how long is a tongue ring

69 BASIC SWEDISH PHRASES FOR TRAVELER 

Planning a trip to Sweden? It’s helpful to know how to order a meal, ask for directions, and say simple phrases like “hello” (hej) and “thank you” (tack). This language guide equips you with essential Swedish phrases, pronunciation tips, and audio recordings from a native speaker.

While most Swedes are fluent in English, making an effort to speak Swedish will enhance your travel experience and earn you appreciation. This guide not only covers practical phrases, but also introduces basic grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and regional dialects for a well-rounded foundation in the language.

WHERE IS SWEDISH SPOKEN?

Swedish, or Svenska, is a North Germanic language that evolved from Old Norse, the language spoken by the Germanic peoples in Scandinavia during the Viking Era. It is the most widely spoken of the North Germanic languages, with over 10 million speakers.

Swedish is the national language of Sweden and the sole official language of the Åland Islands, an autonomous region of Finland made up of around 6,700 islands in the Baltic Sea.

In Finland, Swedish holds official language status alongside Finnish, although it is the mother tongue of only about 6% of the population. Swedish was the only administrative language in Finland until 1902, and remained the dominant language in culture and education until Finnish independence in 1917. Since then, the number of Swedish speakers in Finland has steadily declined, with most Swedish speakers now residing in coastal areas such as Ostrobothnia, Southwest Finland, and Nyland.

Before World War II, Swedish was also spoken in parts of Estonia and Latvia.

SWEDISH ALPHABET

The Swedish alphabet consists of 29 letters, including the 26 letters of the modern Latin alphabet (A to Z) along with three additional letters: Å, Ä, and Ö. Swedish features 20 consonants and 9 vowels: A, E, I, O, U, Y, Å, Ä, and Ö.

The letters Å, Ä, and Ö are distinct from A and O, meaning that while the English alphabet goes from “A to Z,” the Swedish alphabet runs from “A to Ö.”

Here are the letters of the Swedish alphabet and their pronunciation:

SWEDISH PRONUNCIATION

After Gustav I Vasa’s revolt against the Danes in 1525, which challenged their linguistic dominance over Sweden, significant changes in Swedish pronunciation occurred. This marked a determined effort to reduce the Danish influence on the Swedish language.

The start of Modern Swedish is commonly dated to 1526, when the first Swedish translation of the New Testament was printed.

SWEDISH VOWELS

Swedish features an impressive nine vowels, many of which are pronounced differently from their English counterparts, and some have no direct equivalent in English. While some may sound similar to English vowels, they often combine two vowel sounds.

Although mastering these sounds can be challenging, don’t worry—if you don’t get it exactly right, you will still be understood.

Each Swedish vowel has a short and long version, which means there are 17 distinct vowel sounds in total. Additionally, it’s important to note that in Swedish, the letter ‘y’ functions as a vowel, not a consonant.

SWEDISH GRAMMAR

When I began learning Norwegian, one of the first features I encountered was the use of enclitic definite articles, which is common in Scandinavian languages, including Swedish. Enclitic definite articles involve placing the definite article after the noun instead of before it. For example, “the cat” is “katten” in Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish, where the “-en” suffix indicates “the.”

In standard Swedish, nouns have no case endings, except for the possessive ‘s (similar to English). Swedish has only two grammatical genders: neuter and common. The common gender results from the merging of the feminine and masculine genders. However, in many Swedish dialects, all three genders (masculine, feminine, neuter) are still distinguished.

Similar to Norwegian, Swedish has a tone or pitch accent, which gives the language a melodic rhythm. This sing-song quality is even more pronounced in Norwegian.

SWEDISH VOCABULARY

Swedish vocabulary includes a large number of loanwords, particularly from Low German and High German. Examples of Germanic words in Swedish include mus (“mouse”), kung (“king”), and gås (“goose”).

A significant portion of Sweden’s religious and scientific vocabulary has Latin or Greek origins, but many terms were borrowed from French and, more recently, English.

