Ever walked down a street in Stockholm and heard some angry Swedish words being thrown around? Despite their reputation for politeness and being among the happiest people in the world, Swedes have a wide range of Swedish curse words and Swedish insults, just like everyone else.
In this post, I'll show you some of the most common (and shocking) Swedish swear words that locals use in their everyday conversations. Whether you're planning a trip to Sweden, have Swedish friends, or just want to understand what's being said in those Nordic crime shows, knowing these expressions will give you a better grasp of the language that textbooks won't teach you.
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Getting To Know Swedish Profanity
Swedish swear words often come from religious roots, which makes sense historically. Words like fan (devil) and jävlar (devils/demons) remain powerful in Swedish culture today. Locals call curse words "svordomar" in Swedish.
Swedish cursing is changing, though. Younger Swedes now mix English swears into their conversations while keeping traditional Swedish insults in rotation. Swedish has both reaction curses (when you stub your toe) and personal insults (when you're mad at someone).
Not all Swedish swear words carry the same weight. Some are pretty mild and won't raise many eyebrows, while others should only come out when you're really upset (or want to shock someone).
- Reaction words - Used when something bad happens
- Personal insults - Directed at other people
- Religious terms - Related to the devil or hell
- Bodily functions - Similar to English equivalents
- Mixed expressions - Combinations of various swears
Swedish Swear Words
Mild Swedish Curses And Euphemisms
These are the gentler side of Swedish swearing—the kind you could use around your grandparents or at work without raising eyebrows. Think of them as the "heck" and "darn" of Swedish. They often started as clever ways to almost say a bad word without actually saying it (like how English speakers say "fudge" instead of... well, you know).
| Word | Literally Means | Used Like | When To Use It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attans! | Old form of "eighteen" | "Dang!" or "Darn it!" | When you spill coffee on your shirt or miss the bus (Mild) |
| Sjutton! | "Seventeen" | "Oh heck!" | When surprised or frustrated: "Sjutton också!" (Oh darn!) (Mild) |
| Tusan! | "Thousand" | "Darn!" | Sounds a bit like fan but keeps it clean. "Tusan också!" (Darn it!) (Mild) |
| Jäklar! | Softened version of jävlar | "Dang it!" | "Jäklar, vad snygg den är!" (Wow, that looks great!) (Mild) |
| För bövelen! | "For the devil!" | "For goodness sake!" | Old-fashioned, might hear from older Swedes (Mild) |
Swedes also have some charming old-timey expressions like "Järnspikar!" (Iron nails!) and "Gudars skymning!" (Twilight of the gods!) that sound more like something from a Viking movie than actual swearing. You probably won't hear young Swedes using these unless they're trying to be funny or quirky.
Moderate Swedish Slurs
These are the common Swedish curses you'll hear in everyday conversations. They sit in that middle ground—not polite enough for a job interview, but normal among friends and in casual settings.
| Word | Literally Means | Used Like | When To Use It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fan! | "Devil" | "Damn!" or "F*ck!" | The most common Swedish curse. Use when dropping something or hearing bad news: "Fan också!" (Damn it!) or "Vad fan?" (What the hell?) (Moderate) |
| Helvete! | "Hell" | "Hell!" (as an exclamation) | When something goes wrong: "Helvete också!" (Oh hell, not again!) or when you hurt yourself (Moderate) |
| Satan! | "Satan" | Similar to fan! | Less common than fan; sometimes used for extra emphasis: "Satan också!" (Damn it!) (Moderate) |
| Jävlar! | "Devils" (plural) | "Damn!" or "Bloody hell!" | Common exclamation when frustrated: "Jävlar också!" (Damn it as well!) (Moderate) |
| Jävla | "Devilish" (adjective) | "Damn" or "F*cking" | Used before nouns to add punch: "Din jävla idiot" (You damn idiot) (Moderate) |
| Förbannat | "Cursed" | "Damn" (as an adverb) | To express frustration: "Jag är så förbannat trött" (I'm so damn tired) (Moderate) |
| Skit | "Shit" | "Shit" or "Crap" | When something goes wrong: "Skit också!" (Shit, darn it!). Also used as a prefix: "skitbra" (really good) (Moderate) |
| Fy! | Exclamation of disgust | "Ugh!" or "Shame!" | For disgust or disapproval. Often combined: "Fy fan!" (Ew, how awful!) (Moderate) |
Many Swedish swears can be combined for extra punch. Fan and helvete together make "Fan i helvete!" (F*cking hell!), which Swedes use when they're seriously upset.
