Tag Archives: Sweden
Sweden’s Response to the Crisis in Ukraine Posted by Liz S on Mar 11, 2022
The world’s attention has been focused on Ukraine since the Russian invasion two weeks ago, and Sweden is no exception. This week’s blog will summarize what Sweden’s response to the crisis has been (with links to articles where you can read more) as well as highlight two specific articles to provide you with useful vocabulary…
Backman’s Latest: Anxious People Posted by Liz S on Jan 21, 2022
January is an ideal month for both bokmalar (bookworms) and sträcktittare (binge watchers), and if you identify as either, this post is for you! By now, you may have heard of the New York Times bestselling Swedish author Fredrik Backman. His debut novel, En man som heter Ove (A Man Called Ove), became an international…
5 Irregular Swedish Verbs You Need to Master Posted by Chelsea B on Nov 19, 2021
A student recently reminded me how difficult it is to memorize irregular verbs in your foreign language. Well actually, she said, “Swedish irregular verbs are the worst.” Att vara, att se, att göra, to name a few, are among the most common words used in daily Swedish. Just as language learning is a balance of…
ABBA’s Comeback and Swedish Pop Hits via Svensktoppen Posted by Chelsea B on Oct 8, 2021
ABBA’s comeback and sing-along pop hits penned in Swedish make this week’s Svensktoppen absolutely dreamy. Presented by Sveriges Radio, this top 10 chart show is the perfect way to learn what’s hot on the Swedish music scene right now and get some language practice in, too! And, the great news is that this week 8…
Pronunciation Breakdown: Swedish Sj-Sound Posted by Chelsea B on Sep 24, 2021
Learning about phonetics is cool. And if you ask me, pretty difficult! A recent blog commenter said they have difficulty with the Swedish sj-sound and asked for tips to practice it. Classified as a “voiceless fricative phoneme” it’s one of the most difficult sounds in the Swedish language to reproduce. While I’m not a phonetics…
Olympic Pump-Up Songs på svenska! Posted by Chelsea B on Aug 6, 2021
Blood pumping. Sweat dripping. Adrenaline on high. Olympic athletes are experiencing these things in abundance right now. But how do they get themselves in the zone to perform at such a high level? Lots of folks put their headphones on, bob their heads in time, and blare a great pump-up song. Music has been used…
Celebrate Pride with Swedish Queer Vocabulary Posted by Chelsea B on Jun 18, 2021
June is recognized as Pride Month all around the world. With Sweden’s long progressive stance on gay rights, it’s no surprise that Swedes host more Pride celebrations per capita than any country in the world. From rainbow-painted park benches and crosswalks in cities like Malmö and Göteborg to the Stockholm Pride parade drawing half a…