Getting to know someone: questions
The questions Swedes ask when they meet you, and the ones you can ask back, about names, home, work, languages, family and free time.
Swedes can seem reserved at first, but once a conversation starts, these are the questions that keep it going. You'll need to understand them as much as ask them.
- 1
Vad heter du?
What's your name?
Tip: lit. 'What are you called?'
- 2
Vad heter du i efternamn?
What's your surname?
Tip: lit. 'What are you called in surname?'
- 3
Hur uttalar man ditt namn?
How do you pronounce your name?
Tip: The generic 'one' keeps it from sounding like a test.
- 4
Är det med C eller K?
Is that with a C or a K?
Tip: Swedes often ask this about names like Carl/Karl.
- 5
Kan du stava ditt efternamn?
Can you spell your surname?
Tip: Useful for names Swedes haven't seen before.
- 6
Är du härifrån?
Are you from here?
Tip: lit. 'Are you from-here?' — one word.
- 7
Var kommer du ifrån från början?
Where are you from originally?
Tip: lit. 'from the beginning' — originally.
- 8
Var ligger det?
Where's that?
Tip: Places 'lie' in Swedish rather than 'are'.
- 9
Är det första gången du är i Sverige?
Is this your first time in Sweden?
Tip: lit. 'Is it the first time you are in Sweden?'
- 10
Hur länge har du bott i Sverige?
How long have you lived in Sweden?
Tip: Perfect tense, as in English: 'have you lived'.
- 11
Varför flyttade du till Sverige?
Why did you move to Sweden?
Tip: The verb means to move house, not to move your body.
- 12
Trivs du här?
Do you like it here?
Tip: A verb for feeling at home and content somewhere. Hard to translate, used all the time.
- 13
Var i Sverige bor du?
Where in Sweden do you live?
Tip: The verb still comes second after the question phrase.
- 14
Bor du inne i stan eller utanför?
Do you live in town or outside?
Tip: lit. 'in in the town' — in the centre, as opposed to the suburbs.
- 15
Har du alltid bott här?
Have you always lived here?
Tip: 'Always' goes after the subject in a question.
- 16
Vem bor du med?
Who do you live with?
Tip: The 'with' stays at the end, as in English.
- 17
Jobbar du eller pluggar du?
Do you work or study?
Tip: Casual for studying; very common.
- 18
Var jobbar du?
Where do you work?
Tip: 'Var' = where.
- 19
Hur länge har du jobbat där?
How long have you worked there?
Tip: 'där' = there.
- 20
Gillar du jobbet?
Do you like your job?
Tip: Swedish uses 'the job' where English says 'your job'.
- 21
Vad pluggar du?
What are you studying?
Tip: Also: Vad läser du? — 'läsa' is used for studying a subject.
- 22
Vilka språk pratar du?
What languages do you speak?
Tip: The plural form of 'which'.
- 23
Vad har du för modersmål?
What's your native language?
Tip: lit. 'What do you have for mother tongue?' — a very Swedish way to ask.
- 24
Är du gift?
Are you married?
Tip: Ask with care; it's personal.
- 25
Har du några syskon?
Do you have any siblings?
Tip: One word for brothers and sisters together. Same form in the plural.
- 26
Hur gammal är du?
How old are you?
Tip: Fine with kids. Adults rarely ask each other.
- 27
Vad gör du på fritiden?
What do you do in your free time?
Tip: lit. 'on the free time'.
- 28
Vad har du för intressen?
What are you into?
Tip: lit. 'What do you have for interests?' — more common than asking about 'hobbies'.
- 29
Har vi träffats förut?
Have we met before?
Tip: The -s ending makes the verb mean 'meet each other'.
- 30
Känner ni varandra?
Do you know each other?
Tip: Use this verb for knowing people; facts take a different verb.
- 31
Hur känner du Johan?
How do you know Johan?
Tip: Swap in the host's name.
- 32
Hur träffades ni?
How did you two meet?
Tip: 'ni' = you (plural). Past tense of 'träffas'.
- 33
Vad har du för mejladress?
What's your email address?
Tip: Swedes write 'mejl' as well as 'mail'.