Filling in forms: the key words
The words on every Swedish form: name, address, box, signature, attachment, e-service and BankID.
Swedish forms look intimidating, but they repeat the same thirty words. Learn them in the order you meet them: the form itself, your details, the boxes, the signature, the attachments and the online version.
- 1
en blankett
a (paper) form
Tip: The everyday word for a printed form you fill in by hand.
- 2
ett formulär
a form (often online)
Tip: Also used for web forms. Ett-word.
- 3
en e-tjänst
an online service (e-form)
Tip: What Swedish authorities call their online forms. The second part means 'service'.
- 4
att fylla i
to fill in
Tip: Particle verb: stress falls on the particle.
- 5
ett förnamn
a first name
Tip: Ett-word because 'namn' is.
- 6
ett efternamn
a surname
Tip: Literally 'after-name'.
- 7
en gatuadress
a street address
Tip: The first part means 'street'.
- 8
ett postnummer
a postcode
Tip: Five digits in Sweden, written as 3 + 2.
- 9
en postort
a postal town
Tip: The town name that goes after the postcode.
- 10
ett mobilnummer
a mobile number
Tip: Ett-word because 'nummer' is.
- 11
en e-postadress
an email address
Tip: 'E-post' = email. In speech people also say 'mejladress'.
- 12
ett födelsedatum
a date of birth
Tip: Ett-word because 'datum' is.
- 13
ett medborgarskap
citizenship
Tip: Literally 'co-citizen-ship'.
- 14
ett civilstånd
marital status
Tip: Options are usually: unmarried, married, divorced, widowed, registered partner.
- 15
ett fält
a field (on a form)
Tip: Same word as a field of grass.
- 16
ett obligatoriskt fält
a mandatory field
Tip: Ett-word, so the adjective gets -t. Usually marked with an asterisk.
- 17
en ruta
a box (to tick)
Tip: Also a square on a board game, or a window pane.
- 18
att kryssa i
to tick (a box)
Tip: Swedes mark boxes with a cross, not a tick.
- 19
en underskrift
a signature
Tip: Literally 'under-writing'.
- 20
att skriva under
to sign
Tip: Particle verb: literally 'write below'. Stress on the particle.
- 21
ett namnförtydligande
printed name (under a signature)
Tip: Literally 'name clarification': your name in clear letters below the signature.
- 22
ort och datum
place and date (next to the signature)
Tip: Printed on almost every Swedish form, before the signature line.
- 23
en ansökan
an application
Tip: En-word, even though it looks unusual. The plural changes the ending to -ningar.
- 24
en bilaga
an attachment, an enclosure
Tip: For paper and email alike.
- 25
att bifoga
to attach
Tip: Used for both letters and emails.
- 26
en kopia
a copy
Tip: En-word; the plural ends in -or.
- 27
ett intyg
a certificate
Tip: Any official paper confirming something: from a doctor, an employer, a school.
- 28
att skicka in
to send in, to submit
Tip: Particle verb, literally 'send in'.
- 29
en e-legitimation
an electronic ID
Tip: The official word; in practice almost always BankID.
- 30
att signera
to sign (digitally)
Tip: Used for signing with BankID rather than with a pen.
- 31
ett ärende
a case, a matter
Tip: What an authority calls your application once it's in. Comes with a case number.
- 32
en handläggningstid
processing time
Tip: How long the authority takes to decide.