Swedish alphabet A to Z (2024)

At first glance, the Swedish alphabet might seem a bit daunting, especially with unfamiliar characters like ö, å, and an abundance of j’s in unexpected places. However, it's not as different from the English alphabet as it appears. With some practice, you can easily familiarize yourself with Swedish letters, providing a solid foundation for learning the language. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the Swedish alphabet, focusing on the letters that often challenge new learners the most.

Swedish alphabet A to Z

Swedish alphabet pronunciation

When starting to learn Swedish, mastering the alphabet might not seem crucial, especially if you're learning the language phonetically. However, knowing the alphabet is essential for reading, writing, and looking up words in Swedish. The Swedish alphabet resembles other Latin-based alphabets but has unique pronunciation for each letter. This guide will help you learn the Swedish alphabet with examples.

Swedish Alphabet and Pronunciation

Here’s a table that outlines each Swedish letter, its pronunciation, and its name:

Upper CaseLower CasePronunciationName
Aa/ɑː/a
Bb/beː/be
Cc/seː/ce
Dd/deː/de
Ee/eː/e
Ff/ɛfː/ef
Gg/ɡeː/ge
Hh/hoː/ho
Ii/iː/i
Jj/jiː/ji
Kk/koː/ko
Ll/ɛlː/el
Mm/ɛmː/em
Nn/ɛnː/en
Oo/uː/o
Pp/peː/pe
Qq/kʉː/ku
Rr/ærː/är
Ss/ɛsː/es
Tt/teː/te
Uu/ʉː/u
Vv/veː/ve
Ww/²dɵbːɛlˌveː/dubbel-ve
Xx/ɛks/eks
Yy/yː/y
Zz/²sɛːta/seta
Åå/oː/å
Ää/ɛː/ä
Öö/øː/ö

Swedish Letters with Examples

Swedish uses the same alphabet as English with three additional letters: Å, Ä, and Ö. Each letter can have different sounds depending on its position in a word or the letters around it. This guide will help you understand the Swedish letters and their pronunciations with examples.

Swedish Alphabet and Pronunciation

Here’s a table that outlines each Swedish letter, its pronunciation, and an example word:

LetterPronunciationExampleEnglish Translation
A/ɑː/, /a/apamonkey
B/b/bollball
C/s/ before e, i, y; /k/ elsewherecirkuscircus
D/d/dagday
E/eː/, /ɛ/elefantelephant
F/f/fiskfish
G/j/ before e, i, y, ä, ö; /g/ elsewheregemjewel
H/h/hunddog
I/iː/, /ɪ/isice
J/j/jayes
K/ɕ/ before e, i, y, ä, ö; /k/ elsewherekattcat
L/l/lampalamp
M/m/mammamom
N/n/nattnight
O/uː/, /ɔ/ostcheese
P/p/pappadad
Q/k/quinoaquinoa
R/r/rödred
S/s/solsun
T/t/takroof
U/ʉː/, /ɵ/utout
V/v/vattenwater
W/v/webweb
X/ks/sexsix
Y/yː/, /ʏ/byvillage
Z/s/zebrazebra
Å/oː/, /ɔ/blåblue
Ä/ɛː/, /æ/läsaread
Ö/øː/, /œ/rödred
É/ẽː/idéidea
Ü/ʏ/müslimuesli

Swedish letters

Learning a new language, especially its alphabet, is an exciting journey that opens up new opportunities and perspectives. Mastering the Swedish alphabet is a fundamental step towards understanding and communicating in Swedish. At SwedishPod101, we ensure that learning is not only easy and enjoyable but also tailored to your needs.