In the 18th century, a large influx of French words entered Swedish, adapted to the Swedish spelling system. These words often retain a French-like pronunciation or accent, with emphasis on the last syllable. For example, nivå (from French niveau, “level”), fåtölj (from French fauteuil, “armchair”), and affär (“shop; affair”).

SWEDISH DIALECTS AND STANDARD SWEDISH

Traditionally, there are six main groups of Swedish dialects: Norrland dialects, Finland Swedish, Svealand dialects, Gotland dialects, Götaland dialects, and South Swedish dialects.

This travel phrase guide uses Standard Swedish, which began to develop in the 17th century. It mainly formed from the Svea dialects spoken in Stockholm and around Lake Mälar, with some influences from the Göta dialects.

Standard Swedish is spoken by almost all Swedes and most Swedish-speaking Finns. In Sweden, it’s known as rikssvenska or standardsvenska (“Standard Swedish”), while in Finland, it’s called högsvenska (“High Swedish”).

HOW TO CORRECTLY PRONOUNCE SWEDISH PLACE NAMES

Even though most Swedes speak excellent English, they may not recognize the English pronunciation of common place names. This can be particularly confusing at train stations, airports, or bus stations. Here’s how to pronounce some common Swedish place names like a local:

  • Gothenburg or Göteborg is pronounced yer-te-BORY.
  • Umeå is pronounced YOU-meh-oh or YOU-meh in the northern accent near Umeå.
  • Luleå is pronounced Lew-leh-oh.
  • Växjö is pronounced Vac h’oh, where the “oh” sound is similar to the French eau. Don’t stress the “o” in ho.
  • Köping is pronounced almost like the English word “shopping.” There are several köpings in Sweden (Norrköping, Nyköping, Köping, Söderköping, Enköping) and all share the same pronunciation. Nyköping (a Ryanair airport for Stockholm, also known as Skavsta) is pronounced Ne-Shopping, with Ne as in Nemo.
  • Öland is pronounced er-land, while Åland is pronounced O’-land. These two can sound similar to an English ear, so be careful to distinguish between them.
  • Götaland is pronounced Yertalaand, while Gotland is pronounced Got laand or Got land. It’s important to differentiate these two.
  • Åre is pronounced Oh-reh, not Ah-reh.
  • Cities like Stockholm, Kiruna, and Malmö are pronounced similarly to their English versions.
  • For Copenhagen, the Swedish spelling is Köpenhamn, pronounced Shop-en-hamn.
  • If you’re heading to Helsinki, the Swedish name is Helsingfors, pronounced Helsing-forsh.
  • The Swedish name for Turku in Finland is Åbo, pronounced Oh-boh.

