Word lists › Swedish
The most common Swedish words, in frequency order
This is a frequency-based Swedish word list: words ranked by how often they actually occur in everyday text, with translations and pronunciation. Frequency-based learning means studying words in this order, so every hour goes to the words you will meet most. Learn the first 500 and you will recognise about 72% of the words in everyday Swedish. That is Zipf's law, and it is why this list is in this order. The first 250 are below; Zipf teaches all 5,000.
72%of everyday Swedish text is the first 500 words
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The 250 most common Swedish words
| # | Word | IPA | Part of speech | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | vara | /²vɑːra/ | verb | to be |
| 2 | en | /ɛnː/ | pronoun | one, you |
| 3 | den | /dɛnː/ | pronoun | it, that |
| 4 | jag | /jɑː(ɡ)/ | pronoun | I |
| 5 | att | /atː/ | particle | to |
| 6 | och | /ɔ/ | conjunction | and |
| 7 | i | /iː/ | preposition | in |
| 8 | på | /poː/ | preposition | on |
| 9 | ha | /hɑː/ | verb | to have |
| 10 | inte | /²ɪntɛ/ | adverb | not |
| 11 | som | /sɔm/ | conjunction | as, like |
| 12 | för | /føːr/ | preposition | for |
| 13 | du | /dʉː/ | pronoun | you |
| 14 | med | /meː(d)/ | preposition | with |
| 15 | av | /ɑːv/ | preposition | by, of, from |
| 16 | så | /soː/ | adverb | so, like that |
| 17 | om | /ɔm/ | preposition | about |
| 18 | till | /tɪl/ | preposition | to |
| 19 | vi | /viː/ | pronoun | we |
| 20 | kunna | /²kɵnːa/ | verb | can, to be able to |
| 21 | skola | /²skuːla/ | verb | shall, will |
| 22 | men | /mɛn/ | conjunction | but |
| 23 | få | /foː/ | verb | to get, to receive |
| 24 | man | /man/ | pronoun | one (impersonal) |
| 25 | sig | /sɛj/ | pronoun | himself, herself, itself |
| 26 | göra | /²jøːra/ | verb | to do, to make |
| 27 | all | /al/ | article | all |
| 28 | komma | /²kɔma/ | verb | to come |
| 29 | bli | /bliː/ | verb | to become |
| 30 | han | /hanː/ | pronoun | he |
| 31 | mycket | /ˈmʏˌkɛ(t)/ | adverb | very, a lot |
| 32 | bra | /brɑː/ | adjective | good |
| 33 | någon | /ˈnoːˌɡɔn/ | article | some, any |
| 34 | när | conjunction | when | |
| 35 | nu | /nʉː/ | adverb | now |
| 36 | vad | /vɑːd/ | pronoun | what |
| 37 | här | /hɛːr/ | adverb | here |
| 38 | från | /froːn/ | preposition | from |
| 39 | se | /seː/ | verb | to see |
| 40 | gå | /ɡoː/ | verb | to walk, to go |
| 41 | vilja | /²vɪlːja/ | verb | want, will |
| 42 | eller | /ˈɛlɛr/ | conjunction | or |
| 43 | bara | /²bɑːra/ | adverb | just, only |
| 44 | då | /doː/ | adverb | then |
| 45 | ta | /tɑː/ | verb | take |
| 46 | hur | /hʉːr/ | adverb | how |
| 47 | denna | pronoun | this | |
| 48 | finnas | verb | exist, be | |
| 49 | där | /dɛːr/ | adverb | there |
| 50 | säga | /²sɛjːa/ | verb | say, tell |
| 51 | annan | pronoun | other, another | |
| 52 | ingen | /ˈɪŋˌɛn/ | pronoun | no one |
| 53 | år | /oːr/ | noun · neuter | year |
| 54 | lite | adverb | a little, some | |
| 55 | ni | /niː/ | pronoun | you (plural) |
