These 16 well-known Swedish tongue twisters (Swedish: Tungvrickare) serve as both an exciting challenge for your linguistic skills and a source of endless enjoyment. Regardless of your current proficiency level, whether a novice or an advanced speaker, get ready to confront these captivating tongue twisters head-on. With every twist and turn of your tongue, you’ll be one step closer to mastering the art of Swedish tongue twisters, as well as expanding your understanding of the Swedish language itself.
Sju sjösjuka sjömän sköttes av sju undersköna sjuksköterskor på skeppet Shanghai.
English: Seven beautifully singing nurses took care of seven sea-sick seamen on the ship Shanghai.
Sju sjuka sjuksköterskor tvättade sina skitiga stjärtar i rosa champagne.
English: Seven sick nurses washed their dirty behinds in pink champagne.
Pappa hänger upp hinkar i taket.
English: Father is hanging buckets from the ceiling.
Jag såg en såg och vart jag såg så såg jag bara såg vid såg.
English: I saw a saw and where I saw (it) there was only a saw by a saw.
Farfar, får får får? Nej, får får inte får, får får lamm.
English: Grandfather, do sheep have sheep? No sheep don’t have sheep, sheep have lambs.
Barbros bror badade bara i Barsebäck.
English: Barbra’s brother only bathes in Barback.
Ett pepparkorn i en kopparpanna, två pepparkorn i en kopparpanna, tre pepparkorn i en kopparpanna, fyra, fem, sex, sju.
English: One peppercorn in a copper pan, two pepperkorns in a copper pan, two pepperkorns in a copper pan, four, fem, six, seven…
Packa pappas kappsäck med åtta pepparkorn.
English: Pack Daddy’s portmanteau with eight peppercorns.
Sju sjösjukliga sjömän sköttes av sjutton sköna sjuksköterskor.
English: Seven seasick seamen were nursed by seventeen beautiful nurses.
Droskkusken Max kuskar med fuxar och fuskar med droskkusktaxan.
English: Horse cab driver Max is driving with chestnut horses and is cheating with the cab fee.
Ställ stället i ställ-stället i stallet istället.
English: Put the rack in the rack-stand in the stable instead.
Knut satt vid en knut och knöt en knut. När Knut knutit knuten var knuten knuten.
English: Knut was sitting in a corner and tying a knot. When Knut had tied the knot, the knot was tied.
Ö, ö, Hö ö, Hö ös mö.
English: Island, island, Grassy island, Grassy island’s bride.
I åa ä e ö å i öa ä e å.
English: In the stream, there is an island and on the island, there is a stream. (å = stream, ö = island).
Kvistfritt kvastskaft, kvistfritt kvastskaft, kvistfritt kvastskaft.
English: A broomstick free of knags, a broomstick free of knags, a broomstick free of knags.
Flyg, fula fluga, flyg, (över Ålands hav)! Och den fula flugan flög.
English: Fly, ugly fly, fly! (over the sea of Åland)! And the ugly fly flew.
I hope you’ve enjoyed exploring these 16 common Swedish tongue twisters. As you continue to practice them, you’ll find your pronunciation and fluency skills improve, making it easier to speak and understand the Swedish language. Don’t forget to share these tongue twisters with your friends and family to challenge them and have a great time together. Keep practicing, and remember – the more you twist, the better you’ll become at mastering the Swedish language. Lycka till (Good luck)!