Did you know that YouTube has more than 2 billion monthly users?
In fact, it’s one of our top go-to outlets for information and entertainment nowadays.
Some of the best online content creators have chosen the platform to publish their content, and the amount and quality of video channels on YouTube far exceed that of any competition.
YouTube now serves as an amazing language immersion tool, as well.
To give you a leg up on your hunt for the best YouTube channels to learn the Swedish language, we’ve compiled a list of our top ten recommendations.
But first…how can you utilize this video sharing platform to make the most of your time?
Taking full advantage of your personalized homepage is a great way to start.
If all you watch is gaming videos, that’s all YouTube will send your way when you enter into their app or website. The same is true with anything else, be it cat videos, TikTok compilations, or rocket launches.
And if all you watch is Swedish videos?
Your homepage will be packed with Swedish content.
Heck, you can even change your country to Sweden to get their most trending videos, and you can subscribe to your favorite Swedish YouTube channels to make it even more personalized.
- ➜ Ready to dig in? First, you might want to learn some useful Swedish words for Talking About YouTube. 😉
Table of Contents
- SwedishPod101
- Easy Swedish
- LearningSvenska
- Nackagubben
- Slow Swedish with Katrin Berndt
- Stefan Thyron
- Erik Edler
- IJustWantToBeCool
- TheSwedishLad
- Evan Thomas
- Conclusion
1. SwedishPod101
Category: Interactive Learning
Level: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
SwedishPod101 is by far the richest and most active Swedish learning YouTube channel. The full range of videos inspired by Innovative Language’s SwedishPod101 program makes it a go-to video resource for learners of all levels.
The best thing about SwedishPod101 is the 24/7 live stream. It provides such an immersive plug-and-play experience for those who prefer not to go through videos themselves and prefer a TV-like experience.
In addition, many of the videos on this channel offer free cheat sheets to download. This helps you increase your chances of remembering the information on the video by diversifying your learning and going even deeper into the topic you’re studying. For example, the video How to say “How do you say this in Swedish?” provides a cheat sheet with even more vocabulary than that covered in the video.
Overall it is a great channel for learners of all levels, and the quality of the videos is exceptionally good compared to the rest of the channels on our list.
2. Easy Swedish
Category: Street Interviews
Level: Easy, Intermediate, Advanced
Easy Swedish is part of the Easy Languages series. The Swedish learning content on the channel consists of street interviews with Swedes about a variety of interesting topics, mostly related to culture and society in Sweden.
The first episode, Typical Swedish, is a great watch to get a feel for the channel. Its most unique feature is the bilingual subtitles. Watching Easy Swedish enables you to learn about slang, culture, and Swedish in general.
3. LearningSvenska
Category: Language
Level: Beginner
Are you kind of old-school and just want a simple resource with no distractions whatsoever? If yes, LearningSvenska is exactly what you’re looking for.
Most of the videos on this channel consist of simple vocabulary breakdowns with images and translations to help you memorize the words.
It’s worth checking out the video descriptions as well, as they sometimes happen to be in Swenglish (Swedish + English) and make a fun read. Here’s an example from the Fruits and Vegetables video description: “DO NOT FORGET att äta (to eat) more fruits every night instead of middag (dinner).”
4. Nackagubben
Category: Vlogging
Level: Beginner
Nackagubben is a Swedish YouTube channel that takes a fun approach to teaching foreigners about Sweden. It’s a great resource for those looking to immerse themselves in the culture and learn about some of the concerns or popular opinions of locals.
There are several videos on the channel related to other Scandinavian countries. A great example is the video Dear Denmark (an open letter), in which they make fun of things that work differently in Denmark than in Sweden, like the Danish grading system.
You can find other videos on the same channel about Finland and Norway, all from a Swedish point of view.
5. Slow Swedish with Katrin Berndt
Category: Vlogging
Level: Intermediate
This is my favorite individual Swedish content creator on YouTube. Berndt makes videos in slow Swedish, talking about topics ranging from her dream house, to solo travel (which Swedes do a lot of), to the coronavirus pandemic and how Sweden has handled it.