USEFUL SWEDISH PHRASES FOR TRAVELLERS

EnglishSwedishPronunciation
Greetings  
HelloHej hey
Good morningGod morgen good mor-gohn
Good afternoonGod kväll good kvel
Good nightGod natt good naht
GoodbyeHej då hey door
How are you?Hur mår du? who mor doo
I’m well, and you?Jag mår bra, hur mår du? yah mar braw, who mor doo
Good, thanksBra, tack bra tak
Essentials  
PleaseSnälla snel-lah
Thank youTack så mycket tak so mik-ket
You’re welcomeVarsegod va-sha-good
YesJa yah
NoNej ney
Excuse me (getting attention)Excuse me (when you didn’t hear or understand the person)Ursäkta mig 
Förlåt mig?		oo-shet-tah may / for-lort may
I’m sorryJag är ledsen yah er les-son
I don’t understandJag förstår inte yah for-shtor in-teh
Do you speak English?Pratar du engelska  pra-tah doo en-gels-ka
Questions  
How much is…?Hur mycket kostar…? who mee-ket kos-tar
Where is…?Vart ligger…? vart lee-ger
When?Når…? nar
May I please have…?Skulle jag kunna få…? skool-leh yah koo-nah for
Eating Out  
BeerÖl url
Red wine / white wine)Rött vin / Vitt vin root vin / veet vin
WaterVatten vaht-ten
I don’t eat…Jag äter inte ye ah-teh in-teh
I’m a vegetarianJag är vegetarian ye er ve-geh-ta-ree-on
The bill, pleaseNotan tack  noo-ten taak
Getting Around  
LeftVänster ven-ster
RightHöger hur-gerh
Straight aheadRakt fram rakt fraam
Turn leftSväng vänster sveng ven-ster
Turn rightSväng höger sveng hur-gerh
Bus stopBuss station boos stah-horn
Train stationTåg station toh stah-horn
AirportFlygplats fleeg-plahts
EntranceIngång in-gong
ExitUtgång oot-gong
Numbers  
1Ett et
2Två tvorh
3Tre tre
4Fyra fee-rah
5Fem fem
6Sex sex
7Sju hew
8Åtta ot-tah
9Nio nee-yo
10Tio tee-yo
20Tjugo shoo-goh
30Trettio tret-tee
40Fyrtio foot-yo
50Femtio fem-tyo
60Sextio sex-tyo
70Sjuttio whew-tyo
80Åttio oht-tyo
90Nittio neet-tyo
100Hundra hoon-dra
Days  
MondayMåndag mon-dahg
TuesdayTisdag tees-dahg
WednesdayOnsdag ons-dahg
ThursdayTorsdag toosh-dahg
FridayFredag freya-dahg
SaturdayLördag lar-dahg
SundaySöndag sun-dahg
Emergencies  
Help!Hjälp yelp
I need a doctorJag behöver en läkare yah be-her-ver en la-ka-reh
I don’t feel wellJag mår inte så bra yah mar in-teh sa bra
Call the police!Ring polisen! ring poh-lee-sen
Fire!Det brinner! deh breen-neh

USEFUL SWEDISH PHRASES FOR TRAVELLERS [INFOGRAPHIC]

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE: HOW TO MAKE HERBAL LIQUID SOAP FROM SCRATCH

Making liquid soap from scratch once seemed daunting to me, but after trying it, I discovered it’s much simpler than it looks!

If you’ve already mastered cold process or hot process soap making, then crafting liquid soap is a natural next step.

This guide was originally part of my newest print book, The Big Book of Homemade Products for Your Skin, Health & Home. Unfortunately, due to space constraints, it didn’t make the final cut—so I’m sharing the tips and recipes here with you instead. Enjoy!

Liquid Soapmaking Tips

Before you dive into making liquid soap, here are a few key points to keep in mind.

YOU’LL NEED A DIFFERENT TYPE OF LYE:

One major difference between liquid soap and bar soap lies in the type of lye used.

Bar soap hardens thanks to sodium hydroxide (NaOH), which acts as the agent that turns oils into solid soap.

Liquid soap, on the other hand, is made by combining oils with potassium hydroxide (KOH). This type of lye is readily available from Etsy or online soap-making suppliers.

Keep in mind that potassium hydroxide purity levels can vary. My recipes are based on 90% purity, a common standard. If your bottle lists a different purity level, you can adjust your recipe using the Soapee calculator. Simply select Liquid Soap – using KOH and input the lye purity number in the first box.

CROCKPOT SIZE FOR LIQUID SOAP:

For this recipe size, I use a 4-quart crock pot (slow cooker), which I picked up at a local big-box store. Make sure to avoid slow cookers with non-stick or Teflon-coated interiors, as these materials can react negatively with lye.

SUPERFAT IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN BAR SOAP:

Liquid soap differs slightly from bar soap in that it requires a lower superfat—typically no higher than 3%. A higher superfat may cause the soap to develop an oily layer.

YOU’LL NEED TO USE MORE WATER IN YOUR RECIPE:

When making liquid soap, the water amount is higher than in bar soap recipes. You’ll need roughly three times the weight of potassium hydroxide in water.

IT’S A GOOD IDEA TO DILUTE SOAP PASTE ONLY WITH WATER AND/OR GLYCERIN:

To ensure your liquid soap has the longest shelf life, dilute the finished soap paste with water or a combination of water and glycerin.

