Swedish

A language of Sweden

Location

Widespread.

Also spoken in:

Expand All

Collapse All

Aland Islands

Language NameSwedish

User Population

26,200 in Aland Islands (2013).

Location

Widespread.

Alternate Names

Sverige

Dialects

Åland Islands Swedish.

Language Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1991, Åland Self-Government Act, Chapter 6, Section 36).

Other Comments

Christian.

View other languages of Aland Islands

Australia

Language NameSwedish

User Population

8,960 in Australia (2016 census).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Australia

Austria

Language NameSwedish

User Population

2,680 in Austria (2003 UNSD).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Austria

Canada

Language NameSwedish

User Population

6,840 in Canada (2016 census).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Canada

Denmark

Language NameSwedish

User Population

754,400 in Denmark, all users. L1 users: 14,400 in Denmark (2020 census), based on nationality. L2 users: 740,000 (European Commission 2012).

Location

Scattered.

Alternate Names

Svenska

Language Status

5* (Dispersed).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Denmark

Finland

Language NameSwedish

User Population

2,698,000 in Finland, all users. L1 users: 288,000 in Finland (2018 census). L2 users: 2,410,000 (European Commission 2012).

Location

Kymenlaakso, Ostrobothnia, and Southwest Finland regions.

Alternate Names

Ruotsi, Svenska

Dialects

Standard Swedish, Österbotten (Ostrobothnian), Southwest Finland Swedish, Uusimaa Swedish (Nyland Swedish).

Language Status

1 (National). Statutory national working language (2000, Constitution, Article 17(1,2)).

Language Use

Also use Finnish [fin].

Language Development

Taught in all primary and secondary schools where Swedish is the majority language; taught as subject in all schools elsewhere from grade 3. Taught in a few tertiary schools.

Other Comments

Swedish Finns have distinctive pronunciation compared to the dialect in Sweden, but no apparent difficulty in intelligibility. Some Österbotten dialects are intelligible to others with difficulty.

View other languages of Finland

Germany

Language NameSwedish

User Population

22,500 in Germany (2020 census), based on nationality.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Germany

Luxembourg

Language NameSwedish

User Population

1,260 in Luxembourg (2011 census).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Luxembourg

New Zealand

Language NameSwedish

User Population

2,640 in New Zealand (2013 census).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of New Zealand

Norway

Language NameSwedish

User Population

39,000 in Norway (2021 census), based on nationality.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Norway

Russian Federation

Language NameSwedish

User Population

7,400 in Russian Federation (2012 UNSD).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Russian Federation

Spain

Language NameSwedish

User Population

19,900 in Spain (2020 census), based on nationality.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Spain

Switzerland

Language NameSwedish

User Population

9,230 in Switzerland (2012 UNSD).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Switzerland

United Kingdom

Language NameSwedish

User Population

19,200 in United Kingdom (2011 census).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of United Kingdom

United States

Language NameSwedish

User Population

55,700 in United States (2015 census). Ethnic population: 5,330,000 (2000 census).

Location

Scattered.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Language Use

Most also use English [eng].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of United States

Swedish

Primary tabs

A language of Sweden

Also spoken in:

Browse by

25th Edition

Products

Related Sites