| 56 | ut | /ʉːt/ | adverb | out |
| 57 | ju | /jɵ/ | adverb | after all, of course |
| 58 | upp | /ɵp/ | adverb | up |
| 59 | in | /ɪn/ | adverb | in, into |
| 60 | stor | /stuːr/ | adjective | big, large |
| 61 | tro | /truː/ | noun · c | faith |
| 62 | veta | /²veːta/ | verb | know |
| 63 | hon | /hʊn/ | pronoun | she |
| 64 | sen | /seːn/ | adjective | late |
| 65 | än | /ɛnː/ | adverb | yet |
| 66 | efter | /ˈɛftɛr/ | preposition | after |
| 67 | över | /ˈøːvɛr/ | preposition | over |
| 68 | de | /dɔm/ | pronoun | they |
| 69 | också | /²ɔksɔ/ | adverb | also, too |
| 70 | svensk | /svɛnːsk/ | adjective | Swedish |
| 71 | måste | /²mɔstɛ/ | verb | must, have to |
| 72 | vid | /viːd/ | preposition | at, by |
| 73 | vilken | /ˈvɪ(l)kɛn/ | pronoun | which |
| 74 | även | /²ɛːvɛn/ | adverb | also |
| 75 | dag | /dɑː(ɡ)/ | noun · c | day |
| 76 | under | /ˈɵndɛr/ | preposition | under, during |
| 77 | hel | /heːl/ | adjective | whole |
| 78 | behöva | /bɛˈhøːva/ | verb | need |
| 79 | ja | /jɑː/ | interjection | yes |
| 80 | ge | /jeː/ | verb | give |
| 81 | liten | /²liːtɛn/ | adjective | small, little |
| 82 | mot | /muːt/ | preposition | against |
| 83 | ny | /nyː/ | adjective | new |
| 84 | tänka | verb | to think | |
| 85 | kanske | /²kanːˌɧɛ/ | adverb | maybe, perhaps |
| 86 | tid | /tiːd/ | noun · c | time |
| 87 | två | /tvoː/ | numeral | two |
| 88 | varför | /¹varfœr/ | adverb | why |
| 89 | många | /²mɔŋa/ | pronoun | many |
| 90 | gång | /ɡɔŋ/ | noun · c | time, occasion |
| 91 | själv | /ˈɧɛlːv/ | pronoun | oneself |
| 92 | helt | /heːlt/ | adverb | completely, entirely |
| 93 | tycka | /ˈtʏkːa/ | verb | to think, believe |
| 94 | utan | /ˈʉːˌtan/ | preposition | without |
| 95 | väl | /vɛːl/ | adverb | surely, probably |
| 96 | hålla | /²hɔla/ | verb | to hold |
| 97 | börja | [²bœ̞rˌja] | verb | to begin, start |
| 98 | rätt | noun · c | dish, course | |
| 99 | del | noun · c | part, share | |
| 100 | aldrig | /²alːdrɪ(ɡ)/ | adverb | never |
| 101 | känna | /ˈɕɛn.na/ | verb | to feel, know |
| 102 | fråga | /ˈfroːˌɡa/ | noun · c | question |
| 103 | länge | /ˈlɛŋˌɛ/ | adverb | a long time, long |
| 104 | böra | /²bøːra/ | verb | should, ought to |
| 105 | dom | /ˈdʊm/ | noun · c | verdict, judgment |
| 106 | sedan | /seːdan/ | adverb | then, afterwards |
| 107 | barn | /bɑːrn/ | noun · neuter | child |
| 108 | åt | /oːt/ | preposition | for, to |
| 109 | folk | /fɔlːk/ | noun · neuter | people |
| 110 | nog | /nuːɡ/ | adverb | probably, enough |
| 111 | sak | /sɑːk/ | noun · c | thing, matter |
| 112 | låta | /²loːta/ | verb | to sound, seem |
| 113 | använda | /ˈanˌvɛnda/ | verb | to use |
| 114 | stå | /stoː/ | verb | to stand |
| 115 | hitta | /ˈhɪtːˌa/ | verb | to find |
| 116 | alltid | /²alːtiːd/ | adverb | always |
| 117 | människa | /mɛnːɪɧa/ | noun · c | human, person |
| 118 | riktig | /²rɪkːtɪɡ/ | adjective | real, correct |
| 119 | tack | /tak/ | interjection | thanks |
| 120 | igen | adverb | again | |
| 121 | läsa | /ˈlɛːˌsa/ | verb | to read, to study |
