Swedish

Swedish is a North Germanic language spoken by about 10 million people, primarily in Sweden and parts of Finland. It is the most widely spoken Scandinavian language and forms part of the larger Nordic linguistic area. The standard written form, known as Rikssvenska, is used in education, media, and government, while numerous regional dialects remain in everyday use.

Swedish belongs to the East Scandinavian group of the North Germanic branch and is closely related to Norwegian and Danish, with varying degrees of mutual intelligibility. It uses the Latin alphabet with 29 letters, adding the three vowels Å, Ä, and Ö. Spelling is largely phonemic, though historical spellings and consonant patterns persist.

Swedish is an official language of Sweden. In Finland, it is recognized as an official minority language and is used in regional administration and education in areas with Swedish-speaking communities. It is also one of the 24 official languages of the European Union. The language is widely used in government communications, media, education, and daily life, and Swedish-language literature and culture are prominent within Sweden.

Dialects across Sweden range from the regional varieties in Svealand and the south to northern forms, with standard Swedish taught in schools and used in formal writing. In practice, speakers often switch between standard Swedish and local dialects in everyday conversation. Swedish is also studied as a foreign language in many countries.