Learn Swedish with Katrin

Today we’re going to do something very important. Vi ska klaga. We’re going to complain… in Swedish.Not in a dramatic way, but the kind of complaining you hear all the time. Every day. When something is annoying, when you’re tired, when things don’t work the way they should. This is extremely useful, because this is how people actually talk in real life. And honestly, how a lot of people connect and socialize! For better and worse.If you want to start speaking Swedish, join us on Discord by signing up for Speak Swedish with Katrin on Patreon. This is the perfect setting to start producing Swedish sentences out loud!Your Learn Swedish (and Slow Swedish) subscription is included:https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

This week, we’re diving into a cultural phenomenon that confuses and frustrates some people from other parts of the world. At least when it comes time to interact with Swedes and perhaps try to make plans with them.We are talking about Swedish politeness and what we call “soft no’s”.You might have heard people say that Swedes are hard to read, unclear, or even a bit fake. That we don’t say what we mean. I don’t really agree with that, to be honest.If you want to start speaking Swedish, join us on Discord by signing up for Speak Swedish with Katrin on Patreon. This is the perfect setting to start producing Swedish sentences out loud!Your Learn Swedish (and Slow Swedish) subscription is included:https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

We have arrived at our third quiz week! So in this week’s podcast episode, I will speak in Swedish, using vocabulary you have learned these past 20 weeks.I have made this week’s Patreon content free for all of you to download, so even if you’re not a member yet, you can quiz yourself and see how much you know!Quiz yourself:https://www.patreon.com/slowswedishBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

Silence is normal when practicing your new language. Because you won't be able to think of all the words you know at lightning speed!The good news is that you do not need advanced Swedish to keep a conversation alive! You just need a few simple tools, and once you have them, everything becomes easier and more natural.So today we are going to focus on exactly that. How to keep a conversation going in Swedish in a way that feels relaxed and natural.If you want to start speaking Swedish, join us on Discord by signing up for Speak Swedish with Katrin on Patreon. This is the perfect setting to start producing Swedish sentences out loud!Your Learn Swedish (and Slow Swedish) subscription is included:https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

This week, I want to share with you some sounds that Swedes make during a conversation. It’s so interesting that different languages have different sounds… I mean, it’s kind of obvious, why would we have the same sounds across languages?But it’s something you don’t really think about until you hear someone use sounds that don’t quite fit the language they’re speaking.If you want to start speaking Swedish, join us on Discord by signing up for Speak Swedish with Katrin on Patreon. This is the perfect setting to start producing Swedish sentences out loud!Your Learn Swedish (and Slow Swedish) subscription is included:https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

Today, you’ll learn how to sound more Swedish! This topic is honestly a bit hard to explain sometimes… but once you hear it, you start noticing it everywhere. And more importantly, once you start using it, your Swedish suddenly sounds a lot more natural.If you want to start speaking Swedish, join us on Discord by signing up for Speak Swedish with Katrin on Patreon. This is the perfect setting to start producing Swedish sentences out loud!Your Learn Swedish (and Slow Swedish) subscription is included:https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

Today we’re going to talk about something very simple. I’m pretty sure all your native languages have these words as well. You just have to learn them in Swedish!We are going to dive into object pronouns. Words like mig, dig, honom, henne.If you want to start speaking Swedish, join us on Discord by signing up for Speak Swedish with Katrin on Patreon. This is the perfect setting to start producing Swedish sentences out loud!Your Learn Swedish (and Slow Swedish) subscription is included:https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

This week, you will learn something that will make your Swedish a bit more flexible!Modal verbs are small verbs that work together with another verb to change the meaning of the sentence. With just a few of them, you suddenly gain the ability to talk about abilities, plans, obligations, and intentions.If you want to start speaking Swedish, join us on Discord by signing up for Speak Swedish with Katrin on Patreon. This is the perfect setting to start producing Swedish sentences out loud!Your Learn Swedish (and Slow Swedish) subscription is included:https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

Today, you will listen to a little short story in Swedish. The story is called En borttappad plånbok, which means A lost wallet.It is a simple story about losing something important, looking for it, and then hopefully finding it again. The language is not too difficult, but it might include a few new words.You can download the transcript, vocabulary list (cheat sheet), and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

