How to Say Numbers in Swedish: A Comprehensive Guide

If you’re planning to visit Sweden or simply want to expand your language skills, learning how to say numbers in Swedish is a great place to start. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the formal and informal ways of expressing numbers in Swedish, along with some useful tips and examples. Let’s dive in!

1. Counting in Swedish

In Swedish, counting is relatively straightforward, and once you learn the basic numbers, you can easily build upon them to form larger numbers. Here are the cardinal numbers from one to ten:

1. En – One
2. Två – Two
3. Tre – Three
4. Fyra – Four
5. Fem – Five
6. Sex – Six
7. Sju – Seven
8. Åtta – Eight
9. Nio – Nine
10. Tio – Ten

It’s important to note that Swedish numbers are sometimes written differently from how they are pronounced. For instance, “en” and “ett” both mean “one,” but “en” is used before masculine and feminine nouns, while “ett” is used before neuter nouns.

2. Formal and Informal Ways of Saying Numbers

In Swedish, there aren’t significant differences in how numbers are said formally versus informally. However, there is a slight stylistic variation depending on the context. Here are a few examples to illustrate this:

Formal:

Tvåhundraåttionio

Informal:

200 89

As you can see, the formal expression of the number 289 is spelled out as “tvåhundraåttionio,” whereas the informal way uses the numerical representation “200 89.”

3. Larger Numbers and Regional Variations

When it comes to larger numbers, the Swedish numbering system follows a logical pattern. Below are some examples:

• Tusen – Thousand
• Miljon – Million
• Miljard – Billion
• Biljon – Trillion

Here’s how you can express numbers such as 1,000, 1,000,000, and 1,000,000,000:

Ettusen, en miljon, en miljard

Interestingly, while the above examples reflect the standard Swedish way of saying numbers, regional variations can exist. For instance, in some southern parts of Sweden, people may use “ett tusend” instead of “ettusen” for “one thousand.”

4. Useful Tips for Pronouncing Numbers

Pronouncing numbers correctly in Swedish requires paying attention to a few key tips. Here are some guidelines to help you:

• Watch out for vowel changes: For numbers ending in “ett,” such as “femtioett” (51), the vowel “e” changes to “a” when pronounced. Similarly, “sjuttioett” (71) changes the vowel “u” to “o.”
• Link numbers with “-s”: When connecting the tens and units, use the word “och” (and) followed by the unit. For example, 54 is pronounced as “femtiofyra” (femtio – och – fyra).
• Practice your “r” sound: Focus on rolling your “r” sound, as it plays a significant role in correctly pronouncing numbers like “trettio” and “fyratio” (30 and 40, respectively).
• Be mindful of stress patterns: Swedish numbers tend to have alternating stress patterns. Stress the first syllable for numbers like “trettio” (30), but stress the second syllable for numbers like “fyrtio” (40).

5. Examples

Let’s put all these tips and rules into practice with some common examples:

1. 52 – Femtio – två (Fifty-two)
2. 190 – Ett hundranittio (One hundred ninety)
3. 375 – Trehundrasjuttiofem (Three hundred seventy-five)
4. 1,236 – Ettusen tvåhundratrettiosex (One thousand two hundred thirty-six)
5. 5,000,000 – Fem miljoner (Five million)

Remember to practice the pronunciation, stress patterns, and vowel changes to get a firm grasp of saying numbers fluently in Swedish.

With these foundational concepts and examples, you now possess a solid understanding of how to say numbers in Swedish. Keep practicing and incorporating numbers into daily conversations to reinforce your skills. Lycka till (Good luck)!