hälsningar
hälsningar is the Swedish word for greetings.
While hälsningar translates to greetings, it is much more common as a way to sign off an email or letter rather than as a spoken verbal greeting like "hello". It functions similarly to "Regards" in English.
Meaning: formal way of saying "hello" (intj)
Which one should you use?
In spoken Swedish, people usually use direct greetings like Hej (Hello) or Tjena (Hey), whereas hälsningar is specifically used for written correspondence.
How does it change in a sentence?
The singular form of the word is hälsning.
Did you know?
- While hälsningar is a formal sign-off, using it in a casual text message to a close friend might actually come across as cold or ironically distant.
- The root word hälsa can mean both 'to greet' and 'to be healthy', linking the act of greeting someone with wishing them good health.
- In modern Swedish digital communication, hälsningar is frequently shortened to just mvh (med vänlig hälsning) or mvh!
Examples in context
- Hälsningar från Brasilien!Greetings from Brazil!This sentence shows how to use hälsningar in a friendly closing phrase.Tatoeba #9960685 by morbrorper, translation #3262379 by Ricardo14
- God morgon, herr Andersson. Hur mår ni idag?Good morning, Mr. Andersson. How are you today?
- God kväll, fru Johansson. Har ni haft en bra dag?Good evening, Mrs. Johansson. Have you had a good day?
- Hej, hur är läget?Hi, how are you?
- Tjena, vad gör du idag?Hey, what are you up to today?
Example conversation
Linnea and Oscar are exchanging formal emails for work.
- LinneaHälsningar Oscar, jag hoppas att allt är bra.Greetings Oscar, I hope all is well.
- OscarHej Linnea, tack för ditt mejl.Hello Linnea, thank you for your email.
- LinneaKan vi boka ett möte imorgon?Can we book a meeting tomorrow?
- OscarJa, det går bra. Vi ses då!Yes, that works. See you then!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry hälsningar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