Swedish Alphabet Table

LetterPronunciation
A"a" as in "father"
B"b" as in "boy"
C"c" as in "cat"
D"d" as in "dog"
E"e" as in "set"
F"f" as in "fox"
G"g" as in "go"
H"h" as in "hot"
I"ee" as in "week"
J"y" as in "yes"
K"k" as in "key"
L"l" as in "love"
M"m" as in "mother"
N"n" as in "now"
O"o" as in "shop"
P"p" as in "pen"
Q"q" as in "queen"
RRolled "r" sound
S"s" as in "sun"
T"t" as in "top"
ULike "u" in "put"
V"v" as in "vet"
W"v" as in "vet"
X"x" as in "box"
Y"y" as in "yes"
Z"z" as in "zoo"
ÅSimilar to "o" in "or"
ÄLike "e" in "bed"
ÖLike "i" in "bird"

the Swedish Vowels

Swedish Vowels

Swedish, a melodious and rhythmical language, is known for its unique set of vowel sounds. Understanding these vowels is crucial for pronunciation, comprehension, and effective communication in Swedish. This guide will help you grasp the basics of Swedish vowels, their sounds, and usage.

Swedish Vowels Explained

Swedish has nine vowels: A, E, I, O, U, Y, Å, Ä, and Ö. These vowels can have both long and short sounds, which are important to distinguish for accurate pronunciation.

VowelLong SoundExampleShort SoundExample
A/ɑː/dag (day)/a/katt (cat)
E/eː/se (see)/ɛ/fett (fat)
I/iː/tid (time)/ɪ/sitt (sit)
O/uː/bok (book)/ʊ/socker (sugar)
U/ʉː/hus (house)/ɵ/full (full)
Y/yː/by (village)/ʏ/syll (beam)
Å/oː/gå (go)/ɔ/blått (blue)
Ä/ɛː/läsa (read)/æ/sätt (set)
Ö/øː/nöt (nut)/œ/dörr (door)

Consonant Letters in Swedish

Swedish is not only rich in vowels but also has a distinctive set of consonants that give the language its unique sound. Understanding how to pronounce and use these consonants is essential for clear and effective communication. This guide will introduce you to the consonant letters in Swedish, their pronunciations, and provide helpful tips for mastering them.

Swedish Consonants Explained

Swedish uses 20 consonant letters: B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R, S, T, V, W, X, and Z. Each consonant has a unique sound, and some have variations depending on their position in a word.

ConsonantPronunciationExamplePronunciation Tips
B/b/bra (good)Similar to English 'b'
C/s/ or /k/cirkus (circus)/s/ before e, i, y; /k/ elsewhere
D/d/dag (day)Similar to English 'd'
F/f/fisk (fish)Similar to English 'f'
G/ɡ/ or /j/god (good) / gem (jewel)/ɡ/ before a, o, u; /j/ before e, i, y
H/h/hund (dog)Similar to English 'h'
J/j/ja (yes)Similar to English 'y'
K/k/ or /ɕ/katt (cat) / kille (guy)/k/ before a, o, u; /ɕ/ before e, i, y
L/l/lampa (lamp)Similar to English 'l'
M/m/mamma (mom)Similar to English 'm'
N/n/natt (night)Similar to English 'n'
P/p/pappa (dad)Similar to English 'p'
Q/k/quinoaUsed rarely, pronounced as 'k'
R/r/röd (red)Rolled or trilled
S/s/sol (sun)Similar to English 's'
T/t/tak (roof)Similar to English 't'
V/v/vatten (water)Similar to English 'v'
W/v/web (web)Pronounced as 'v'
X/ks/sex (six)Similar to English 'x'
Z/s/zebra (zebra)Similar to English 's'

Pronunciation Rules for Swedish Consonants

Swedish has some unique consonant sounds that can be tricky for beginners. The way certain consonants are pronounced can change depending on the letters that follow them. This guide will help you understand these pronunciation rules so you can speak Swedish more accurately.