Avoid diluting with herbal teas or milk, as these can cause the soap to spoil more quickly—unless they were cooked into the recipe, like in the Calendula & Coconut Liquid Soap below.

OILS ACT DIFFERENTLY IN LIQUID SOAP THAN BAR SOAP:

When creating your own liquid soap recipes, remember that the choice of oils affects the soap’s consistency.

Using more olive oil results in a thicker soap, while more coconut oil creates a thinner soap.

For a deeper dive into how different oils impact liquid soap, check out this informative post on the Soapmaking Forum.

YOU HAVE LOTS OF HERBAL OPTIONS:

“There are many herbs you can experiment with beyond the ones listed in the recipes below. You can easily substitute them or omit them entirely, using plain oils and water in place of infused oils and herbal teas.

I’m currently working on a resource to provide more detailed options, but in the meantime, here are a few herbs and flowers you might consider exploring:

  • Chamomile
  • Plantain
  • Calendula
  • Dandelion
  • Sunflower
  • Violet leaf”

MY WAY IS NOT THE ONLY WAY:

First and foremost, it’s important to note that this is how I make liquid soap—it’s just one of many methods, not necessarily the best or only method.

There are many fantastic resources available for learning how to make liquid soap. Here are a few to get you started:

  • Soapmaking Forum (I frequently recommend this site; it’s an invaluable resource for soapmakers.) – Liquid Soap & Cream Soap Forum
  • Ultimate HP Soap – 30-Minute Liquid Soap
  • Wholesale Supplies Plus – Learn to Make: Liquid Soap From Scratch
  • Modern Soapmaking – Easy & Quick Tips for Making Liquid Soap Successfully

A quick search for ‘liquid soap’ on any search engine will lead you to even more helpful information!

Liquid Soap Making Overview

Step 1:
Weigh the oils for your recipe and place them into a slow cooker. Turn the heat to high. If you’re using milk powder, briefly blend it into the combined oils using an immersion blender.

Step 2:
Place the distilled water or cooled herbal tea in a stainless steel or heatproof plastic container. While wearing gloves and goggles, weigh out the potassium hydroxide and carefully sprinkle it into the water. Stir well. It’s normal for the lye solution to make a crackling noise when it’s first mixed.

Step 3:
Turn the slow cooker’s heat to low, then pour in the lye solution. Hand stir the mixture for about 5 minutes to ensure it’s fully incorporated. After that, begin blending with your immersion blender. Blend for 1 minute, then allow the blender to rest for a few minutes before blending again for another minute. Avoid running the motor continuously to prevent burning it out. It may take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes to reach trace.

Step 4:
Keep the heat on low, cover the slow cooker with its lid, and check the mixture every 20 to 30 minutes. Stir with a heatproof spoon or spatula. The soap will start to darken and develop gel-like spots, with other areas separating into clear or cloudy liquid. This is completely normal—just stir everything back together, replace the lid, and continue cooking.

Step 5:
After 1 to 2 hours, the soap batter should become thicker and more concentrated. Continue cooking for another 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until the soap is glossy and resembles Vaseline, as shown in the photo. The total cook time for liquid soap may vary between 2 to 4 hours, depending on the temperature settings of your slow cooker.

Step 6 (Optional):
To check if the soap is fully saponified, you can perform an old-fashioned zap test to ensure there’s no residual lye.

To do this, scoop out 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of soap paste and allow it to cool to a safe, comfortable temperature. Mix the cooled paste with 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of distilled water. Dip your fingertip into the diluted paste and taste it with just the tip of your tongue (don’t swallow the soap!). If it gives your tongue a zapping or electric feeling, the soap needs more cooking. If it just tastes like soap without any zappy sensation, the soap is ready. Be sure to rinse your mouth thoroughly with cold water afterward.

If you’d prefer not to taste the soap but are still unsure, you can turn off the slow cooker, keep the soap covered, and let it sit for 6 hours or overnight to finish the saponification process on its own before proceeding with the next steps of the recipe.