In her video Describing My Dream House, Berndt describes her dream home in detail using very slow Swedish, with both Swedish and English subtitles integrated within the video.
6.Stefan Thyron
Category: Vlogging
Level: Beginner
Stefan runs the perfect channel for people who want to understand the nuts and bolts of differences between Sweden and the United States. Stefan is an American expat who is well-integrated in the U.S.A., so his perspective is one many aspiring expats will need and appreciate.
One of my favorite videos is his Comparing Housing Prices In Sweden vs America, where he breaks down the prices of different homes in the U.S.A. and Sweden. He compares the prices in Dallas, Texas, and where he lives in Stockholm (Normalm).
7. Erik Edler
Category: Street Interviews
Level: Beginner, Intermediate
Erik Edler takes a similar approach to that of Easy Swedish. He goes up to couples, families, and children at parks and public spots in Sweden, and just strikes up conversations about topics that may interest you (or the locals).
The biggest pro of this channel is the bilingual subtitles. Erik integrates transcripts in both English and Swedish within the videos. This makes his channel a great resource for intermediate learners, or even beginners who want to start getting their feet wet.
8. IJustWantToBeCool
Category: Comedy
Level: Advanced
Understanding comedy in a foreign language is a great indicator of mastery. As one of the most popular Swedish YouTube channels, IJustWantToBeCool is the resource for those who want to get familiar with Swedish comedy and basically anything slang-related.
The channel provides no Swedish or English subtitles, and it’s not designed for Swedish learners in particular. Therefore, I recommend this channel for more advanced Swedish learners who want to brush up on their language skills.
9. TheSwedishLad
Category: Vlogging
Level: Beginner
TheSwedishLad is a great channel for beginners who want to delve deeper into Swedish and pack in some new vocabulary to enrich their conversations. Martin—the owner of the channel—integrates both English and Swedish subtitles within the videos, making it the perfect channel for beginner learners.
In a recent video (Building IKEA furniture), Martin breaks down the assembly of an IKEA chair in Swedish, supported by bilingual subtitles.
There’s another category of videos on his channel, in which he brings up native speakers of languages such as German and Polish and challenges them to say certain Swedish expressions. Watching these videos could be a very fun and interactive way to examine and practice your own Swedish pronunciation.
10. Evan Thomas
Category: Vlogging
Level: Starter, Beginner
One of the top Swedish YouTube channels for learners, this one features many videos of Evan and his Swedish partner sharing interesting insight and facts about Sweden. While it’s mostly not language-focused, it will give you an overview of what life in Sweden is like through both Swedish and American lenses.
11. Conclusion
Perfect! (Perfekt!) You’re one step ahead of everyone in your language immersion game. Have you already watched stuff from any of the Swedish language YouTube channels we mentioned? If so, feel free to share your thoughts on them in the comments below!
Make YouTube your first social media outlet to be mainly or partially Swedish, then slowly switch it up to other outlets.
Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate learner, or advanced learner, getting that “feel” of Swedish gives you a huge leg up. Swedes will find it easier to communicate with you when you make up for language with body gestures and cultural context.
Want to dig even further and take Swedish even more seriously?
SwedishPod101—the name of the first channel on the list and the website you’re reading this on—provides a full Swedish learning program that covers learners of all levels.
Picture an all-in-one platform with video, audio, and text content—all organized within a proven system—and you get a good image of what SwedishPod101 is like.
You can even use the efficient integrations on our website without having to resort to a textbook or other apps. If you want to save newly learned vocabulary, SwedishPod101 has a feature for doing just that (digital flashcards). If you want to compare your pronunciation to that of a native speaker’s, there’s a feature for that too. And the list goes on…
And the best part? You can try it all out for yourself with a free signup on the SwedishPod101 homepage.
Whether you want to use the app or the website, no credit card is required to get started.
Go to SwedishPod101.com and take your Swedish to the next level.
Lyckligt lärande!
Happy learning!
