When I checked-in to Goteborg about 3-months back, language was an initial barrier which I had to overcome. I started-off by compiling few commonly used terms in English and finding the Swedish word to familiarize. This helped me a lot and today its a blessing I cherish and would like to share with other expats out there looking for a smooth life in Sweden :-)
Greeting Someone
Hi = Hej (pronounced - 'hay')
Good Morning
God Morgon (pronounced - 'god mor' ron')
Saying Goodbye
Hej då/Adjö (pronounced - 'hay doh / ad-yuh')
See you later
Vi ses (pronounced - 'vee sehs')
Introducing Oneself or Someone Else
Jag heter ... (pronounced - 'yahg heh-ter')
What is your name ... ?
Vad heter du? (pronounced - 'vad heh-ter du')
This is ...
Det här är ... (pronounced - 'det hair air')
Thanking Someone
Tack (pronounced - 'tak')
Thanks very much
Tack så mycket/Tack ska du ha (pronounced - 'tak soh mick-et' /
'tak ska du ha')
Nice to meet you
Trevligt att träffas (pronounced - 'trevligt at tref-fas')
Answering in the Positive and Negative
Yes = Ja, Jo, Jaha, Javisst, Ja tack (the letter 'j' in Swedish is pronounced with the 'y' sound)
No = Nej, Nejdå, Nej tack (the Swedish letter å is pronounced 'oh')
Excusing Oneself
Ursäkta mig (pronounced - 'u-shektah may')
Forgive me
Förlåt mig (pronounced - 'furlote may')
When Something was not Heard
Vad sa du? (Pronounced - 'vah sah du')
What?
Hurså? (Pronounced - 'hur soh')
Pardon me?
Ursäkta? (Pronounced - 'u-shektah')
Inviting Someone
Välkommen (Pronounced - 'vailkom-men')
Asking for Help
Jag behöver hjälp (Pronounced - 'yahg behover yelp')
Where do I find ...?
Var hittar jag ...? *(Pronounced - 'var hittar yahg')
How do I get to ...?
Hur kommer jag till ...? (Pronounced - 'hur kommer yahg till')
Excuse me, what time is it?
Ursäkta, vad är klockan? (Pronounced - 'u-shektah, vad air klockan')
Hospital
Sjukhuset (Pronounced - 'shook-hoose-et')
Ambulance
Ambulans
Some of the common shopping list items;
How much does it cost?
Hur mycket kostar det? (Pronounced - 'hewr micket kostar det')
Vegetables - grönsaker ('gruhn-sahcker')
Cucumber - gurka
Onions - lök ('luhk')
Garlic - vitlök ('veetluhk')
Cabbage - vitkål ('veetkohwl')
Carrots - morötter ('moo-rut-ter')
Potatoes - potatis ('potah-tis')
Corn - majs ('my-s')
Mushrooms - champinjoner ('shampinyone-er)
Lettuce - sallad
Spinach - spenat
Tomatoes = tomater ('tomah-ter)
Sweet pepper = paprika
Eggplant = äggplanta/aubergine ('eggplanta/oh-bergeen')
Milk = mjölk ('myulk')
Cheese = ost ('oost')
Butter = smör ('smuhr')
Margarine = margarin
Fruit = frukt
Oranges = apelsiner ('appelseener')
Bananas = bananer
Strawberries = jordgubbar
Rasberry = hallon
Blueberry = blåbär ('blohwbear')
Apples = äpplen ('aiplen')
Pears = päron ('pair-ron')
Peaches = persikor
Pineapple = ananas
Melon = melon
Tea = te ('teh')
Coffee = kaffe ('kaf-feh')
Coffee cream = kaffegrädde ('kaf-feh greddeh')
Whipping cream = vispgrädde ('vispgreddeh')
Cake = kaka/tårta ('kah ka / tohrta')
Cookies = småkakor (småkahkor')
Crackers/wafers = kex
Pie = paj ('pie')
Sugar = socker ('sokker')
Flour = vetemjöl ('vetemyul')
Cinnamon = kanel
Baking Powder = bakpulver ('bahlpulver')
Baking soda = bikarbonat ('bikarbonaht')
Yeast = jäst ('yest')
Pork = fläskkött ('flesk-shutt')
Steak = nötkött ('nut-shutt')
Ground beef = nötfärs ('nutt-fairsh')
Ground pork = köttfärs ('shutt-fairsh')
Lamb = lamm
Ham = skinka ('shinka')
Chicken = kyckling ('shickling')
Turkey = kalkon ('kalkone')
Duck = anka
Goose = gås ('gohs')
Sausage = korv
Fish = fisk
Salmon = lax
Cod = torsk ('torshk')
Herring = sill
Tuna Fish = tonfisk ('tonefisk')
Shrimp = räkor ('reh-kor')
Mussels = musslor
Lobster = hummer
Crayfish = kräftor ('krehf-tor')
Mayo = majonäs ('myonehs')
Mustard = senap ('seh-nap')
Ketchup = ketchup
Beer = öl ('uhl')
Wine = vin ('veen')
Water = vatten
Soda = läsk ('lehsk')
Dish Soap = diskmedel
Toothpaste = tandkräm ('tandkrehm')
Detergent = tvättmedel ('tvehtmedel')
All about the alphabets and the way they Sound....
The Swedish alphabet is made up of 29 letters. 26 of which are the same as in the English alphabet plus three additional letters:
Å/å - pronounced - 'oh'
Ä/ä - pronounced - 'eh'
Ö/ö - pronounced - 'uh'
These letters are placed at the end of the Swedish alphabet and in the order they are placed above.
Some of the letters in the Swedish alphabet have very different sounds than they do in the English alphabet.
These includes:
G pronounced - 'y' in Swedish
J pronounced - 'y' in Swedish
W pronounced- 'v' in Swedish
I am sure there's a long way to perfect it, but as an expat all you need is a sense of humor to get corrected when spell it wrong. Believe me, Swedes are extremely passionate about their language and they love to see you speak Swedish.
Add-in to the list and it will be fun to learn some bad words too ;-))
Cheers
VIJESH :-))