Step 7:
Store the soap paste in covered jars if you want to dilute small amounts at a time. This method extends the shelf life of the undiluted soap paste, which can last for several years. If you choose to dilute the entire batch at once, the shelf life will be shorter. The pH of finished diluted soap typically ranges from 9 to 10.5, and because of its natural alkalinity, it generally doesn’t require a preservative for home use—provided it’s diluted with only distilled water or vegetable glycerine. However, those who sell liquid soap or prefer extra protection often add a preservative like Liquid Germall Plus. I personally don’t add preservatives to my soap, but it’s your choice.

Step 8:
To determine the starting dilution amount, weigh the fully cooked soap paste and multiply the weight by 0.2 (20%) to find how much glycerine you need. Then, multiply the weight by 0.8 (80%) to figure out how much distilled water is required.

For example, if your soap batch weighs 30 ounces (850 g), you would need 6 oz (170 g) glycerine and 24 oz (680 g) distilled water.
If you prefer to dilute a smaller amount, such as 4 ounces of paste, you’d need 0.8 oz (23 g) glycerine and 3.2 oz (91 g) distilled water.

If you don’t have glycerine or choose not to use it, simply substitute more distilled water in its place.

Step 9:
Combine the glycerine and distilled water in a deep stainless steel saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the soap paste to the boiling mixture, stirring gently to ensure the paste is covered by the liquid. Then, cover the pan and turn off the heat, leaving it on the still-hot burner. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally and mashing with a fork, spatula, or potato masher to break up any lumps.

Repeat the boiling and cooling process 1 to 2 more times, allowing the soap paste to dissolve completely. Don’t rush this step or stir too vigorously, as the process takes time. Leave the mixture at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, stirring occasionally, until the paste is fully dissolved.

Step 10:
To add fragrance, gently warm the soap one last time, but do not allow it to simmer or boil. Once the soap is warmed (around 100°F), stir in the essential oil. To calculate the right amount, use 1% of the total diluted soap weight. For example, if you have 8 ounces (237 ml) of diluted soap, you would use 0.08 ounces or about 2.4 ml of essential oil, which is approximately ½ teaspoon. You can also use EO Calc for more precise measurements.

Some essential oils, such as lavender, blend well into liquid soap, while others may cause cloudiness or separation. If this is the case, you might want to use a solubilizer to keep the essential oils mixed evenly. A future article will go into more detail on adding essential oils to liquid soap.

Step 11:
Pour the diluted soap into jars using a fine mesh strainer to catch any undissolved lumps. Let the soap sit undisturbed for several days so it can settle and clear. While the soap can technically be used immediately, giving it time to rest will improve its clarity.

Liquid Soap Recipes

Here are two recipes to kick off your liquid soapmaking journey. You can also check out the Dandelion & Honey Liquid Soap recipe already published on my site. Use the Soapee Calculator, the tips shared earlier in this article, and your creativity to experiment and create your own unique liquid soap recipes!

CALENDULA & COCONUT LIQUID SOAP

This soap captures the essence of sunshine in a jar, thanks to the bright yellow color from calendula flower-infused coconut oil. For added nourishment and appeal, I included a small amount of coconut milk powder in the oils, but you can also use cow or goat milk powder, or skip it altogether. Just keep in mind that milk powders should be used in small amounts for liquid soap to avoid scorching during the long cook time.

It’s important not to dilute soap paste with fresh milk, as it can spoil easily. For more on how to make calendula-infused oil, check out my article on Calendula Oil & Salve.