| 122 | just | /jɵst/ | adverb | just, exactly |
| 123 | liv | /liːv/ | noun · neuter | life |
| 124 | person | /pɛrˈsuːn/ | noun · c | person |
| 125 | idag | /ɪˈdɑː(ɡ)/ | adverb | today |
| 126 | nej | /nɛj/ | interjection | no |
| 127 | kvinna | /²kvɪnːˌa/ | noun · c | woman |
| 128 | sätt | /sɛtː/ | noun · neuter | way, manner |
| 129 | ligga | /²lɪɡːa/ | verb | to lie, to be located |
| 130 | fan | /faːn/ | noun · c | devil, damn |
| 131 | förstå | /fœrˈstoː/ | verb | to understand |
| 132 | hög | /høːɡ/ | adjective | high, tall |
| 133 | innan | /²ɪnan/ | preposition | before |
| 134 | ner | /neːr/ | adverb | down |
| 135 | spela | /²speːla/ | verb | to play |
| 136 | god | /ɡuːd/ | adjective | good, tasty |
| 137 | viss | /vɪsː/ | adjective | certain, some |
| 138 | skriva | /²skriːva/ | verb | to write |
| 139 | samma | adjective | same | |
| 140 | höra | /²høːra/ | verb | to hear |
| 141 | sitta | /²sɪta/ | verb | to sit |
| 142 | land | /land/ | noun · neuter | country, land |
| 143 | försöka | /fœrsøːka/ | verb | to try, to attempt |
| 144 | verkligen | /ˈvɛrklɪɡɛn/ | adverb | really, truly |
| 145 | visa | /ˈviːˌsa/ | verb | to show |
| 146 | jobb | /jɔbː/ | noun · neuter | job |
| 147 | gärna | /²jɛːrna/ | adverb | gladly, willingly |
| 148 | lägga | /²lɛɡa/ | verb | to put, to lay |
| 149 | fel | /feːl/ | noun · neuter | mistake |
| 150 | egen | adjective | own, peculiar | |
| 151 | gammal | /²ɡamːal/ | adjective | old |
| 152 | genom | /ˈjeːnɔm/ | preposition | through |
| 153 | hem | /hɛm/ | adverb | home |
| 154 | jobba | verb | to work | |
| 155 | klar | /ˈklɑːr/ | adjective | ready, done |
| 156 | köra | /²ɕœ̞ːra/ | verb | to drive |
| 157 | bort | /bɔʈː/ | adverb | away |
| 158 | mellan | preposition | between | |
| 159 | varje | article | each, every | |
| 160 | åka | /ˈoːka/ | verb | to go, to travel |
| 161 | tre | /treː/ | numeral | three |
| 162 | köpa | /ˈɕøːˌpa/ | verb | to buy |
| 163 | precis | /prɛˈsiːs/ | adverb | exactly, precisely |
| 164 | ens | adverb | even | |
| 165 | väldig | adjective | huge | |
| 166 | prata | /ˈprɑːˌta/ | verb | to talk, to speak |
| 167 | ändå | /²ɛndoː/ | adverb | still, anyway |
| 168 | jävla | /ˈjɛːvˌla/ | adjective | damn |
| 169 | vecka | /²vɛkːa/ | noun · c | week |
| 170 | värld | /vɛːrd/ | noun · c | world |
| 171 | pengar | /ˈpɛŋːar/ | noun · c | money |
| 172 | kalla | /²kalːa/ | verb | to call, to name |
| 173 | sluta | /²slʉːta/ | verb | to stop, to finish |
| 174 | problem | /prʊˈbleːm/ | noun · neuter | problem |
| 175 | bild | noun · c | picture, image | |
| 176 | fram | /fram/ | adverb | forward, ahead |
| 177 | redan | adverb | already | |
| 178 | hända | verb | to happen | |
| 179 | tidig | adjective | early | |
| 180 | dock | /dɔkː/ | adverb | however, though |
| 181 | inom | preposition | within | |
| 182 | gilla | verb | to like | |
| 183 | tillbaka | /tɪlˈbɑːka/ | adverb | back |
| 184 | hoppa | /ˈhɔˌpa/ | verb | to jump |
| 185 | mena | [²meːna] | verb | to mean |