Swedish consonants have specific pronunciation rules based on the surrounding letters. Here’s a breakdown of these rules:

ConsonantPronunciation RuleExampleExplanation
C/s/ before e, i, y; /k/ elsewherecirkus'c' sounds like 's' before e, i, y, and like 'k' elsewhere
Ch/k/ in "och" (and); silent or not pronounced elsewhereochIn the word "och" (and), 'ch' sounds like 'k', or is silent
G/j/ before e, i, y, ä, ö; /g/ elsewheregem'g' sounds like 'j' before e, i, y, ä, ö, and like 'g' elsewhere
Gn/gn/ at the beginning of words; /ŋn/ elsewheregnista'gn' sounds like 'gn' at the beginning of words, and like 'ŋn' elsewhere
K/ɕ/ before e, i, y, ä, ö; /kʰ/ elsewherekille'k' sounds like 'ɕ' before e, i, y, ä, ö, and like 'kʰ' elsewhere
Sk/ɧ/ before e, i, y, ä, ö; /sk/ elsewheresked'sk' sounds like 'ɧ' before e, i, y, ä, ö, and like 'sk' elsewhere
Rg/rg, ʀg/ before a, o, u, å; /rj, ʀj/ elsewhereorgel'rg' sounds like 'rg, ʀg' before a, o, u, å, and like 'rj, ʀj' elsewhere
Lg/lg/ before a, o, u, å; /lj/ elsewherealg'lg' sounds like 'lg' before a, o, u, å, and like 'lj' elsewhere
R, Rd, Rg, Rl, Rn, Rs, RtNorthern/Mid-Sweden: left pronunciation; Southern Sweden: right pronunciationrödPronunciation varies regionally for 'r', 'rd', 'rg', 'rl', 'rn', 'rs', and 'rt'

Special Sounds in Swedish

Swedish also has special consonant combinations that can be pronounced differently based on the region:

CombinationSound in Southern SwedenSound in Northern SwedenSound in Finland
Sj/Sch/Sk/Skj/Stj (sje-sound)/xʷ//ʂ//ʃ/
Tj/K/Kj (tje-sound)/ɕ/ or /ʃ//ɕ//tʃ/

Additional Letters

Swedish includes two additional letters with unique pronunciations:

LetterPronunciationExample
É/ẽː/idé
Ü/ʏ/müsli

Tips for Learning the Swedish Alphabet

Introduction to Learning the Swedish Alphabet

Starting to learn Swedish involves understanding its unique alphabet. While the letters may look familiar, their pronunciations can differ from what you're used to. Knowing the alphabet is key to mastering reading, writing, and pronunciation in Swedish. Here are some practical tips to help you learn the Swedish alphabet effectively.

Tips for Mastering the Swedish Alphabet

  • Practice Regularly Consistency is crucial when learning a new alphabet. Set aside time each day to practice the Swedish letters. This regular exposure helps reinforce your memory and improves your recall.
  • Use Flashcards Flashcards are an effective tool for memorizing the Swedish alphabet. Write each letter on a card along with its pronunciation. Go through these flashcards daily to reinforce your learning.
  • Listen to Native Speakers Listening to native Swedish speakers can significantly improve your pronunciation. Use language learning apps, watch Swedish videos, or listen to Swedish music to hear how each letter is pronounced in context.
  • Write Words and Sentences Practice writing Swedish words and sentences to get familiar with the alphabet. Start with simple words and gradually move to more complex ones. This will help you understand how letters combine to form words and improve your writing skills.
Swedish alphabet A to Z (2024)
Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Gov. Deandrea McKenzie

Last Updated:

Views: 6397

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (66 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Gov. Deandrea McKenzie

Birthday: 2001-01-17

Address: Suite 769 2454 Marsha Coves, Debbieton, MS 95002

Phone: +813077629322

Job: Real-Estate Executive

Hobby: Archery, Metal detecting, Kitesurfing, Genealogy, Kitesurfing, Calligraphy, Roller skating

Introduction: My name is Gov. Deandrea McKenzie, I am a spotless, clean, glamorous, sparkling, adventurous, nice, brainy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.