Imagine a summer’s day spent strolling along waterfront promenades and harbors, surrounded by pencil-colored historical buildings and leafy parks…  But wait, you don’t need to imagine it. Just visit Stockholm! The capital of Sweden is made up of fourteen islands, through which the freshwater Lake Mälaren flows out into the Baltic Sea. Sounds like an idyllic place, doesn’t it? And that’s not all: Outside of the city, the Stockholm Archipelago continues with over 30,000 more islands. In this travel guide, you’ll discover Stockholm’s top eleven destinations as well as some extra tips and hints.  As St. Augustine said, "The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page." And I assure you, the pages of this... Show more

It’s no secret that Swedes speak English well. But if you dropped in unexpectedly on a Swedish company’s conference call, you might be a little surprised to hear everyone speaking in English despite the fact that everyone working there was born and raised in-country. What gives? Shouldn’t they be speaking...Swedish? Well, because of many different factors, there are quite a few modern colloquial English words in Swedish. They call this phenomenon "Swenglish," and here’s what it’s all about. Table of Contents Putting Swenglish in Context Examples of Swenglish English Loanwords What a Swedish Accent Sounds Like in English English Words Originally From Swedish Conclusion Putting Swenglish in Context ... Show more

https://www.youtube.com/embed/v7JhfNUmli4 What if I told you there was one day a year when you could eat all the waffles you could possibly want? Yes, I’m talking about Waffle Day (formerly known as Our Lady Day) in Sweden.  If you have a mighty sweet tooth on you (or just love pastries a lot), it’s your lucky day! We’ll discuss the origins of this holiday, get your mouth watering with some info on Swedish waffles, and cover some key vocabulary.  Let’s get started! 1. What is Waffle Day? In Sweden, Våffeldagen (Waffle Day) is a springtime holiday during which the general population can indulge in a feast of waffles! But despite the holiday’s festive and indulgent nature, it was originally celebrated as a... Show more

People are, it seems, primed to enjoy quoting others. In Western culture at least, quoting something well-known is a sign to others that you belong, that you’re part of the in-crowd that knows the book, movie, or TV show in question.  For that reason, quotes have existed long before books, movies, and TV shows, and they’ll certainly persist into the distant future.  In this list of Swedish quotes, you’ll find some old favorites that everyone in the world knows, as well as some classic Scandinavian sayings that you probably haven’t heard before.  Ready to impress your friends with these Swedish quotes? Table of Contents Quotes About Success Quotes About Life Quotes About Time Quotes About Food Quotes About Love ... Show more

Many say that conversation is an art. And more than that, conversations are our primary way of getting to know other people. There are conversations for every situation, and a good one should address topics that are of interest to both people.  The best way to start a conversation is by asking a question. But asking questions in a foreign language can feel intimidating, especially when you’re not sure what kinds of questions to ask in the first place. Learning how to ask questions in Swedish is one of the first steps that students of the language must take, after basic greeting phrases. This is mainly because questions are such a good way to start a conversation, and the trick to learning any new language is to practice as much as... Show more

Verbs are considered the most important part of speech when learning any new language. They describe every single mental and physical activity we do, from the moment we wake up in the morning to falling asleep at night. Even sleeping is full of verbs: you sleep, you breathe, you relax, you dream, you toss and turn, you snore… okay, maybe you snore!  The word ‘verb’ comes from the Latin for ‘word’ - your first indication that it's pretty important. In elementary terms: these are the ‘doing’ words and they exist in every language. Verbs are essential in communication and no sentence can exist without one. When learning to speak Swedish, the verbs you know will be your building blocks to make sentences. Whether you’re commenting on the... Show more

What’s your relationship with the clock like? Does it run your day from a morning alarm to a cut-off chime for bed, or are you more of a go-with-the-flow type, letting your mood and emotions decide how much you fall in line with time? Understanding time in Swedish is an important part of your studies. As humans, our lives are filled with habits and schedules. From waking up and going to work or gym, to missing rush hour traffic on our way home, we’re always aware of time. We have routines around coffee breaks, meetings, soccer games and vacations. In fact, time can seem rather capricious - going slowly, going fast, sometimes against us, other times on our side - like a force that has a life of its own. In science, time is often... Show more

Do you know your left from your right in Swedish? Asking for directions can mean the difference between a heavenly day on the beach and a horrible day on your feet, hot and bothered and wondering how to even get back to the hotel. Believe me - I know! On my earlier travels, I didn’t even know simple terms like ‘go straight ahead’ or ‘go west,’ and I was always too shy to ask locals for directions. It wasn’t my ego, but rather the language barrier that held me back. I've ended up in some pretty dodgy situations for my lack of directional word skills. This never needs to happen! When traveling in , you should step out in confidence, ready to work your Swedish magic and have a full day of exploring. It’s about knowing a few basic phrases... Show more

What would you say to lift the spirits of a special person you know? No doubt, you have dozens of kind words that come to mind in English, but do you know many compliments in Swedish? A compliment can be described as a polite expression of praise, admiration, encouragement or congratulations. It’s sometimes used in absolute sincerity and sometimes to flatter, but either way, human beings love to receive compliments! Table of Contents The Importance of Compliments Compliments you always want to hear Conclusion 1. The Importance of Compliments Giving and receiving compliments is so important in society, that you can be considered rude if you’re a person who never acknowledges anyone. We all need to hear words of affirmation to... Show more

Anger is a natural response to pain of some sort; when you’re angry, you’re angry with a cause and want someone to pay! It’s so much harder when you’re traveling, because your routines are off-kilter, there’s culture shock to deal with and the smallest problems can seem overwhelming. How do you handle someone who’s just pushed your last button? At home, we often have a go-to person who is good at calming us down, but emotions are tricky to deal with in a foreign country. Sometimes people may treat you unfairly, but you’re completely baffled as to why. You have to remember that people in think differently to how you do and it’s not impossible to inadvertently cause offense. Don’t stress about it too much, because you’ll adapt! Once you... Show more