How hard is it to learn Swedish?
Obviously swedish results to be easier to learn for a native speaker in english because it's from the same linguistic family. The grammar results to be quite easy since it's really similar to the english one, although some grammar parts aren't always so easy to learn because there aren't excatly any "rules", so you simply need to learn in a way that you remember: like what exact word goes with what. I'll give you an example: all words in swedish can be neutral or common words but there aren't exactly any rule that works with all the words so every time you learn a word, you need to memorize the article that goes with it... Although I think that if you are really devoted to learn the language you'll manage to learn the basics quite fast, but I personally I think that you will not learn to speak really fluently if you will not have the possibility to go to Sweden and to stay there for a while. it's important because, when we talk we often "cut" the words in order to talk faster and it complicates the comprehension for foreigners. So it's important to stay there for a while in order to get "used" to it!! Good luck! PS: you asked for some websites..I'll give you an advise: go with the books! In the beginning the most important thing is the grammar and the words and you do it better in the "old fashion way"! Buy yourself a good grammar book and a dictionary..and trye to read a lot, also in the beginning when you don't understand everything, because the importance is not in understanding every word but to start to have confidence with the new language. Every time that the eye sees the same word in the end you will understand it from the context without even consulting a dictionary! The website is great when it comes to the reading of newspapers for free and you can also listen to the local radio...(it's very important, because it will help you to get familiar with the sound).Buy DVD:s with subtitles! websites for the newspapers: www.expressen.se www.aftonbladet.se www.goteborgsposten.se radio: www.nrj.se good films: ******* åmål yalla yalla cops
How long does it take to learn Swedish?
Hi. If you are seriously committed (2-3 hours every day). You should be able to speak, read and write with some proficiency within a year. Read Swedish newspapers online and look for podcasts for pronunciation. In the beginning, you will understand nothing, but it will improve rapidly over time. A good start is also BBC Languages. Search Google for ' BBC Languages and Swedish', that will take you right to the page. It's also free, very high quality with pronunciation links and a really good start. You can also very easily find an online tutor, who will teach you via Sype for $15-20 bucks an hour. I used a portal that connects students and teachers myself. Forgot the name, but if you search for 'tutor, student and online' you should easily find it. Good luck.
How long did it take you to learn swedish?
So, I am still learning. I started maybe 6 months ago and have used exclusively online sources (DL, Udemy etc) until the past month or so. I am now also attending SFI (Svenska för invandrare/Swedish for immigrants). I can comfortably, though slowly with occasional need to look up words, read newspapers and books. I could easily make myself understood by Swedes on most topics although my speech is certainly not fluent. I write fairly well, though again reasonably slowly and not without error. My biggest weakness is listening comprehension. I struggle to understand Swedes speaking at full speed mainly because my learning has all been done online without enough face to face contact with actual people speaking actual Swedish. This is already improving after only a couple of months living here.I found that within 2–3 months of learning I was able to read a fair amount (though not as fluently as I do now) and express basic ideas verbally. It has only got easier from there.I have learnt a little Maori and Japanese in the distant past though certainly nowhere near enough to be useful, so really Swedish is my first non native language. I feel that it is a very straightforward language to learn (from English). There are plenty of cognates which make life easier. The verb forms are straightforward and consistent. There are very few trappy or confusing concepts. Grammar rules are reasonably consistent and spelling is fairly phonetic most of the time… (with the exception of the ghastly sj sound! haha) I think the pitch accent can be a little tricky though a lot of the time that just comes with repetition and immersion. Honestly, Swedish has been incredibly straightforward to learn. I am looking forward to another year of immersion to help improve my pronunciation, fluency and receptive skills.If you are thinking of learning, get to it! Start with Duolingo, it is free and has awesome awesome moderators who are endlessly helpful. You will have useful Swedish within the month!
How much time would it take me to learn Swedish?
Greywolf, thanks for your answer and for responding to Violent Rainbow's comment. As I said in my question I'd intend to move to Sweden (maybe an exchange program while I'm still in school or perhaps for Erasmus). Also, I'd try my absolute hardest although it's easier said than done!
Learning Swedish and Danish AT THE SAME TIME?!?
