by Olly RichardsWhy learn Swedish? Have you ever found yourself listening to a Swedish song or browsing the IKEA catalogue, thinking: “Hmm, is Swedish useful to learn?”
Well, I can guarantee you, you are not alone! Who doesn't want to learn to pronounce the funny Swedish names in the IKEA catalogue? Or be able to sing along to Swedish songs and actually understand what they're singing?
But besides that are there any more reasons why Swedish is an excellent language to learn?
It's always a good thing to learn new languages, but for many, it can feel pretty overwhelming! Listing a couple of practical reasons why that particular language is useful to know can actually help your language-learning journey by keeping you motivated!
So why learn Swedish in particular? Keep reading to find out!
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For a quick overview of the answer to the question – why learn Swedish? – check out the table of contents below. You can use it to jump to the part of the post that interests you most. Otherwise, keep reading to find out – why learn Swedish?
Table of Contents
1. Swedish Is A Gateway To Other Nordic Languages
Swedish is usually viewed as the gateway into the other Nordic languages! And there is some truth to that statement. If you learn Swedish to a native level, it's also easier to read and understand Danish and Norwegian.
Some similar words are common in all Nordic languages, and simply understanding Swedish will make it easier for you to understand some of the other Nordic languages. This post about Swedish language history will reveal more about this.
Learning Swedish is also helpful if you want to travel or work in Finland. Swedish is taught in Finnish schools, and most Finnish natives understand Swedish to an extent. Take a look at this post about Swedish-speaking countries to learn more.
It's also the most spoken language along some of the western and southern Finnish coasts. Swedish is, for that reason, a functional language that opens doors to not only Swedish culture but also Finnish.
Swedish is, in theory, relatively easy to learn for English natives and multiple ranking services rank Swedish in the easiest-to-learn category. A reason for that is that both English and Swedish are part of the germanic language tree.
To know more about this, check out my post: is Swedish hard to learn?
Regardless! Learning a new language is always well invested time, and Swedish is not an exception, read on to find out more clever reasons why Swedish is a valuable language to learn.
2. Better Access To Music, Books And Movies In Swedish
Sweden is a powerhouse when it comes to producing different forms of entertainment. Swedish music is a globalized market, and both movies/series and books are popular as well. Learning the language is almost a must when enjoying Swedish entertainment.
Artists such as Abba, Zara Larsson and Tove Lo are famous internationally, but if you want to enjoy artists singing in Swedish, Miss Li, Viktor Leksell, or Veronica Maggio are three artists I recommend.
And honestly, their songs hit harder when you understand the meaning.
I mean, it is possible to get access to Swedish entertainment even though you don't speak Swedish; many translations exist, for example.
But to really enjoy the different kinds of media in their original form and to appreciate the cultural nuances that might exist, learning the language would be a good call.
Sweden is quite creative regarding content, and more and more Swedish originals end up on Netflix, like “Folk med ångest” or “Snabba Cash”. Much context is lost in translation if you watch it in other languages.
Watching Swedish series and Swedish movies with subtitles instead of dubbed could be an excellent language-learning tool. This will put Swedish in a natural context instead of just the basic Swedish you usually come in contact with when learning it.
Using and watching different kinds of entertainment platforms is a good way to connect to and understand the Swedish language and culture.
3. Connect To And Understand Swedish Culture
As a foreigner living in Sweden or as a tourist, it might be hard to get by in Sweden without feeling alienated or like an outsider.
By learning Swedish, you will both be able to understand the Swedish inside jokes that “lose their meaning when translated” and gain a new perspective on Swedish culture.
Sweden has a rich culture, but some layers and nuances can only be uncovered by a Swedish speaker, thus leaving a non-native to often feel like an outsider in different cultural contexts.
Learning Swedish indeed goes a long way when wanting to fit in culturally. And by speaking the language, you'll gain access to spaces you perhaps haven't been in before, and in no time, you'll understand all about jantelagen or dancing around the Midsommarstång to små grodorna.
Knowledge hidden for English speakers will be uncovered just by learning the language.
4. Access To Better Job Opportunities In Sweden
Sweden is, in many cases, a very international country, and many big businesses offer global work environments. It's common for some employers, specifically bigger companies and organizations, to have a workspace entirely in English.
However, this is mainly the bigger companies with a significant international audience.
If you want access to more and better work opportunities, speaking Swedish is a must. For some jobs, speaking Swedish is required, which means you wouldn't even be shortlisted for the job, even if you have relevant skills.
Deciding to work for a “national” company (with a workspace primarily in Swedish) could also be helpful for your Swedish learning journey.
Working in an office or with coworkers who speak Swedish makes it easier for you to practice speaking Swedish daily, and I can guarantee you your Swedish will improve significantly by doing that. In this case, working primarily with Swedes is really just a win-win.
5. Improves Language Ability, Memory And Brain Function
Learning Swedish is useful, not only because of the Swedish language itself but because of the effects on cognitive functions learning foreign languages has.
Studies show that adults learning new languages stimulate similar brain parts as children learning to speak.
Learning languages will also help your brain learn and remember new things. Your overall cognitive function is likely to increase. And if you regularly exercise the language-learning part of your brain, you are more likely to improve your memory.
Studies show that especially the ability to hold more things in short-time memory is increased by language learning. It proves that language learning has multiple benefits in different areas, and it's not only beneficial for the “being able to speak a new language” part.
Besides positive memory and brain improvement, learning Swedish is also great for learning new foreign languages.