Strong Swedish Curse Words
These are the heavy hitters of Swedish cursing. They're roughly equivalent to the strongest English swear words and can cause serious offense. So my advice? Stick to the mild and moderate words unless you're absolutely sure of the social context.
| Word | Literally Means | Used Like | When To Use It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fan ta dig | "Devil take you" | "Go to hell" or "F*** you" | Strong expression of anger directed at someone. "Om du rör mina saker igen så fan ta dig!" (If you touch my stuff again, you're gonna get it!) (Strong) |
| Dra åt helvete | "Go to hell" | "Go to hell!" or "F*** off!" | The direct way to tell someone off. Only use in serious anger, and expect consequences. (Strong) |
| Knulla | "To f***" (verb) | The F-word used sexually | Can be an exclamation or in insults ("Knulla dig!" = "F*** you"). As a learner, better to avoid this one completely. (Strong & vulgar) |
| Fitta | Worst word for female genitalia | C-word | One of the most offensive words in Swedish. Used as an angry exclamation or severe insult. Considered very crude and sexist. (Very strong/vulgar) |
| Hora | "Whore" | Offensive term for a woman | Very derogatory in Swedish culture. You might hear it in movies or from angry teens, but never use it yourself. (Strong & derogatory) |
| Kuk | "Cock" | Similar to "dick" in English | Used as an exclamation ("Vad i kuken..." = "What the dick...") or insult. Crude but slightly less shocking than fitta. (Strong/vulgar) |
| Bög | Slur for gay man | F-slur | Highly offensive hate speech. Included only as a warning—this is completely off-limits and considered hate speech. (Strong & offensive slur) |
Common Swedish Insults
Now that we know the words Swedes yell when they drop something, let's check out what they call each other when they're annoyed! Swedish has tons of colorful ways to tell someone they're stupid, annoying, or just plain awful.
Light & Humorous Swedish Insults
These are the fun phrases Swedes use to tease friends or talk about someone who's not the brightest. They're usually said with a smile or a laugh.
| Phrase | Translation | Meaning | When To Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Du är inte den vassaste kniven i lådan | "You're not the sharpest knife in the drawer" | The person isn't very smart | Playful teasing with friends (Mild) |
| Hissen går inte hela vägen upp | "The elevator doesn't go all the way up" | Someone is a bit slow or crazy | When joking about odd behavior (Mild) |
| Hjulet snurrar, men hamstern är död | "The wheel is spinning, but the hamster is dead" | Funny way to say someone's brain isn't working | Among friends when someone's spaced out (Mild) |
| Du är helt bakom flötet | "You are completely behind the float" | You're out of touch or clueless | Casual conversations about someone who missed the point (Mild) |
Quick tip: These phrases work best when talking about someone rather than directly insulting them. Swedes often use these with humor, not genuine anger.
Common One-Word Insults
Need something shorter? Here are the everyday words Swedes use to call each other dumb:
| Word | Meaning | When To Use |
|---|---|---|
| Idiot | Same as English "idiot" | Common and straightforward - not super harsh (Moderate) |
| Dumhuvud | "Stupid head" | Like calling someone a "dummy" (Moderate) |
| Pucko | Slang for a stupid person | Slightly playful, like saying "dope" (Moderate) |
| Klantskalle | "Bonehead, clumsy idiot" | When someone messes something up (Moderate) |
| Snorunge | "Snot-nose" | For bratty kids or immature people (Moderate) |
| Rikspucko | "National idiot" | Funny way to call someone especially stupid (Moderate) |
Stronger Insults
Warning: These words can start fights. They're on the level of serious cursing in English.