Today we’re stepping into something that feels small in theory… but can quietly cause a lot of doubt when you speak.Preteritum vs. Perfekt, which to pick? When? Why?If you want to start speaking Swedish, join us on Discord by signing up for Speak Swedish with Katrin on Patreon. This is the perfect setting to start producing Swedish sentences out loud!Your Learn Swedish (and Slow Swedish) subscription is included:https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

Last week, we talked about forming longer sentences in Swedish. We dipped our toe in "inte" and its placements. This week, we are diving deeper and learning exactly where inte goes and when!If you want to start speaking Swedish, join us on Discord by signing up for Speak Swedish with Katrin on Patreon. This is the perfect setting to start producing Swedish sentences out loud!Your Learn Swedish (and Slow Swedish) subscription is included:https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

Today, we’re going to talk about långa meningar, long sentences in Swedish. Or perhaps not LOOONG long, but longer than we have been working on so far.We will, of course, revisit this topic many times, but this is your first introduction to our main and subordinate clauses.Here is a shortcut to episode 10 if you want to review it: https://slowswedish.com/2025/03/10/10-the-rule-everyone-ignores/You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

This week, we are mixing it up a little. You guys asked me some questions about Sweden, Swedish, and my life and I will be answering them.First, you’ll get my answers in English here on Learn Swedish. Then you’ll get the same Q&A in easy Swedish, slow Swedish and normal, fast Swedish over at Slow Swedish in the coming week.This is the perfect opportunity to see how much of my easy and slow Swedish you can pick up one when you already know the topic I’m talking about.Join us on Patreon to access all 7 (!) episodes this week.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

Idag ska vi prata om tid. Today, we are going to talk about time. And not time in a deep, philosophical way. And not what time it is. More like… very practical, everyday time perspectives that still manage to confuse almost everyone.If you do something for five minutes, that’s similar to för in Swedish. If you are doing something in 3 weeks, that’s similar to i tre veckor in Swedish. But the correlations are completely wrong!Today, you'll learn my little hacks for telling them apart.You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

Idag ska vi prata om tre små ord som skapar mycket förvirring. Three tiny words. Huge confusion.We are talking about tror, tycker and tänker.So, the annoying thing is this: None of these words are difficult on their own. But when it is time to choose one yourself, your brain freezes.Let's fix that today!You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

Both ska and kommer att are used to talk about the future. So if you use one when the other one would be more natural, people will still understand you.But! Using them incorrectly will throw off the vibe and meaning of what you're saying. It might sound like you're doing something intentionally, on purpose, when you're actually just observing what is going on.Let's dive in.You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

As you guys know, I think it’s equally important to learn formal language and casual slang language. Because if you only learn the formal stuff, social media and interacting with real human beings is going to be so challenging.In this week's episode, I’ve picked a few completely random posts from Facebook and Instagram. We’ll take them one by one, talk about what they mean, go through key words and phrases used, and how you can use them in your everyday life!You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

Today we’re going to work on something that feels almost mythical for many learners of Swedish. The rolling R.For some people, this sound just happens. You might even have rolling R’s in your native language. For others, it feels completely impossible. Regardless, this episode is an introduction!You can download the transcript, vocabulary list (cheat sheet), and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

Today’s topic is something that can feel stressful, uncomfortable, and very vulnerable, especially in another language. We’re talking about going to the doctor.We’ll go through common phrases you might hear, things you might want to say, and how a doctor’s appointment in Sweden often sounds in real life.You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

Hello my favorite students! I hope you’re doing well today.As some of you might know, I have been struggling with a wrist injury for a year now and it has not been getting better. I have tried and tried and tried to rest while still posting episodes each week. A combo that has not been ideal.Now that I have more or less confirmed with my doctor that nothing is broken, it’s just inflamed due to overuse, I have decided to take the two remaining months of the year off.This is obviously not something I want to do, or I would’ve done it many months ago. But I’ve reached a point of no return and if I want to get my life back, I have to take the healing and rehab seriously.So what is this going to mean for you guys? Well, there won’t be any new episodes until January. If you are a Patreon member, your payment will be paused for two months starting November 1st, but you’ll keep access to all the materials.Anyone who decides to join Patreon during my time off will be charged the $10 fee to access everything, but won’t be charged again until I’m back.Again, I’m so sorry it has come to this. I really felt like we were on a roll and I hate to bring it to a halt. But at the same time, two months will be over in no time. I hope.A lot of lovely Patreon members said they wanted to keep paying for their membership during my time off. Even though I will be pausing all subscriptions, I will be adding a little something to the Patreon shop for the price of two months for those of you who want to keep paying.Until I’m back, make sure to review the episodes we have gone through so far! There are more than enough episodes available for you to review one or two per week.Thank you for listening to the Learn Swedish with Katrin podcast and I hope you’ll still be here when I get back!If you want to join Learn Swedish on Patreon to access all the study materials, you can do that here:https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membership

