Swedish for Expats · Lesson 1 of 10

Swedish Greetings You'll Use from Your Very First Day

No textbooks. No complicated grammar. Just the words you'll actually need — at the door, at work, and at the supermarket.

Expat in Sweden  ·  8 min read
📚 Swedish for Expats — Course Progress
Lesson 1 of 10 complete  ·  You are just getting started — keep going!
👋 A note from me: I moved to Sweden as an expat and quickly realised that knowing even a handful of Swedish words changes everything. People's faces light up. You stop feeling invisible. This series is what I wish I had on day one — practical, honest, and short enough to actually finish.

Swedish people speak excellent English, so you will never be stuck. But the moment you say Hej instead of Hello, something shifts. You are no longer just a visitor — you are trying, and Swedes notice that.

In this first lesson, we cover the greetings you will use every single day: saying hello, saying goodbye, asking how someone is, and a handful of words that will save you in awkward moments.

Time to complete: 10–15 minutes  ·  Words learned: 10

The Core Greetings

Learn these six first. You will use all of them within your first week in Sweden.

Hej
Hello / Hi
🔊 Sounds like: "Hay"
Use any time, with anyone. Sweden's most universal word.
Hej då
Goodbye
🔊 Sounds like: "Hay-daw"
The friendly way to say bye — at the shop, leaving a meeting, anywhere.
God morgon
Good morning
🔊 Sounds like: "Goo mor-on"
Use until around noon. Your colleagues will love it.
God kväll
Good evening
🔊 Sounds like: "Goo kvell"
After about 6 PM. Great at restaurants or evening events.
Tack
Thank you
🔊 Sounds like: "Tack" (rhymes with "back")
The single most useful word in Sweden. Say it often.
Ursäkta
Excuse me / Sorry
🔊 Sounds like: "Oor-sek-ta"
To get past someone, get attention, or apologise lightly.
💡 Expat tip: Tack does a lot of heavy lifting in Swedish. It means thank you, but Swedes also say it to acknowledge information ("Oh, tack"), to end a conversation politely, and even to say "here you go" when handing something over. When in doubt — say Tack.

Asking How Someone Is

After the first Hej, the next natural step is asking how someone is. Here is what you need.

SwedishEnglishWhen to use it
Hur mår du? How are you? Casual — friends, colleagues, neighbours
Jag mår bra. I am fine. Standard reply — always works
Jag mår mycket bra. I am very well. When you want to sound enthusiastic
Och du? And you? Bounce the question back — very natural
Jag mår också bra. I am also fine. When replying after being asked back
💡 Culture note: Swedes tend to answer Hur mår du? briefly and honestly — not the way some cultures give an automatic "fine, thanks!" Don't be surprised if a Swede says "Actually, a bit tired today." It is refreshingly genuine.

A Real Conversation

Here is how these words come together. Read it out loud — pronunciation matters more than perfection.

Anna: Hej!
Hello!
Erik: Hej! Hur mår du?
Hello! How are you?
Anna: Jag mår bra. Och du?
I am fine. And you?
Erik: Jag mår också bra. Tack!
I am also fine. Thank you!
Read this conversation three times. By the third time, it will start to feel natural.

Your Quick Reference Card

Bookmark this or screenshot it — it will be useful in your first weeks.

SwedishEnglish
HejHello / Hi
Hej dåGoodbye
God morgonGood morning
God kvällGood evening
TackThank you
JaYes
NejNo
UrsäktaExcuse me
FörlåtSorry (deeper apology)
Hur mår du?How are you?

✏️ Quick Practice — Translate into Swedish

Tap each answer to reveal. Try to answer first before you look!

1. Hello
Your answer... Hej
2. Goodbye
Your answer... Hej då
3. Thank you
Your answer... Tack
4. How are you?
Your answer... Hur mår du?
5. I am very well.
Your answer... Jag mår mycket bra.

Your Challenge This Week

🎯 Try this: Over the next 7 days, say Hej to your neighbour, Tack at every shop, and God morgon to one colleague. That is all. Just three words, repeated every day. You will be surprised how quickly it starts to feel natural — and how warmly people respond.

Coming Up — Lesson 2: Introducing Yourself

In the next lesson you will learn:

Go to Lesson 2 →