Yield: 60 ounces (1.7 kg) of diluted soap

Ingredients:

  • 13.75 oz (390 g) distilled water
  • 4.63 oz (131 g) potassium hydroxide (3% superfat)
  • 8 oz (227 g) calendula-infused coconut oil (40%)
  • 3 oz (85 g) castor oil (15%)
  • 9 oz (255 g) high oleic sunflower oil (45%)
  • 1/2 tsp coconut milk powder
  • Up to 6 oz (170 g) vegetable glycerine, for dilution (or more distilled water)
  • Up to 24 oz (680 g) distilled water, for dilution
  • Equal amounts of orange and grapefruit essential oils (see step 10 in the Liquid Soap Making Overview for how to calculate essential oil amounts)

Directions:

  1. In a stainless steel or heatproof plastic container, place the distilled water. Wearing gloves and goggles, weigh out the potassium hydroxide and carefully add it to the water. Stir well and set the lye solution aside.
  2. Weigh the coconut, castor, and sunflower oils into a slow cooker. Blend in the coconut milk powder using an immersion blender. Turn the heat to low, then pour in the lye solution. Alternate between blending with the immersion blender and stirring by hand until trace is reached.
  3. Keep the heat on low, cover the slow cooker with the lid, and check every 30 minutes. Stir with a heatproof spoon or spatula. Continue cooking for approximately 2 to 3 hours.
  4. Store the paste in covered jars. Follow the dilution and scenting guidelines in the full Liquid Soap Making Overview.

HEMP & PLANTAIN LIQUID SOAP

This soap combines plantain-infused coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, and nourishing hemp oil for a truly unique blend. It’s lightly scented with lavender essential oil, though you can skip the scent for a more natural version.

Note: I used rich, unrefined hemp seed oil from Mountain Rose Herbs to give the soap a subtle green hue. However, hemp seed oil has a shorter shelf life, so it’s best to use this soap within 4 to 6 months. Over time, the green hue may fade to a brownish color, though the soap remains effective and fragrant. I’ve had a jar of this recipe for over a year, and it’s still good, but the color has changed.

Yield: 60 ounces (1.7 kg) diluted soap

Ingredients:

  • 13.75 oz (390 g) distilled water
  • 4.63 oz (131 g) potassium hydroxide (2% superfat)
  • 7 oz (198 g) plantain-infused coconut oil (35%)
  • 2 oz (57 g) castor oil (10%)
  • 6 oz (170 g) extra virgin olive oil (30%)
  • 4 oz (113 g) high oleic sunflower oil (20%)
  • 1 oz (28 g) unrefined hemp or avocado oil (5%)
  • Up to 6 oz (170 g) vegetable glycerine, for dilution (or more distilled water)
  • Up to 24 oz (680 g) distilled water, for dilution
  • Lavender essential oil (see step 10 in the Liquid Soap Making Overview for how to calculate essential oil amounts)

Directions:

  1. Place the distilled water in a stainless steel or heatproof plastic container. Wearing gloves and goggles, carefully weigh out the potassium hydroxide and sprinkle it into the water. Stir well, and set the lye solution aside.
  2. Weigh the coconut, castor, olive, sunflower, and hemp oils into a slow cooker. Turn the heat to low, then pour in the lye solution. Alternate between using an immersion blender and stirring by hand until trace is reached.
  3. Keep the heat on low, cover the slow cooker with the lid, and check every 30 minutes. Stir with a heatproof spoon or spatula. Continue cooking for approximately 2 to 3 hours.
  4. Store the soap paste in covered jars. Follow the dilution and scenting guidelines in the full Liquid Soap Making Overview.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, making your own liquid soap allows for creative freedom in selecting nourishing oils, natural ingredients, and essential oils to customize the formula to your needs. With the right ingredients, like plantain-infused coconut oil, hemp oil, or calendula, and careful attention to the cooking and dilution process, you can create a luxurious, natural soap that’s both effective and gentle on the skin.

By following the detailed steps provided in the soapmaking process—from creating the lye solution to diluting the soap paste—you’ll be able to craft a product that suits your preferences. Whether you want a soothing lavender scent, a bright, sunny color from calendula, or a gentle, unscented bar, homemade liquid soap offers a unique, customizable experience. Remember that patience is key, and each batch will have its own characteristics, including color changes over time depending on the oils used.

So, whether you’re making soap for personal use or as a creative gift, the process is both rewarding and satisfying. Happy soapmaking!