| 186 | olik | adjective | different, unlike | |
| 187 | lära | /ˈlæːˌra/ | noun · c | doctrine |
| 188 | väg | /vɛːɡ/ | noun · c | road, way |
| 189 | dra | /drɑː/ | verb | to pull |
| 190 | viktig | /²vɪktɪ(ɡ)/ | adjective | important |
| 191 | svår | /¹svoːr/ | adjective | difficult, hard |
| 192 | ganska | adverb | quite, rather | |
| 193 | vem | /vɛmː/ | pronoun | who |
| 194 | fin | /fiːn/ | adjective | nice, pretty |
| 195 | plats | noun · c | place, seat | |
| 196 | kolla | /ˈkɔˌla/ | verb | to check, to look |
| 197 | runt | preposition | around | |
| 198 | följa | verb | to follow | |
| 199 | typ | noun · c | type, kind | |
| 200 | fortfarande | adverb | still | |
| 201 | säker | adjective | safe, sure | |
| 202 | dålig | /²doː.lɪ(ɡ)/ | adjective | bad, poor |
| 203 | bo | [buː] | noun · neuter | nest |
| 204 | gälla | verb | to apply, be valid | |
| 205 | alltså | /ˈa(lt)sɔ/ | adverb | therefore, thus |
| 206 | välja | /²vɛlːja/ | verb | to choose |
| 207 | fall | noun · neuter | case; fall | |
| 208 | lika | adverb | equally | |
| 209 | enligt | preposition | according to | |
| 210 | flera | article | several, many | |
| 211 | the | noun · neuter | tea | |
| 212 | polis | noun · c | police, police officer | |
| 213 | va | /ˈva/ | noun · neuter | water and sewage |
| 214 | ofta | /²ɔfːta/ | adverb | often |
| 215 | död | /døːd/ | noun · c | death |
| 216 | kännas | verb | to feel | |
| 217 | verka | /ˈvɛrˌka/ | verb | to seem, appear |
| 218 | faktisk | adjective | actual | |
| 219 | vän | /vɛːn/ | noun · c | friend |
| 220 | sida | /²siːda/ | noun · c | side, page |
| 221 | hjälpa | /²jɛlːpa/ | verb | to help |
| 222 | ur | /ʉːr/ | noun · neuter | watch |
| 223 | stad | /stɑːd/ | noun · c | city, town |
| 224 | älska | /ˈɛlˌska/ | verb | to love |
| 225 | sätta | verb | to put, place | |
| 226 | enda | /²ɛnda/ | pronoun | only one |
| 227 | bland | preposition | among | |
| 228 | fler | /fleːr/ | adjective | more |
| 229 | samt | /samt/ | conjunction | and, as well as |
| 230 | äta | /²ɛːta/ | verb | to eat |
| 231 | bil | /biːl/ | noun · c | car |
| 232 | lag | /lɑːɡ/ | noun · c | law |
| 233 | namn | /namn/ | noun · neuter | name |
| 234 | ord | /ˈuːrd/ | noun · neuter | word |
| 235 | kvar | /kvɑːr/ | adjective | remaining |
| 236 | därför | [d̪æ̌rfœ̞r] | adverb | that's why |
| 237 | hos | /hʊs/ | preposition | at, with (someone's place) |
| 238 | nära | adjective | near | |
| 239 | fast | adjective | stuck, firm | |
| 240 | eftersom | /ˈɛftɛrˌsɔm/ | conjunction | because, since |
| 241 | betala | /bɛˈtɑːla/ | verb | to pay |
| 242 | slut | /slʉːt/ | adjective | finished |
| 243 | lämna | verb | to leave | |
| 244 | månad | /ˈmoː.nad/ | noun · c | month |
| 245 | leva | /²leːva/ | verb | to live |
| 246 | film | noun · c | film, movie | |
| 247 | timme | /²tɪmɛ/ | noun · c | hour |
| 248 | lätt | /lɛt/ | adjective | easy, light |
| 249 | handla | verb | to shop, to act | |
| 250 | fortsätta | /²fʊrtˌsɛtːa/ | verb | to continue |
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