Fun facts about Sweden and swedes

Moving to Sweden? Then this fun, but very useful, 10 point knowledge will come in handy in social situations. Get to know the, sometimes somewhat quirky, Swedish way here!

1. Swedes love their coffee

Few people drink more coffee than the Swedes and their Nordic neighbours.

In fact, coffee is something of a social institution in Sweden. Ever heard of fika? That’s the practice of gathering together over coffee or tea, often with something sweet on the side. It can involve anyone – friends, family, or colleagues, fika can even serve as a first date.

A fika a day keeps the doctor away? The doctor part is questionable, but we do know that for many Swedes, having coffee is an opportunity to connect and strengthen relationships. Every tuesday new citizens are hanging out in the city centre at Café SMAK for fika - join us!

Check out the recipe for "chokladbollar" Länk till annan webbplats, öppnas i nytt fönster., one of the Swedes' fika favourites.

2. Physical queues – and digital solutions

At a pharmacy or your local grocery store’s meat counter, you’ll be forced to exercise patience as you wait to be served in a numbered queue. Many businesses have a ticketing system, where you grab a ticket and then wait until your number shows up on a screen before you can proceed to the counter.

But let it also be known that Sweden is a highly digital country, with plenty of online solutions. Many errands at the Swedish Tax Agency, for instance, can be done electronically. In 2025, nearly 7.1 million Swedes submitted their tax returns online. How's that for saving the paper in paperwork?

3. Do learn Swedish

Swedes are widely rated as one of the best at English as a second language. Therefore it might take you longer to learn Swedish, and the Catch-22 is that fluency in the language is crucial to full integration. Knowing some Swedish will also help you in your contacts with the authorities, the Tax Agency for example.

For many, a first step to learning Swedish – both spoken and written – is SFI courses ('Swedish for immigrants'). SFI courses are offered through each local municipality’s adult continuing education programme (read more in the Checklist Öppnas i nytt fönster.).

Even if the Swedish language may not be among the top things to know before moving to Sweden, feel free to start practising. There are plenty of apps to help you get started!

4. You will see fathers pushing prams

When it comes to equality between the sexes, Sweden is one of the leaders, and the men definitely pull their own weight in staying home and raising infant children.

In Sweden, parents are entitled to a substantial period of paid parental leave, which can be shared between partners. A portion of this leave can also be transferred to grandparents or other close family members or friends.

5. Swedes are informal with names

Your doctor, your university professor, your economic advisor – they will all address you by first name and expect you to do the same in conversation. That’s pretty much standard in Sweden, regardless of job titles – which are also dropped.

There are of course a few important exceptions to the rule. Should you be inside a courtroom, or face a political minister or someone from the Swedish royal family, you'd better get the titles right.

6. Lagom – the word aiming for perfect calibration

It might not be the first word of Swedish you learn, but you are bound to come across the word lagom at some point if you settle down in Sweden.

Lagom really has no direct translation, but loosely translated, the word means ‘just enough’, ‘in moderation’, ‘appropriate’ and a few other synonyms you can pull out of the dictionary.

A shower is best taken at lagom temperature, your morning coffee should be lagom strong, and in the land of work-life balance that is Sweden, many strive for a lagom workload.

You may find, however, that Swedes are less lagom when it comes to upholding principles of equality and their firm belief in waste management.

7. The Swedes are an outdoorsy bunch

Okay, maybe not everyone. But many. In Sweden, all year round there’s at least one activity that can be enjoyed, come rain, shine, or winter blizzard. And the government has made it easy to enjoy Sweden’s nature by giving people the right of public access, allemansrätten. In Solleftea there are a numerous of activities to enjoy Länk till annan webbplats, öppnas i nytt fönster., all year around. We also have a lot of small and big gatherings and events Länk till annan webbplats, öppnas i nytt fönster. goiing on.

Quite a few Swedes are winter sports enthusiasts.

8. Take off your shoes!

You’ll quickly notice that people take their shoes off when entering private homes in Sweden. Some explain it with the simple fact that Swedes spend a lot of time outdoors during winter and are prone to dragging in dirt. Others say it’s a sign of respect for the home.

Either way, you might want to think twice before wearing full lace-up boots when visiting folks.

9. July is a holiday month

Full-time employees in Sweden are entitled to at least 25 days of paid holiday per year, and many take out a large chunk of these during July – statistically the country's warmest month. So generally speaking, service will be slower. Many small businesses shut down the entire month.

10. Winters are cold – and an opportunity

It’s no secret that Sweden’s geographical location makes it prone to cold, dark winters – especially in the northern parts of the country.

However, these long winters have a way of bringing people closer together. It’s the perfect time for fika! Swedish winter also sparks creativity and innovation. Many use this time to explore hobbies and develop new ideas. Whether it’s crafting, cooking, or brainstorming new solutions, winter fosters innovation.

For the restless, Sollefteå also comes with countless winter outdoor activities. Länk till annan webbplats, öppnas i nytt fönster.