Your general knowledge of languages increases as you learn Swedish, making it easier for you to identify different word orders, grammar rules and sentence structures in other languages as well.
You can compare and contrast different languages and implement what you already know when learning a new language.
6. Fit In In Sweden And Socialise With Swedes
Unfortunately, a shared experience by many foreigners living in Sweden is the feeling of loneliness or not fitting in.
A big part of this is due to not understanding the social cues or speaking the language. The problem is that understanding the social cues often means that you have to learn the language first.
Learning the language, however, means you will have a great stepping stone to understanding the locals and the social cues.
While many Swedes speak English fluently, some people can't or have a hard time speaking English for different reasons. Learning the language is the most accessible means of getting into the community and finding your place in Swedish society.
Learning and specifically speaking a new language might also improve your social abilities because you have to talk to new people to practice your speaking.
Learning a new language could also improve your understanding of how people in different parts of the world communicate. It will make it easier for you to understand what's socially acceptable in Sweden compared to other countries and change your speech accordingly.
7. IKEA!
And finally! Perhaps the biggest reason to learn Swedish. Being able to read the IKEA catalogue!
Have you ever wished you could read the names in the catalogue? Or are you sick of feeling stupid when you try to pronounce words like enköping, vinstgivande, or hasslarp?
By learning Swedish, all those problems will be nothing but a memory. And what better motivation to learn Swedish? You'll be able to pronounce Swedish words in no time and flex to your friends whenever you (for whatever reason) read the IKEA catalogue together.
FAQs About Why Learn Swedish?
Why learn Swedish?
Here are 7 reasons to learn swedish:
1. Learning Swedish makes it easier to understand the other nordic languages
2. You'll have better access to music, books and movies in Swedish
3. It makes it easier to connect to and understand Swedish culture
4. You can access better job opportunities in Sweden
5. Improve your language ability, memory and brain function
6. Fit in with Swedes and socialise with them more easily
7. Understand the IKEA catalogue!
Should I learn Swedish?
If you're interested in Swedish culture or you plan to move to Sweden then learning Swedish is a great idea.
Learning Swedish will give you better access to music, books and movies in Swedish. After all, not everything is translated and some things get lost in translation.
If you want to live in Sweden, knowing Swedish will give you an edge in the job market and will help you to fit in and make friends with Swedes.
Is Swedish worth learning?
Yes, definitely!
Like any language, Swedish is worth learning in order to broaden your horizons, connect with new people and cultures and to improve your language ability, memory and brain function.
And learning Swedish is worth it if you want to move to Sweden or connect with Swedish speakers.
Despite high levels of English ability in Sweden, not everyone is comfortable speaking in English. And if you want to truly connect with people, doing it in their native language is best.
Knowing Swedish also means you can expand your job search to national companies, as opposed to international ones, where speaking Swedish may be a requirement.
Learning Swedish makes it easier to understand the other Scandinavian languages. And if you're interested in Finland too, you'll be pleased to know that some regions of Finland are Swedish speaking.
What is the advantage of learning Swedish?
Swedish isn't only spoken in Sweden. By learning Sweden, you'll also be able to interact with Finnish people, many of whom speak Swedish as a native or second language.
Swedish is a lot easier to learn for English speakers than Finnish. In fact, it's one of the easiest languages for native English speakers to learn. With some hard work and dedication, you can expect to reach a conversational level in 6 months.
Is it better to learn Swedish or Norwegian?
It depends. Are you planning to move to Sweden or to Norway? In that case, it's better to learn the language that corresponds to the country you're going to, even if the Scandinavian languages are supposed to be mutually intelligible.
Otherwise, Norwegian might have the edge over Swedish as it seems to be the language most understood by speakers of other Scandinavian and Nordic languages.
According to a report by the Nordic Council 80% of the Swedish, 67% of the Danish, 45% of the Icelandic and 22% of the Finnish respondents felt confident to understand Norwegian without having specifically learned the language.
The figures drop substantially when it comes to Swedish and Danish, the languages most closely related to Norwegian.
However, even here the Norwegians score higher, being able to understand 90% of the Swedish and 50% of the Danish content of a conversation.
Why Learn Swedish? Because Learning Swedish Is Life-Changing
So why learn Swedish? These were 7 good reasons to learn Swedish that you (hopefully) will feel motivated by.
But really, the only reason you need is that you want to learn Swedish, regardless of its usefulness in the grand scheme of things. Be sure to always enjoy your language-learning journey and always find good reasons why you want to continue learning the language.
Swedish will only get easier with time. The hardest part is starting. After a while, you'll be able to pick up more Swedish and eventually speak it without even thinking about it.
Start learning, sticking to it and making the learning process fun and interesting will go a long way in ensuring your language learning process will be a smooth and fun journey.
And what better way to learn Swedish than to follow the rules of StoryLearning and read short stories in Swedish? As you read in Swedish, you'll pick up the structure and vocabulary of Swedish naturally without studying.
Olly Richards
Creator of the StoryLearning® Method
Olly Richards is a renowned polyglot and language learning expert with over 15 years of experience teaching millions through his innovative StoryLearning® method. He is the creator of StoryLearning, one of the world's largest language learning blogs with 500,000+ monthly readers.
Olly has authored 30+ language learning books and courses, including the bestselling "Short Stories" series published by Teach Yourself.
When not developing new teaching methods, Richards practices what he preaches—he speaks 8 languages fluently and continues learning new ones through his own methodology.