Today, we’re going to talk about something that every Swedish learner needs to understand: position and placement verbs.These position and placement verbs describe not just where something is, but how it’s there. Swedish doesn’t just say the book is on the table. We want to say whether the book is lying, standing, sitting, or hanging.The video I made with my mom:https://www.instagram.com/p/CuO18vcL6WE/You can download the transcript, vocabulary list (cheat sheet), and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

Today, you will listen to a little short story in Swedish. The story is called En höstdag i stugan, which means An autumn day in the cabin.It is a calm story about being in nature, enjoying the quiet, and thinking about someone you have lost. The language is not too difficult, but it might include a few new words.You can download the transcript, vocabulary list (cheat sheet), and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

Today’s episode is about nouns. More specifically, how Swedish nouns change depending on how you use them.This is something that confuses a lot of learners, because in English you usually just say "cat" or "the cat". It is the same form. But in Swedish, the word changes a little bit.You can download the transcript, vocabulary list (cheat sheet), and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

We have arrived at our second quiz week! So in this week’s podcast episode, I will speak in Swedish, using vocabulary you have learned these past 20 weeks.I have made this week’s Patreon content free for all of you to download, so even if you’re not a member yet, you can quiz yourself and see how much you know!Quiz yourself:https://www.patreon.com/slowswedishBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

Today we are going to talk about something super practical: how to say days, dates, and months in Swedish. You need these words all the time: to talk about birthdays, meetings, holidays, or just what you are doing this week.And I know… it can sound a little boring to just memorize a list of days and months. But trust me, once you know these, you will use them all the time.You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

Fall is officially here and I think it’s about time you learn some fall vocabulary. But instead of just going through new words, I thought I’d challenge you a little extra.Welcome to your very first Swedish Story episode! Yep, you heard me. Today, you are getting a short story in Swedish, packed with must-know fall vocabulary.You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

This week, we’re continuing the pronunciation theme from last week. This episode is about something that might sound a little boring at first… but I promise it’s super important if you want to sound natural in Swedish. We’re going to talk about the Swedish alphabet and especially about long and short vowels.Long and short vowels can completely change the meaning of a word. Two words might look very similar, and even sound quite similar, but the vowel length changes everything.Instagram videos:AOUÅ: https://www.instagram.com/p/DKOr_Lks-UT/EIYÄÖ: https://www.instagram.com/p/DKrKkS2MohG/You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

This week’s episode is a masterclass in pronunciation! And it’s one of my favorite topics to teach. We are going to dive into the unique R-combinations in the Swedish language!When the letter R comes before certain consonants, the sound changes completely (in most parts of the country). These are called retroflex sounds.You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

This week's episode is about Swedish traditions and holidays. And don’t worry… this is NOT going to be a dry lecture where I list dates and food. I can’t imagine anything more boring.Instead, I’ll give you the Swedish words and phrases you need to talk about traditions. You’ll learn how to say if you celebrate them, if you don’t, and how to compare them to traditions in your own country. And of course, I’ll give you some insight into weird things Swedes do while celebrating these holidays.You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

Whatever the situation, meeting someone new is a perfect opportunity to practice your Swedish. But if you don’t feel comfortable using the standard small-talk phrases, it can feel awkward and not very flowey, right?In this episode, we’ll talk about how to introduce yourself, how to ask about the other person, and how to keep the conversation going, in a way that doesn’t sound like school-book Swedish.You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

In today’s episode, we’re going to talk about something very personal: your childhood. We’ll go through how to talk about your memories, what you liked and didn’t like as a kid, your family, your hobbies, and where you grew up, all in Swedish.We’ll also take a look at the past tense, so you can describe what life was like back then.You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

Welcome to the final summer episode of the year! ☀️ This summer we are diving into some less traditional topics on the podcast. Last up: How to gossip in Swedish.You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

Welcome to the third summer episode of the year! ☀️ This summer we are diving into some less traditional topics on the podcast. Next up: How to chat and text in Swedish.You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