I asked a similar question a while back, but- basically I've very very interested in learning the swedish language recently. I find it incredibly beautiful. I wanted to study abroad in Sweden, but my only option was Denmark. I'm not sure if i'll definately be going in the fall, but if I am, that means I would start learning Danish on my own while here(I know I don't have to, but I'd like to since I'm going there), as well as taking a course in the language when I arrive there. The thing is...I just flat out do not like Danish. No offense to Danes, the country and city and people seem beautiful, and I really want to go there, but there is no comparison to the Swedish language, for me. So the problem is I still want to learn Swedish. Should I just not attempt to learn Swedish until I return? I understand this could be very, very confusing for me. I've noticed I have a certain aptitude for learning Swedish (based on the very little studying I've done so far), but I've heard Danish is very difficult to speak and I've heard of many a Swede feel like a fool trying to speak it.
What's harder to learn - German or Swedish?
I'm almost out of school, and this summer I want to focus on learning one language. Since I have 3 months to really work on one, I decided to learn, out of the eight that I want to pursue, an easier one, as I could get farther with it (or at least get a good foundation to work off of) than I could with the harder languages I want to learn in those three months. I've boiled it down to Swedish, German, or French, but I think I want to start to learn French with a program called Fluenz, which I can't quite afford at the moment. So between Swedish and German, which is easier? This is a very broad question, I know. So I guess a break down of what I'm looking for: -Easier grammar? -Easier pronunciation? (Note on this: Whenever I try to learn German and practice saying it, my voice always ends up becoming exhausted... or at least I think that's what it is. It feels strange, especially when I try to practice the Rs and the ach's. Is it just me? Am I trying too hard perhaps?) (Also with this, does Swedish have similar guttural sounds? Or does it have more firm of a sound - sorry if this makes no sense; I just cant think of another way to word it). -Which is more regular? -Is Swedish phonetic like German? This is all I can think of for now, but if you have any other topics to point out and talk about, please do! And finally, what makes each language hard? What makes each one easy? Which do you think I could learn more of in a 3 month period of time, or gain a stronger foundation of during that time? All information, comments, and insight is greatly appreciated! Thanks :)
How long would it take to learn the Swedish language and be able to communicate with natives?
It’s a question that is very hard to answer. It very much depends on the person in question trying to learn the language. Some people have an easy time learning new languages and for others it’s almost impossible.I have had friends learning over the course of 6 months to a year with dedication, notes with Swedish names on everything in the house etc.For many things like pronunciation is hard to get right. And like other languages Swedish has several words that sound the same but have different meaning or if you pronounce it wrong means something totally different.Swedes are quite open though and try their best to understand. If they see you trying they do their best to understand you and help you. So you don’t need to be afraid to try to speak out of fear of saying things wrong.Most Swedes, especially younger generations, are very fluent in English to so you could very likley get around using that or having it as a fall back to ask and have things explained if you are unsure about what something is called in Swedish.
How long does it take to learn Danish?
It depends on a lot of factors. I learned Danish when I was young (moved here when I was ~5 years old), and it took about 3 months to be fluent. A friend of mine moved here when he was a young adult, and he still has an awful American accent. He knows most words (gets the grammar wrong quite a bit), but the accent is horrible. I didn't know him when he first moved here, but I was told that it also only took him some months (less than a year) to be almost fluent, but he never improved even the slightest after reaching that level. Even though he's lived here more than 15 years now.My roommate is Macedonian, but have lived in Germany and the Netherlands (and learned those languages within the last 5 years or so). She has been taking Danish classes once a week for a few months, and while slow in conversation, she can mostly hold the conversation in Danish (with a few times switching to English for certain words and for many idioms).How old are you? How many other languages do you speak, and when in you life did you learn new languages (e.g. has it been 2 or 50 years since you last learned a language?). And how much time/effort are you willing to put into it? All these things matter. But as has been mentioned, it is unlikely (unless you are very young, or are linguistically "gifted") that you will sound native anytime soon, if ever.I do agree with Robin that if you take 2-3 years before you can take a meeting or a party conversation means you will have to be actively trying to not learn Danish. I haven't heard of anyone being that slow, except a few old colleagues who never used it, and quit their classes after not showing up for several months.What I've heard is that for the classes you can take, one place in particular (on Gothersgade, Copenhagen) is by far the best, and people I know who are serious about it have all gone there, regardless of where they lived. However, they have sort of tough requirements for the students. Don't quote me on the exact requirements, but I don't think they'll take you unless you have at least a masters degree, if you don't know at least two different languages (fluently) they require a language and grammar test in your language (a post-doctoral fellow in our lab from Australia almost failed their English requirements).