Swedish for Expats · Lesson 20 · Final Advanced Lesson
Swedish Slang & Informal Language
Asså, liksom, typ, hen — the Swedish you won't find in a textbook, but will hear in every real conversation.
Expat in Sweden · 12 min read
📚 Swedish for Expats — Advanced Lessons
✅ Lesson 20 — the final lesson in the advanced track. Grattis!
👋 From my experience: After a year of "textbook Swedish," I remember the exact moment a colleague said "asså, det är ju liksom typ galet" and I understood every individual word but had no idea what she meant. Filler words are the last 10% of fluency — the part that makes you sound like a person, not a phrasebook. This is a fun one to finish the course on.
Time to complete: 12–15 minutes · Words learned: 15+ slang & filler words
The Filler Words Everyone Uses
Asså
"So..." / "I mean..."
Asså, jag vet inte riktigt. — I mean, I don't really know.
Liksom
"like" (filler, not literal)
Det var liksom jättekonstigt. — It was, like, really strange.
Typ
"like" / "kind of"
Vi ses typ klockan sju? — Shall we meet, like, around seven?
Ba
"just" (short for bara, used like "said")
Han ba "nej". — He was just like "no".
Alltså
"so" / "basically" (more formal cousin of asså)
Alltså, det är inte så enkelt. — So, it's not that simple.
Skitbra / Skitgott
Really good / really tasty (mild slang)
Maten var skitgott! — The food was really good!
💡 "Skit-" as an intensifier: Adding skit- to an adjective is common casual slang meaning "really" — skitbra (really good), skitkul (really fun), skitjobbigt (really annoying). It's informal but not rude among friends.
Modern Swedish You Should Know
| Word | Meaning |
|---|
| Hen | A gender-neutral pronoun (alongside han/hon), now widely accepted in modern Swedish |
| Jantelagen | "The Law of Jante" — an unwritten cultural norm discouraging boasting or standing out |
| Chilla | To chill / relax (borrowed from English) |
| Najs | Nice (borrowed and re-spelled from English) |
| Fett bra | Really good (youth slang, "fett" = "really") |
| Kul | Fun (extremely common, appears everywhere) |
| Schysst | Fair / decent / cool — a very versatile compliment word |
🌟 Understand jantelagen and you'll understand Sweden: This unwritten rule — essentially "don't think you're better than anyone else" — quietly shapes everything from workplace humility to how Swedes react to bragging. Once you notice it, you'll see it everywhere.
Texting & Casual Written Swedish
| Swedish | Meaning |
|---|
| Haha / Hihi | Laughing (like "lol", "hihi" is softer/cuter) |
| Usch | Ugh / yuck — expresses mild disgust or dismay |
| Oj | Oh! / Whoops — surprise or a small mistake |
| Mysigt | Cosy — used constantly, about places, evenings, everything |
| Ha en fin dag! | Have a nice day! (very common sign-off in texts) |
Two Friends Chatting — A Conversation
Sara: Asså, helgen var skitkul! Vi typ dansade hela natten.
So, the weekend was really fun! We, like, danced all night.
Ravi: Najs! Var det din syster som ba "vi måste gå nu"?
Nice! Was that your sister who was just like "we have to go now"?
Sara: Haha, ja precis! Hon är alltid liksom super strikt med tider.
Haha, yes exactly! She's always, like, super strict about time.
Ravi: Klassiskt. Men det lät skitmysigt ändå!
Classic. But it sounded really cosy anyway!
New words: strikt = strict · klassiskt = classic (used casually) · ändå = anyway / still
✏️ Final Practice
1. What does "asså" function as in a sentence?
Your answer...A filler word, like "so..." or "I mean..." — it doesn't carry literal meaning.
2. What is "hen"?
Your answer...A gender-neutral pronoun, used alongside han (he) and hon (she) in modern Swedish.
3. What does adding "skit-" to a word usually mean?
Your answer...It's a casual intensifier meaning "really" — skitbra = really good.
4. What is "jantelagen" and why does it matter culturally?
Your answer...An unwritten social norm discouraging boasting or standing out — it quietly shapes Swedish humility and workplace culture.
Your Challenge This Week
🎯 Try this: Drop one filler word into a real conversation this week — "asså" or "typ" are the easiest to start with. It feels strange at first, but it's often the final thing that makes Swedes stop noticing your accent and just talk to you normally.
🏆
Grattis — You've Completed the Advanced Track!
From pronunciation to slang, you've now covered pronunciation, banking, food, housing, holidays, emotions, outdoor life, parenting, bureaucracy, and the informal Swedish that ties it all together. That's a genuinely deep, practical command of everyday Swedish life.
Share this course with another expat who needs it. Lycka till — and skitbra jobbat. 🇸🇪
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