First Phrases

Making plans with new friends · Svenska

Making plans with new friends in Swedish: 15 phrases

Invite someone for a coffee or an event, suggest a time and a place, swap numbers, say you are new in town, decline politely, follow up after meeting at an event, and say nice to meet you and see you next time. Short, natural phrases for making friends in a new town. Pair them with Meet & Mint: find an event to go to together.

Phrases, not advice. These cards only help you say what you need. They give no medical, legal, tax or financial advice. For any decision, ask the pharmacist, doctor, bank or the official office.

Register: Informal (friendly). In Sweden everyone says "du", also with someone you have just met. "Fika" (a coffee and something sweet with someone) is the natural invitation to a first meeting. "Vi ses" is a casual goodbye, so to fix a plan, name a day and a time. Phrases only: this card gives no safety or medical advice.

How to read the sounds: Swedish stress is in CAPITALS. a = 'ah', å = the o of 'more', ä = the e of 'bed' (or 'air' before r), ö = the u of 'fur', y = say 'ee' with rounded lips (written ew). sj and tj are soft hushing sounds; k before e, i, y, ä, ö sounds like English 'ch'. Double consonants make the vowel before them short.

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15 phrases you will need

  1. 01Informal
    Ska vi ta en fika någon dag den här veckan?
    Say it like: skah vee tah en FEE-kah NOH-gon dag den hehr VEK-kan
    Shall we have a fika some day this week?
    Register: "Fika" = a coffee break with a bun or a biscuit.
  2. 02Informal
    Vill du följa med på eventet på lördag? Vi kan gå tillsammans.
    Say it like: vil dew FUR-ya med poh ee-VEN-tet poh LUR-dag. vee kan goh til-SAM-mans
    Do you want to come to the event on Saturday? We can go together.
    Register: "Följa med" = to come along.
  3. 03Informal
    Ska vi ses klockan sju och äta middag?
    Say it like: skah vee sehs KLOK-kan shew ok EH-ta MID-dag
    Shall we meet at seven and have dinner?
    Register: "Ses" = to see each other, to meet.
  4. 04Informal
    Passar det i centrum? Jag känner till ett bra ställe.
    Say it like: PAS-sar deh ee SEN-trum? yaag CHEN-ner til et brah STEL-leh
    Does the centre suit you? I know a good place.
    Register: "Ställe" = place.
  5. 05Informal
    Vilken dag passar bäst för dig?
    Say it like: VIL-ken dag PAS-sar best fur day
    Which day suits you best?
    Register: Also "När passar det dig?".
  6. 06Informal
    Kan jag få ditt nummer? Då hör jag av mig.
    Say it like: kan yaag foh dit NUM-mer? doh hur yaag av may
    Can I have your number? Then I'll get in touch.
    Register: "Höra av sig" = to get in touch.
  7. 07Neutral
    Jag är ny i stan och vill gärna lära känna folk.
    Say it like: yaag eh new ee stan ok vil YEHR-na LEH-ra CHEN-na folk
    I'm new in town and would like to get to know people.
    Register: "Lära känna" = to get to know.
  8. 08Neutral
    Tack för inbjudan, men jag kan tyvärr inte den här gången.
    Say it like: tak fur IN-bew-dan, men yaag kan tew-VEHR IN-teh den hehr GONG-en
    Thanks for the invitation, but unfortunately I can't this time.
    Register: "Tyvärr" = unfortunately; a direct, polite no is fine.
  9. 09Informal
    Idag passar det inte, men vi kan väl ses en annan dag?
    Say it like: ee-DAG PAS-sar deh IN-teh, men vee kan vel sehs en AN-nan dag
    Today doesn't suit me, but we can meet another day, can't we?
    Register: "Väl" makes it a friendly suggestion.
  10. 10Informal
    Gärna! Jag kommer.
    Say it like: YEHR-na. yaag KOM-mer
    Gladly! I'll come.
    Register: "Gärna" = with pleasure.
  11. 11Neutral
    Det var kul att träffa dig igår på eventet.
    Say it like: deh vaar kewl at TREF-fa day ee-GOR poh ee-VEN-tet
    It was fun meeting you yesterday at the event.
    Register: "Kul" = fun, nice.
  12. 12Informal
    Jag skickar detaljerna till dig i ett meddelande.
    Say it like: yaag SHIK-kar de-TAL-yer-na til day ee et MED-del-an-deh
    I'll send you the details in a message.
    Register: Or "på Messenger/WhatsApp".
  13. 13Informal
    Ska vi hitta på något igen snart? Jag hade jättetrevligt.
    Say it like: skah vee HIT-ta poh NOH-got ee-YEN snart. yaag HAH-deh YET-teh-TREV-ligt
    Shall we do something again soon? I had a really nice time.
    Register: "Hitta på något" = to do something together.
  14. 14Neutral
    Trevligt att träffas!
    Say it like: TREV-ligt at TREF-fas
    Nice to meet you!
    Register: Also "Trevligt att träffa dig".
  15. 15Informal
    Vi ses nästa gång! Hör av dig.
    Say it like: vee sehs NES-ta gong. hur av day
    See you next time! Get in touch.
    Register: "Hör av dig" = get in touch with me.

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Quick answers

How do you invite someone for a coffee in Swedish?

Say: "Ska vi ta en fika någon dag den här veckan?" (Shall we have a fika some day this week?)

Should I use informal or formal Swedish with new friends?

In Sweden everyone says "du", also with someone you have just met. "Fika" (a coffee and something sweet with someone) is the natural invitation to a first meeting. "Vi ses" is a casual goodbye, so to fix a plan, name a day and a time. Phrases only: this card gives no safety or medical advice.

How do I say I'm new in town in Swedish?

Say: "Jag är ny i stan och vill gärna lära känna folk." (I'm new in town and would like to get to know people.)

How do I decline an invitation politely in Swedish?

Say: "Tack för inbjudan, men jag kan tyvärr inte den här gången." (Thanks for the invitation, but unfortunately I can't this time.)

Making plans phrases in another language

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How it works

  1. Pick the language of the country you live in.
  2. Read the phrases: each has the English meaning, an easy pronunciation guide and a register note. Tap the speaker to hear it in your device's voice, or tap Practise to record yourself and compare with the model (your recording never leaves your device).
  3. Print the card or keep it open on your phone. Native-speaker review is still pending.
  4. Then open Meet & Mint to find an event to go to together: see who else is going, join alone and chat with the group before you meet. Or try a phrase card for tonight first.

firstphrases.app/survival/making-plans-with-new-friends/sv/ · Phrases, not advice · Meet & Mint