| Word | Meaning | When To Use |
|---|---|---|
| Skitstövel | Literally "shit-boot" | Someone who's a jerk or difficult (Strong) |
| Rövhål | "Asshole" | Direct and offensive, just like in English (Strong) |
| Rövhatt | "Asshat" | Similar to above but slightly more humorous (Strong) |
| Idiotjävel | "F***ing idiot" or "idiot bastard" | Much harsher than just "idiot" (Very Strong) |
| Horunge | "Whore-kid" (son of a b**ch) | Extremely offensive - best avoided completely (Very Strong) |
Important note: Words like "rövhål" or "horunge" can be fighting words in Sweden. Even native speakers use these cautiously. As a learner, it's usually best to stick with the milder insults unless you're absolutely sure of the situation.
Compound Swedish Insults & Creative Swearing
Swedish gets really fun when you mix and match swear words! This is where Swedish cursing becomes an art form - you can create your own custom insults by combining words.
Building Better Insults
The most common way to beef up an insult is to add "-jävel" (devil/bastard) to almost any word. It's like adding spice to your food:
| Base Word | Add -jävel | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Lat (lazy) | Latjävel | "Lazy bastard" (Strong) |
| Dansk (Danish) | Danskjävel | "Danish bastard" (Strong) |
| Chef (boss) | Chefjävel | "Damn boss" (Strong) |
Think of this like how English speakers add "-ass" to words (stupid-ass, lazy-ass) - it instantly makes any word more offensive.
Mix and Match
Another cool trick is combining two words where at least one is already rude:
| Combo | Breakdown | When You'd Use It |
|---|---|---|
| Skitstövel | "Shit-boot" | When someone's being a real jerk (Strong) |
| Pissråtta | "Piss rat" | When you really dislike someone (Strong) |
| Svinpäls | "Pig fur" | When someone's disgusting (Moderate) |
Younger Swedes get especially creative with these. They're often more funny than seriously mean.
Piling It On
When Swedes get really angry, they string curses together like Christmas lights:
- "Satans jävla helvete!" - "Satan's damned hell!" (Very Strong)
- "Helvetes jävla skit!" - "Hell's damn shit!" (Very Strong)
- "Fan jävla skit!" - Just three curses in a row (Strong)
These don't really translate well - they're just ways to show extreme frustration. It's like yelling #@$%&! in a cartoon.
Make Your Own
Once you know the basics, you can try creating your own Swedish insult combos:
- Start with a regular noun (person, job, nationality)
- Add jävel, fan, or förbannade (cursed)
- Maybe throw in another swear word for good measure
Examples:
- "Din jävla sopa" - "You damn trash" (calling someone a loser)
- "Förbannade idiot" - "Cursed idiot" (stronger than just idiot)
Quick tip: Before unleashing your creative Swedish cursing, maybe test it with a Swedish friend first! Some combinations might be funnier than you intended.
Ready For More?
You've now got a Swiss Army knife of Swedish swear words! From mild expressions like "attans!" to the creative combinations that would make even a local Swede raise an eyebrow. These words give you a peek into Swedish culture that you won't find in textbooks.
While we don't offer Swedish courses on Lingopie just yet, learning these expressions is a fantastic starting point for exploring other languages. The pattern recognition skills you've picked up (like how Swedes add -jävel to intensify insults) will help you spot similar patterns in other languages.
Why stop at Swedish? Take what you've learned and jump into:
- Turkish - with its own creative insults and unique expressions
- French - famous for elegant cursing that sounds classy even when it's not
- Italian - where hand gestures and passionate swearing go hand in hand
Each language reveals something special about its culture through slang and swearing. And honestly, these are often the words that stick in your memory best!
Ready to watch shows, pick up slang, and sound like a local in another language? Check out Lingopie's streaming library of authentic content with interactive learning tools. You'll be surprised how quickly you progress when learning feels like entertainment.
