish schools, I couldn’t help but smile. Because as a teacher I can tell you many of the points raised were spot on. Here are five of the things I've learned from being an insider. https://www.thelocal.se/20250919/5-things-i-learned-about-swedens-schools-by-working-as-a-teacher Fri, 19 Sep 2025 12:44:07 +0200 5-things-i-learned-about-swedens-schools-by-working-as-a-teacher Swedish teacher Sara Hörberg explains the best tips, tricks and pitfalls to watch out for when learning the Swedish language. https://www.thelocal.se/20170824/the-swedish-teacher-when-do-you-use-sin-sitt-and-sina Thu, 24 Aug 2017 08:59:59 +0200 the-swedish-teacher-when-do-you-use-sin-sitt-and-sina This word is key for those long Nordic evenings. https://www.thelocal.se/20190717/swedish-word-of-the-day-uteservering Wed, 17 Jul 2019 08:00:05 +0200 swedish-word-of-the-day-uteservering You'll probably only use this word every four years; still, it's a good one to know. https://www.thelocal.se/20200227/swedish-word-of-the-day-skottar Thu, 27 Feb 2020 11:19:32 +0100 swedish-word-of-the-day-skottar Today we take a look at one of those words that may seem small and insignificant, but when deployed correctly can make your Swedish sound much more native. https://www.thelocal.se/20181102/swedish-word-of-the-day-fy Fri, 02 Nov 2018 12:54:01 +0100 swedish-word-of-the-day-fy Happy New Year! Depending on how you celebrated the start of 2024, here's a word that might just come in handy today. https://www.thelocal.se/20190101/swedish-word-of-the-day-bakfylla Tue, 01 Jan 2019 07:59:00 +0100 swedish-word-of-the-day-bakfylla Swedish is a fun language to learn, but there are some words which can bring a blush to English-speakers' cheeks. Here are eight words which we still find awkward to use in conversation. https://www.thelocal.se/20151014/eight-swedish-words-that-sound-awkward-in-english Wed, 14 Oct 2015 09:00:00 +0200 eight-swedish-words-that-sound-awkward-in-english In many companies across Sweden, English is the working language, but understanding at least some Swedish will serve you well in the search for a job. https://www.thelocal.se/20190226/swedish-vocabulary-the-words-and-phrases-you-need-to-know-to-survive-the-job-hunt Tue, 26 Feb 2019 08:59:59 +0100 swedish-vocabulary-the-words-and-phrases-you-need-to-know-to-survive-the-job-hunt Swenglish is the term for English spoken with a heavy Swedish influence, and while it usually refers to Swedes speaking their second language, native English speakers who live in the country might also find that their language becomes Swedified over time. https://www.thelocal.se/20190206/eight-essential-swenglish-words-youll-end-up-using Wed, 06 Feb 2019 13:14:14 +0100 eight-essential-swenglish-words-youll-end-up-using In an extract from The Local’s new book about the Swedish language and lifestyle, editor Catherine Edwards asks how much we can learn about a country from its language alone. https://www.thelocal.se/20210928/sweden-word-by-word-how-much-can-you-learn-about-a-country-from-its-language Tue, 28 Sep 2021 21:30:02 +0200 sweden-word-by-word-how-much-can-you-learn-about-a-country-from-its-language There are about ten Sámi languages alive today, spoken across the northern parts of Scandinavia and eastern Russia. But they are among the many Indigenous languages around the world that are at risk of disappearing.  https://www.thelocal.se/20210702/ten-beautiful-sami-words-that-you-might-not-have-heard-before Fri, 02 Jul 2021 19:21:48 +0200 ten-beautiful-sami-words-that-you-might-not-have-heard-before There's something heroic about the way Danes and Swedes insist on trying to communicate with one another using their own languages, but more often than not end up nodding, smiling, and only pretending to understand. Why not give up and just speak English? https://www.thelocal.se/20210429/why-do-swedes-and-danes-insist-on-pretending-they-speak-the-same-language Thu, 29 Apr 2021 11:20:29 +0200 why-do-swedes-and-danes-insist-on-pretending-they-speak-the-same-language Why is Sweden called Sweden? Why is Sweden so depressing? Why is Sweden so rich?  In this series of articles, The Local answers some of the most common questions that appear when you type "Why is Sweden..." into the Google search engine.   https://www.thelocal.se/20210628/why-is-sweden-called-sweden Mon, 28 Jun 2021 18:08:06 +0200 why-is-sweden-called-sweden Keeping up with the twists and turns over the recent events in Swedish politics is a challenge, let alone navigating it in a foreign language. We've collected the key Swedish words and phrases you need to hold your own when the conversation turns to politics. https://www.thelocal.se/20210624/swedish-vocabulary-how-to-talk-about-the-political-crisis-like-a-swede Thu, 24 Jun 2021 19:28:15 +0200 swedish-vocabulary-how-to-talk-about-the-political-crisis-like-a-swede Sweden's forest language Elfdalian is at risk of dying out, and this week a politician took the question of its survival to parliament. https://www.thelocal.se/20210423/why-a-swedish-politician-is-demanding-the-right-to-speak-an-ancient-forest-language-in-parliament Fri, 23 Apr 2021 15:51:06 +0200 why-a-swedish-politician-is-demanding-the-right-to-speak-an-ancient-forest-language-in-parliament