← Lesson 7: At the Doctor 📖 Lesson 8: At Work Lesson 9 →
Swedish for Expats · Lesson 8 of 10

Swedish at Work — Meetings, Fika & Workplace Culture

Lagom, fika, and flat hierarchies — Swedish work culture is unique. Here's the language you need to fit in.

Expat in Sweden  ·  12 min read
📚 Swedish for Expats — Course Progress
Lesson 8 of 10  ·  80% complete — almost there!
👋 From my experience: Swedish workplaces surprised me most as an expat. Nobody uses titles. Your CEO sits in an open-plan office. Meetings start on time and end on time. And fika — the sacred coffee break — is taken seriously. Understanding these cultural norms matters as much as the language itself.

Time to complete: 12–15 minutes  ·  Phrases learned: 16 work phrases + culture insight

Two Swedish Work Concepts You Must Know

☕ Fika

Fika is a scheduled coffee and cake break — usually twice a day. It is not optional. Skipping fika is considered antisocial. It is how Swedish colleagues bond, share information, and build trust. Always accept a fika invitation, especially in your first weeks. Say: "Ja tack, fika låter bra!" (Yes please, fika sounds great!)

⚖️ Lagom

Lagom means "just the right amount" — not too much, not too little. It is a core Swedish value that shapes everything from portion sizes to opinions in meetings. In work settings, avoid being too loud, too boastful, or too extreme. A good Swedish workplace compliment is: "Det var lagom bra." (That was just right / pretty good.)

Meeting Phrases

SwedishEnglish
Ska vi börja?Shall we start?
Vad tycker du?What do you think?
Jag håller med.I agree.
Jag håller inte med.I disagree.
Det låter bra.That sounds good.
Kan du upprepa det?Can you repeat that?
Förstår du?Do you understand?
Jag förstår inte.I don't understand.
Kan du tala långsammare?Can you speak more slowly?
Bra jobbat!Good job! / Well done!
Vi ses imorgon.See you tomorrow.
Ha en bra helg!Have a good weekend!
💡 Most useful phrase: "Kan du tala långsammare?" — can you speak more slowly? Swedes are very patient with language learners. Just ask and they will slow right down and often switch to simpler words without being asked.

Swedish Email Sign-offs

SwedishEnglishWhen to use
Med vänliga hälsningarKind regardsFormal / external emails
Vänliga hälsningarKind regards (short)Standard professional
HälsningarRegardsNeutral, internal
Med vänlig hälsningWith kind regardsCommon variation
MvhAbbreviation of aboveCasual internal emails
Ha en bra dag!Have a good day!Friendly closing

A Meeting in Swedish

Manager: Hej allihopa! Ska vi börja?
Hi everyone! Shall we start?
Colleague: Ja, vi kör!
Yes, let's go!
Manager: Lahiru, vad tycker du om förslaget?
Lahiru, what do you think of the proposal?
Lahiru: Det låter bra! Jag håller med. Men kan du upprepa den sista punkten?
That sounds good! I agree. But can you repeat the last point?
Manager: Självklart! … Förstår du nu?
Of course! … Do you understand now?
Lahiru: Ja, tack! Bra jobbat allihopa.
Yes, thank you! Well done everyone.
New words: allihopa = everyone · vi kör = let's go (literally "we drive") · förslaget = the proposal · punkten = the point

✏️ Quick Practice

1. How do you say "I agree" in Swedish?
Your answer...Jag håller med.
2. What does "lagom" mean?
Your answer...Just the right amount — not too much, not too little. A core Swedish value.
3. How do you ask someone to speak more slowly?
Your answer...Kan du tala långsammare?
4. How do you say "Have a good weekend!"?
Your answer...Ha en bra helg!

Your Challenge This Week

🎯 Try this: At your next fika, say at least one thing in Swedish — even just "Det är gott!" (This is tasty!) about the cake. Swedes love when expats make the effort in social settings. It builds real connections faster than anything else.

Coming Up — Lesson 9: Swedish Weather & Small Talk

Go to Lesson 9 →