Free time plays a very important role in the Swedish way of life—but it can also feel a bit boring from time to time. So what productive things can you do in your free time? Plenty!
Learn Swedish online
Studying Swedish can feel really boring… or really fun! Many websites let you study Swedish in an enjoyable way, such as Memrise, Duolingo, and Quizlet. Quizlet works especially well because you can create your own word lists and turn them into games.
You can even set up your own “class” and compete with classmates you add yourself. So if you’re looking for some friendly competition with other newbies—bring it on!
Make Swedish fika food
This might be one of the best ways to learn about Swedish culture and language: bake delicious food while reading recipes in Swedish! You’ve probably already noticed that fika plays a big role in Sweden (luckily), so you always have a good excuse 😉
You can find plenty of recipes here, here, here—and yes, here as well. And many more besides. If you bake something, post it on Instagram with the hashtag #newbieinsweden and make us jealous!
Watch Swedish movies
When you watch Swedish movies, you naturally improve your listening and reading skills—especially if you turn on the subtitles—without feeling like you’re studying at all. Perfect!
I started by watching Disney movies in Swedish because they target children, use simpler language, and feel relaxing to watch. If you don’t have Netflix, you can browse SVT Play or download the SVT Play app. You can also find the famous comedy Kopps on YouTube.
If you don’t feel like committing to a full movie, check out Lucas Simonsson’s videos on YouTube or Facebook 🙂 I recently started watching Welcome to Sweden on Netflix. The short episodes make it perfect for quick breaks—and since it focuses on immigrating to Sweden, it feels especially relevant.
Visit a museum
If you live near Stockholm, you can visit many places that help you expand your knowledge of Sweden and its history.
Skansen – Perfect for nice weather. This open-air museum showcases Swedish history and includes a zoo.
Vasamuseet – Famous for the Vasa ship, which you can see up close. The real ship feels overwhelming and highlights an important moment in Swedish history.
Fotografiska – A great choice if you enjoy art. The museum offers much more than traditional exhibitions, so it’s well worth a visit.
Nordiska museet – Learn about Nordic history and traditions. Curious about life in Scandinavia in earlier times? This is the place to go.
Stockholm offers many more museums, but these rank among the most famous. If you think newbies should definitely visit another one, let me know in the comments!
Walk around the city and write down the words you don’t know
This option is my go-to when I feel bored and the weather is nice. You get some exercise while learning more Swedish—win-win!
No matter how good your Swedish is, you’ll always come across words you don’t fully understand. Write them down, repeat them, think about how you would use them in a sentence, and keep walking.
As you look at shop signs, street names, and notices, you’ll notice details you would usually miss when rushing to work or meeting friends. Paying attention really pays off—so many beautiful buildings and streets surround you.
Read a book in Swedish
This can feel challenging at first, but don’t give up. Choose a book you’ve already read in another language so you already know the story. Reading helps you expand your vocabulary significantly and improves your grammar over time.
Sing along to Swedish artists
I’m a terrible singer, but Veronica Maggio’s Jag kommer and Välkommen in stayed stuck in my head all the time, so I couldn’t help singing along (sorry to everyone around me…). Singing made the lyrics easier to understand, and melodies helped me remember full sentences.
Find an artist you enjoy and look up the lyrics 🙂
There are many more things you can do, of course, but I hope this list inspired you. If you have other tips for improving your Swedish on your day off, I’d love to hear them!
Written by Lydia Hallie
I’m Lydia, a 19-year-old Dutch girl living in Stockholm. I try to write many helpful posts to help younger people who recently moved to Sweden to get to know the country and how everything works here!
