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B1Swedish·47 cards

Traffic and Road Words

The nouns on every Swedish road sign and theory test.

The road network in words, driven from town to motorway: the street ladder (gata → väg → motorväg with its påfart and avfart), the junction hardware (rondell, trafikljus, väjningsplikt versus stopplikt), the special lanes (bussfil, cykelbox, gångfartsområde), the money layer (parkeringsböter, trängselskatt, vägtull), the winter fleet (sandbil), and the boot's emergency kit: varningstriangel, varselväst.

Close-up of yellow road markings with 'KEEP CLEAR' instruction on asphalt surface.
Photo: Johannes Plenio on Pexels
  1. 1

    väg

    road

    Tip: 'på vägen' = on the road

  2. 2

    gata

    street

    Tip: 'Storgatan'

  3. 3

    motorväg

    motorway

    Tip: 110 or 120 km/h

  4. 4

    påfart

    a slip road

    Tip: onto the motorway

  5. 5

    avfart

    exit

    Tip: 'ta nästa avfart'

  6. 6

    vägren

    a hard shoulder

    Tip: 'stanna på vägrenen'

  7. 7

    mittremsa

    a central reservation

    Tip: between carriageways

  8. 8

    rondell

    roundabout

    Tip: 'i rondellen'

  9. 9

    korsning

    crossroads

    Tip: 'i korsningen'

  10. 10

    trafikljus

    traffic light

    Tip: 'rött ljus' = red light

  11. 11

    övergångsställe

    pedestrian crossing

    Tip: pedestrians have priority

  12. 12

    zebraövergång

    a zebra crossing

    Tip: the everyday word for the stripes

  13. 13

    cykelbana

    cycle lane

    Tip: separate from the road

  14. 14

    trottoar

    pavement

    Tip: French loan

  15. 15

    hastighetsbegränsning

    speed limit

    Tip: posted everywhere

  16. 16

    vägmärke

    road sign

    Tip: the theory-test word

  17. 17

    företräde

    right of way

    Tip: 'lämna företräde' = give way

  18. 18

    väjningsplikt

    give-way sign

    Tip: the triangle

  19. 19

    stopplikt

    stop sign

    Tip: a full stop, always

  20. 20

    körfält

    lane

    Tip: 'byta körfält'

  21. 21

    järnvägsövergång

    a level crossing

    Tip: 'obevakad övergång' is unguarded

  22. 22

    farthinder

    a speed bump

    Tip: lit. 'speed obstacle'

  23. 23

    avsmalning

    a chicane

    Tip: a deliberate narrowing

  24. 24

    bussfil

    a bus lane

    Tip: 'köra i bussfilen' is a fine

  25. 25

    cykelbox

    a cycle box

    Tip: ahead of the cars at lights

  26. 26

    skolzon

    a school zone

    Tip: thirty km/h, always

  27. 27

    gångfartsområde

    a residential street

    Tip: lit. 'walking-pace area' — max seven km/h

  28. 28

    bensinstation

    petrol station

    Tip: 'mack' is the casual word

  29. 29

    parkering

    car park

    Tip: 'p-plats' on signs

  30. 30

    parkeringsböter

    parking fine

    Tip: expensive, and quick

  31. 31

    fartkamera

    speed camera

    Tip: marked in advance in Sweden

  32. 32

    vägtull

    a toll

    Tip: on some bridges

  33. 33

    trängselskatt

    congestion charge

    Tip: in Stockholm and Gothenburg

  34. 34

    miljözon

    an environmental zone

    Tip: restricting older vehicles

  35. 35

    bilbälte

    seat belt

    Tip: compulsory since 1975

  36. 36

    körkort

    driving licence

    Tip: carry it with you

  37. 37

    registreringsnummer

    registration number

    Tip: three letters, three digits

  38. 38

    besiktning

    vehicle inspection

    Tip: annual for older cars

  39. 39

    försäkring

    insurance

    Tip: legally required

  40. 40

    olycka

    accident

    Tip: 'en trafikolycka'

  41. 41

    bärgning

    breakdown service

    Tip: 'ringa efter bärgning'

  42. 42

    motorstopp

    a breakdown

    Tip: lit. 'engine stop'

  43. 43

    vinterväghållning

    a winter road closure

    Tip: lit. 'winter road maintenance'

  44. 44

    sandbil

    a gritting lorry

    Tip: out before dawn

  45. 45

    vägingenjör

    a road inspector

    Tip: who decides when to plough

  46. 46

    varningstriangel

    a warning triangle

    Tip: legally required in the car

  47. 47

    varselväst

    a high-visibility vest

    Tip: put it on before you step out