As neighboring Scandinavian countries, it’s no surprise that Sweden and Norway have languages that sound similar to outsiders.
But does that mean that Swedes can understand Norwegian? Or are the languages so different that they struggle to understand one another?
Swedes can usually understand Norwegian easily because the languages are highly similar.
For example, the vocabulary of both languages is primarily the same, the only difference being the pronunciations of certain words.
It’s easy for people to get by in Norway if they speak Swedish.
This article will discuss if Swedes and Norwegians speak the same language and whether or not Swedes can understand spoken Norwegian.
It will also touch on how they can understand Norwegian so well and whether speaking Swedish in Norway is acceptable.
Also, see What Do Swedes Eat for Dinner? to learn more.
Can Swedes Understand Spoken Norwegian?
In most cases, Swedes can understand spoken Norwegian. However, the amount of spoken words they can understand depends on the specific dialect and region, as some dialects may have different pronunciations and accents, possibly causing confusion.
It’s generally easier for Swedes to understand spoken Norwegian when it’s spoken slowly and clearly rather than fast and with different pronunciations or slang.
When spoken too fast and with unknown pronunciations, it might be challenging to process what the speaker is saying.
If the dialect spoken is similar, it’ll be easier for a Swede to understand and communicate back.
However, it’s unlikely for Swedes to communicate back in Norwegian—they’ll likely respond in Swedish.
Can Swedes Understand Written Norwegian?
Swedes can understand written Norwegian for the most part. In fact, most find it easier than understanding spoken Norwegian because many words are spelled similarly.
Plus, it’s easier to read at a pace suitable to the reader (rather than trying to understand what someone is saying while they are speaking fast).
When a Swede reads a text or signpost in Norwegian, their brain has more time to process the information and compare it to how Swedish words are spelled.
Even if the words are written slightly differently, they’ll be easier to understand. So, Swedes and Norwegians can usually communicate through written forms if need be.
Do Swedes and Norwegians Speak the Same Language?
In most cases, Swedes and Norwegians don’t speak the same language. Swedes speak Swedish, and Norwegians speak Norwegian.
However, the two languages share many similarities, so Norwegians and Swedes can read and speak the languages interchangeably. [1]
Those expecting to go to Norway and hear Swedish being spoken will likely be disappointed.
However, it might be difficult to tell the difference since Norwegians sound almost the same as Swedes, especially to someone from outside a Scandinavian country!
Swedes and Finnish People Sometimes Speak the Same Language
While Swedes and Norwegians tend to stick to their own languages, the Finnish people speak Swedish more often.
That’s because Swedish is one of the two official languages of Finland (the other being Finnish), so it’s more common for a Finnish person to speak Swedish than a Norwegian person. [2]
Since Swedish and Finnish are so different (Swedish is a Germanic language, while Finnish is a Finno-Ugric language), it’s more beneficial for Swedes to learn Finnish than Norwegian if they’re interested in learning an entirely new language. [3]
How Can Swedes Understand Norwegian?
Some people may still find it hard to comprehend how people who speak two entirely different languages can understand each other.
The reason is that there are plenty of similarities between the two:
- They’re both Germanic languages. With their similar grammatical structures, both languages are Germanic. That makes it easier for Swedes and Norwegians to understand each other in speech and writing.
- Their alphabets are almost identical. The two languages have strikingly similar alphabets, except for only two letters. This makes writing and reading the two languages very easy.
- Both languages have similar vocabularies. A Swedish person will quickly realize that many words are identical or almost identical in Norwegian, making it generally easier to understand the language over other languages.
- Most of the grammar is comparable. While there are similarities between the different vocabularies, the two are also alike in grammar. That can make understanding and learning Norwegian much easier for a Swede.
- Both languages derive from Old Norse. The two languages have Old Norse origins, making them sound and look alike in written form.
Is It Okay To Speak Swedish in Norway?
It is okay to speak Swedish in Norway. Most Norwegians will understand if someone speaks Swedish, so it’s easy to get by and won’t be considered rude or strange.
However, it’s also easy to get by with English because English is more commonly spoken than Swedish in Norway.
That’s mainly because English is the most common second language spoken in Norway, with over 90% of the country reportedly speaking it as a second language. [4]
If a Swede wants to move to Norway and is worried about the language barrier, they needn’t worry because it’ll be easy to pick up the language quickly.
A Swede can live and work in Norway without learning the language because most people will be able to understand everything they say and write.
Is It Easy for a Swede To Learn Norwegian?
It should be easy for a Swede to learn Norwegian due to the many similarities between the two languages.
If a Swede spends some time in Norway, they’ll be able to pick up the language and pronunciations in no time.
Alternatively, they may continue speaking Swedish without learning Norwegian if they feel it’s unnecessary.
One of the most challenging aspects of learning Norwegian (for a Swede) would likely be the pronunciation of words, so once they can master and understand that, they should be fine.
While it may be easy for Swedes to learn Norwegian, this is primarily because they can understand Norwegians.
For example, a Swede can speak Swedish to a Norwegian, and the Norwegian can understand and respond in Norwegian. Then, the Swedish person can respond again in Swedish, and so on.
Therefore, there’s generally no need for Swedes or Norwegians to learn each other’s languages (unless they really want to).