Welcome to the second summer episode of the year! ☀️ This summer we are diving into some less traditional topics on the podcast. Next up: How to swear in Swedish.You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membership100 Swedish Curse Words and How to Use Them:https://www.patreon.com/posts/100-svenska-och-128265017?source=storefrontBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

Welcome to the first summer episode of the year! ☀️ This summer we are diving into some less traditional topics on the podcast. First up: How to flirt in Swedish.You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

Today we’re diving into a topic that almost everyone has something to say about, school. Whether you loved school or hated it, you probably spent a big part of your life there.So in this episode, we’ll go through how to talk about school, studying, subjects, homework, grades, and classroom situations in Swedish.You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

Today’s episode is all about clothing, your wardrobe, how to talk about what you’re wearing, and all the fun vocabulary around shopping, style, fabrics, and describing clothes in Swedish.You’ll also get some useful phrases to express your taste, describe other people’s outfits, and even complain about uncomfortable pants.You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

If you’ve ever felt like you almost understand a Swedish word but can’t quite find an English equivalent, this episode is for you.This week, we’re going to explore some uniquely Swedish words that are difficult to translate directly into English. These words often capture feelings, states of mind, or ways of being that don’t quite exist in the same way in other languages.You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

Today we’re talking about animals, nature, and pets. And as a little grammar bonus, I’ll introduce you to how we talk about things that happened in the past tense in Swedish.This is known as imperfekt or preteritum, I went, I ate, we swam, we flew. You know what I’m talking about.You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

Today’s topic is working out… or sports I guess! You’ll learn useful words and phrases to talk about moving your body (or not), different types of workouts, and how you feel afterwards.And we’ll also go through an important grammar rule: how to place the word inte in a sentence. That little word is sneaky!You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

There are many ways of studying Swedish on your own. And studies show that a varied approach is often the best. You want to listen, read, write, speak, study vocabulary, teach others, use multiple senses, and most importantly: use retrieval practice.Today’s episode is going to focus on creating a journaling practice in Swedish. A way for you to write in Swedish regularly, perhaps daily or a few times per week.You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

The first weeks of the podcast we talked about En and Ett, and the fact that adjectives change depending on the noun’s gender.This week, we are going to repeat some of the adjective you learned in those early episodes, and learn some new ones.You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

In this week's episode of Swedish in the Wild, we’re outside. Out and about. You’re in a new city or a new part of town and you need to figure out how to get somewhere!You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

Hej alla!It's finally time for a little quiz to see how far you've come in the first 20 weeks of this podcast. I'm sure you will be able to keep up just fine.To test your Swedish skills, download and complete the Quiz document while listening to the episode. Then correct your quiz using the Key document.Thank you for listening to these 20 weeks! Time for the next 20.The resources and documents are available on Patreon for free. You can find them here:https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/Browse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

Hur mår du idag? How are you today? That is a question you will learn to both ask and answer in this week’s episode. We are going to cover the most common feelings, both when it comes to emotions and health.You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

I hope you’re not hungry while listening to this, because today we are talking about food, food, food, and more food. And some drinks as well. Mat och dryck!I’m not going to lie, I’m pretty hungry right now. So we’ll see how this goes...You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

When learning a new language, idiomatic expressions can be equally fun and confusing. What in the world do they mean??I love idiomatic expressions, but I'm not a huge fan of teaching them just for the shock factor or "lolz". So this week, I will only be teaching you expressions that are commonly used in Sweden in 2025. No old-timey stuff that sounds funny but not a single person every says hehe.You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

Welcome to my crib, dear listeners! This week, you will learn new vocabulary about homes, rooms, and furniture. I will take you through my house and describe what the rooms look like.I would love to hear you describe a room in your home as well. Feel free to share in the comments on Patreon!You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

Prepositions can be tricky when learning a new language. Most of them have equivalents, but they aren’t necessarily used in the same way in everyday life.In this week’s episode we are going to talk about positions. Where something is at in relation to something else!You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛

When learning a new language, mastering verbs is one of the most crucial steps. Verbs are the backbone of communication, allowing us to express actions, emotions, and intentions. Without a solid grasp of verbs, constructing sentences becomes difficult, and conversations can feel limiting.So this week, I want to introduce you to 15 of our most common verbs in Swedish. In future episodes, we'll keep going, but this is a good place to start.You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon.https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membershipBrowse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/Happy learning! 💛