Your name, where you're from, where you live — the four sentences every expat needs in the first week.
Expat in Sweden · 10 min read
📚 Swedish for Expats — Course Progress
Lesson 2 of 10 · 2 lessons done — you are building momentum!
👋 From my experience: The first thing anyone asks when you meet them in Sweden is "Vad heter du?" — what is your name. Then almost immediately: "Var kommer du ifrån?" — where are you from. These two questions will follow you everywhere — at work, at fika, at your neighbour's door. This lesson gets you ready for all of it.
In Lesson 1 you learned how to greet people. Now we go one step further — introducing yourself properly. By the end of this lesson you will be able to hold a short but complete introduction in Swedish.
Time to complete: 10–15 minutes · Phrases learned: 12
The Core Introduction Phrases
These are the building blocks of any self-introduction in Swedish.
Jag heter…
My name is…
🔊 "Yag heh-ter"
Jag heter Lahiru. → My name is Lahiru.
Vad heter du?
What is your name?
🔊 "Vad heh-ter doo"
Ask this when meeting someone new.
Var kommer du ifrån?
Where are you from?
🔊 "Var kom-er doo ee-frawn"
You will hear this constantly as an expat.
Jag kommer från…
I come from…
🔊 "Yag kom-er frawn"
Jag kommer från Sri Lanka.
Jag bor i…
I live in…
🔊 "Yag boor ee"
Jag bor i Stockholm.
Trevligt att träffas!
Nice to meet you!
🔊 "Trev-ligt at tref-as"
Say this at the end of any introduction.
Try It With Your Own Name
Type your name below and see your Swedish introduction instantly.
Jag heter ___
Type your name:
💡 Good news: Swedish people will never struggle with your name the way some cultures do. They are very used to international names. Just say it naturally — they will repeat it back to you politely and correctly.
Formal vs Informal — Does It Matter?
Swedish is one of the most informal languages in Europe. The formal "you" (Ni) almost completely disappeared in the 1960s–70s during a social movement called du-reformen. Today nearly everyone uses du — even with strangers, bosses, and the king.
✅ Everyday (use this)
Vad heter du?
What is your name? (casual)
Var kommer du ifrån?
Where are you from?
Hur mår du?
How are you?
🏛 Formal (rare, very polite)
Vad heter ni?
What is your name? (formal)
Var kommer ni ifrån?
Where are you from? (formal)
Hur mår ni?
How are you? (formal)
💡 Expat tip: Don't overthink formal vs informal. Use du with everyone — your landlord, your doctor, the cashier. If you accidentally use Ni with a Swede under 70, they might even find it a little funny.
Full Vocabulary Reference
Swedish
English
Example
Jag heter…
My name is…
Jag heter Anna.
Vad heter du?
What is your name?
—
Var kommer du ifrån?
Where are you from?
—
Jag kommer från…
I come from…
Jag kommer från Indien.
Jag bor i…
I live in…
Jag bor i Göteborg.
Jag jobbar i…
I work in…
Jag jobbar i Stockholm.
Trevligt att träffas!
Nice to meet you!
—
Även trevligt!
Nice to meet you too!
—
Jag är ny här.
I am new here.
Very useful as an expat!
Jag lär mig svenska.
I am learning Swedish.
People love hearing this.
🌟 Secret weapon: Say "Jag lär mig svenska" (I am learning Swedish) whenever you can. Swedes genuinely appreciate the effort and will often slow down, help you, and switch to simpler words. It opens doors.
A Full Introduction Conversation
Here is a realistic conversation you might have at work, at a party, or with a new neighbour. Read it out loud at least twice.
Erik: Hej! Jag heter Erik. Vad heter du?
Hello! My name is Erik. What is your name?
Lahiru: Hej! Jag heter Lahiru. Trevligt att träffas!
Hello! My name is Lahiru. Nice to meet you!
Erik: Även trevligt! Var kommer du ifrån?
Nice to meet you too! Where are you from?
Lahiru: Jag kommer från Sri Lanka. Jag bor i Stockholm nu.
I come from Sri Lanka. I live in Stockholm now.
Erik: Åh, vad kul! Hur länge har du bott här?
Oh, how fun! How long have you lived here?
Lahiru: Inte så länge. Jag lär mig svenska!
Not so long. I am learning Swedish!
Erik: Det är jättebra! Välkommen till Sverige!
That is great! Welcome to Sweden!
Don't worry about understanding every word yet. Focus on the bold phrases you have already learned — they carry the whole conversation.
💡 New words from the conversation:Åh, vad kul! = Oh, how fun! ·
Inte så länge = Not so long ·
Jättebra = Great / Very good ·
Välkommen = Welcome
✏️ Quick Practice — Translate into Swedish
Try to answer before you tap to reveal!
1. My name is [your name].
Your answer...Jag heter [your name].
2. What is your name?
Your answer...Vad heter du?
3. Where are you from?
Your answer...Var kommer du ifrån?
4. I come from [your country].
Your answer...Jag kommer från [your country].
5. I live in Stockholm.
Your answer...Jag bor i Stockholm.
6. Nice to meet you!
Your answer...Trevligt att träffas!
7. I am learning Swedish.
Your answer...Jag lär mig svenska.
Your Challenge This Week
🎯 Try this: The next time someone new asks your name — at work, at a shop, anywhere — answer fully in Swedish. Jag heter [name]. Jag kommer från [country]. Jag bor i [city]. Three sentences. That is a complete introduction. You will feel the difference immediately.