On the Epiphany holiday, Sweden’s Christians celebrate the three wise men’s visit to Baby Jesus and the baptism of Jesus. In this article, you’ll learn more about this Christian holiday in Sweden, including why there’s currently some debate around it. At SwedishPod101.com, it’s our goal to ensure that every aspect of your language-learning journey is both fun and informative—starting with this article! Ready? Let’s dive in. 1. What is Epiphany? The Christian holiday of Epiphany celebrates two key events in the life of Jesus: the visitation of the "three wise men" (tre vise männen) to see the "Baby Jesus" (Jesusbarn) and Jesus’ baptism by St. John the Baptist. The Epiphany holiday in Sweden is considered one of the "red... Show more

Did you know there are many different types of calendars? As you probably know - a calendar is a system of organizing days in weeks and months for specific purposes, according to Wikipedia. Worldwide, most countries use the Gregorian calendar. Some just work on the same framework, meaning that time is divided into units based on the earth's movement around the sun - the "solar calendar". Other calendars keep time by observing the moon's movements, a combination of the moon and the sun's movements, and seasons. Through SwedishPod101, you can learn all about this and so much more! Our themed, culturally relevant lessons are skillfully designed so you can do your planning perfectly for a holiday or a date. Having a good plan for a visit... Show more

Did you know that only some reptiles and birds don't parent their offspring? Except for crocodiles, all reptiles (and one family of bird species called megapodes) hatch from eggs and grow up alone, without any family. The rest of us need family if we are to survive and thrive - humans and animals alike! At SwedishPod101, we know how important family is. Therefore, we take care to teach you all the important vocabulary and phrases pertaining to family. Table of Contents Why Is It Important to Know Swedish Vocabulary about Family? Learn a New Culture? Learn its Family Vocab first How SwedishPod101 Can Help You Learn Swedish Family Terms 1. Why Is It Important to Know Swedish Vocabulary about Family? Well, if you're serious... Show more

Traveling to foreign countries is nearly always an exciting, enriching, and beneficial experience. Yet, some things can be real downers, such as boredom on a lengthy flight to . Really, binge-watching onboard movies can only be interesting for so long! And jet lag - another huge downer. Did you know that jet lag is more severe when you travel from the West to the East? Well, we won't know how to beat that, but there are fortunately plenty of remedies around to investigate. To beat flight boredom, though, we may have the answer for you at SwedishPod101! Why don't you take the time to study Swedish travel phrases? We make this super easy and fun, with great downloadables, like our PDF Cheat Sheets. Quickly memorize these, and impress your ... Show more

Especially if you're planning a prolonged visit to , using the correct Swedish numbers for counting in Swedish could be very important! Number systems are the other alphabet in any language. In fact, it is a language all of its own, and it serves a multitude of excellent purposes. Table of Contents A Brief History of Counting and Number Systems Why is it Important to Learn Swedish Numbers? Learning Swedish Numbers Why Choose SwedishPod101 to Learn all about Swedish Numbers? 1. A Brief History of Counting and Number Systems 1. The Ishango Bone The origin of counting, and with it numbers, is not clear to historians. While their art showed that prehistoric man had a concept of numbers, the first indication of a formal... Show more

You're learning to speak Swedish, and it's going well. Your confidence is growing! So much so that you feel ready to share your experiences on social media—in Swedish. At Learn Swedish, we make this easy for you to get it right the first time. Post like a boss with these phrases and guidelines, and get to practice your Swedish in the process. 1. Talking about Your Restaurant Visit in Swedish Eating out is fun, and often an experience you'd want to share. Take a pic, and start a conversation on social media in Swedish. Your friend will be amazed by your language skills...and perhaps your taste in restaurants! Anders eats at a restaurant with his friends, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment: POST Let's break down... Show more

The Sweden All Saints’ Day holiday is, above all else, a day to remember and honor those who have passed away. This can be close friends or family members, though traditionally people were meant to remember all the dead saints who didn’t have their own special day. In this article, you’ll learn about All Saints’ Day in Sweden, from its history to how people observe it today. At SwedishPod101.com, we hope to make every aspect of your language-learning journey both fun and informative! 1. What is All Saints’ Day? All Saints' Day has roots in the 700s, but gained importance in Sweden during the 1900s and was inspired by the Catholic tradition. Looking at Sweden's Catholic Middle Ages we come across All Saints' Day for the... Show more

Ever heard of the four stages of culture shock? They are the four mental states every foreigner goes through when moving to a new country. Here’s a chart depicting each stage: Honeymoon is the period when your stay is all fun and games, and everything is still going as planned. You’re experiencing the "tourist" Sweden and you have no complaints. Fast-forward to the second or third month, and you’ll slowly but surely start sliding down into the culture shock hole. You start missing home, become sensitive to the more negative aspects of Swedish society, and begin to feel the changes that are taking effect in your life.  Thereafter comes adjustment, and that’s the period when you have to make the most mistakes and go... Show more

If you're planning to visit Sweden or want to move there, it's important to know about the different ways you can introduce yourself in Swedish, and how to start a conversation. Let's say you meet a new person and want to know this individual more. There are some things you should keep in mind before you introduce yourself in Swedish, since Swedish introductions are different than in other countries. That said, a simple "My name is," in Swedish can go a long way. In this article, we’ll go further into the subject of introducing yourself in Swedish so that you’ll never be at a loss for words! You’ll have the Swedish self-introduction down in no time. Table of Contents The Very First Meeting: Identifying Yourself Introductions in... Show more

Around the time of the summer solstice, Sweden celebrates Midsummer. Midsummer Sweden celebrations and traditions, such as its Midsummer magic beliefs, offer a close look at Swedish culture as a whole. And as any successful language-learner can attest to, understanding a country’s culture is essential in mastering language! At SwedishPod101.com, we hope to make this learning journey both fun and informative for you, as we go over the details of the Midsummer festival Sweden celebrates each year. 1. What is Midsummer in Sweden? Midsummer is celebrated near the summer solstice, which is the date when the day is the longest and the night is the shortest. The origin of celebrating this day is really just to enjoy the longest day... Show more