Meet the 29 Swedish letters
Swedish uses the Latin script with 29 letters: the standard A–Z plus three extra vowels at the end—Å, Ä, Ö. These are not decorations; they are full letters with their own sounds and places in dictionaries.
Good news for beginners: most letters look familiar, and many sound close to English. Focus early on the special letters and a few consonants that change sound before front vowels (e, i, y, ä, ö). That’s all you need to start.
- Alphabet order ends with Å, Ä, Ö
- 9 vowels: a, e, i, o, u, y, å, ä, ö
- Q, W, Z are rare in native words
- Letter names differ slightly from English
- Stress usually falls on the first syllable
The vowel basics: quick, friendly guides
Swedish has nine written vowels, each with long and short versions. Long vowels usually appear before a single consonant; short vowels often come before double consonants. Don’t aim for perfection—get close and you’ll be understood.
Use these simple anchors. Say them slowly first, then speed up. Practice a few minutes daily and your mouth will remember.
- a – like father (long), cat (short)
- e – like they (long), get (short)
- i – like machine (long), sit (short)
- o – like food or more, varies by word
- u – rounded, central; think “oo” but tighter
- y – like French u or German ü
- å – like awe in “law”
- ä – like air without the r
- ö – like sir without the r
Consonants that behave differently
Most Swedish consonants are straightforward, but a few shift before front vowels (e, i, y, ä, ö). Learn these early to sound clear. Keep your tongue relaxed and lips rounded when needed.
Listen for patterns, not rules lists. A little audio plus repetition will take you far.
- k + e/i/y/ä/ö → “sh/ch” sound (kemi)
- g + e/i/y/ä/ö → “y” sound (gäst, göra)
- j → English “y” (ja, jul)
- sk + e/i/y/ä/ö → “sh” (sked, skina)
- sj, stj, skj → a hushed “sh” (sjö)
- rs in many accents → “sh” (färsk)
- ng → “ng” as in sing (lång)
Spelling, sorting, and Å/Ä/Ö
Å, Ä, and Ö are separate letters, not versions of A and O. In Swedish dictionaries and phone books, words with these letters come after Z, in the order Å, Ä, Ö.
When you write names or places, keep the diacritics. Skipping them can create new words or look incorrect. If you can’t type them yet, learn the quick methods below.
- Å/Ä/Ö are distinct letters in sorting
- Capitalize Å, Ä, Ö like any other letter
- Don’t replace å with a, or ä/ö with a/o
- Loanwords keep original spelling when common
- Keep double consonants; they signal short vowels
Practice plan and free resources
You don’t need hours or fancy tools. Give the alphabet 10–15 minutes a day for one week: listen, repeat, read aloud, and write a few words with Å, Ä, Ö. Small, steady steps work best for beginners.
Use free online practice and a printable pdf chart to keep the letters in view. Pair visuals with audio so your ears guide your mouth.
- Day 1–2: Learn the 29 letters and order
- Day 3: Vowel pairs (long vs short)
- Day 4: K/G/J before front vowels
- Day 5: SK/SJ/TJ minimal pairs
- Day 6: Read a short word list aloud
- Day 7: Quick review; record yourself
FAQ
- How many letters are in the Swedish alphabet?
- There are 29 letters: A–Z plus Å, Ä, Ö at the end. Those three are full letters, not accents. Learn their sounds early—they’re part of the basics for all learners.
- Do I need a special keyboard to type Å, Ä, and Ö?
- No. On phones, add Swedish and long-press A or O. On computers, add the Swedish layout or use shortcuts. You can also copy-paste online until you memorize the keys.
- Are ä and ö the same as a and o?
- No. Ä and Ö are different vowels with their own sounds and dictionary positions. Swapping them changes meaning, so keep the dots in both handwriting and typing.
- Is Swedish spelling mostly phonetic?
- Mostly, yes. Vowel length and a few consonant rules add nuance, but once you know the patterns (like k/g/sk before front vowels), reading aloud becomes predictable.
- Where can I learn the alphabet free online or get a pdf?
- Look for a free online alphabet page with audio and a printable pdf chart from language institutes or university sites. Combine the chart with short audio clips for daily practice.