For those who find foreign languages difficult, Swedish is one of the easiest Scandinavian languages. Especially if you have learnt English, Swedish has very similar grammar, syntax and vocabulary. These similarities stem from the languages’ shared Germanic roots, and this shared linguistic heritage can be used to your advantage.

Swedish is the most widely spoken of the Scandinavian languages and is spoken by almost 12 million people, mainly in Sweden and Finland. However, to choose to learn Swedish solely on the basis of these figures would be an incomplete view. The real benefit of learning Swedish is that it opens the door to other Scandinavian languages. There is a high level of mutual intelligibility between Swedish, Danish and Norwegian, which means that speakers of one language can understand speakers of the other without too much difficulty. This is indeed a linguistic advantage. When you learn Swedish, it becomes easier to understand and learn other Germanic languages such as Norwegian, Danish or even German.

For many, IKEA’s naming of its collections and furniture is a big mystery – learning Swedish will make it much clearer how they are made and what they mean. Of course, the most important thing is to get to know Swedish culture and traditions in more depth, so that when you go to Sweden you are not just a tourist, but a true Swedish person! Lycka till in studies!

For more information about Swedish language courses, please visit our website www.valodukursi.lv/en, email courses@balticmedia.com or call +371 29 446 845.