Learn Swedish for free: the best free and public resources
Free Swedish is everywhere, if you know where to look
Sweden spends public money on exactly the things a Swedish learner needs: news written in easy Swedish, subtitled television, educational programmes for SFI students, free dictionaries from the language authorities, and libraries that lend easy-to-read books. Almost all of it is free, most of it works outside Sweden, and very little of it is aimed at English speakers, which is why many learners never find it.
This guide is a roundup of those resources, grouped by type, with what each one is and the level it suits. We checked every link and description on 7 October 2026. Public services change, so if something has moved, search for its name.
Two notes before you start:
- Levels below use the European CEFR scale, from A1 (beginner) to C2. If you do not know yours, take our free Swedish level test first.
- Free does not mean structured. These resources are excellent practice, but none of them is a course that takes you from zero step by step. Pair them with something that does, such as SFI if you are entitled to it, or a course like our free Season 1 of Complete Swedish. Our study plan guide shows how to combine them week by week.
Easy-Swedish news
News in easy Swedish (lätt svenska or lättläst, easy-to-read) is the best free resource for learners between A2 and B1. The texts are about real events, so you are learning the words Swedes are using right now, but the sentences are short and the pace is slow.
| Resource | What it is | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 8 Sidor (8sidor.se) | Easy-to-read news website from MTM, the Swedish Agency for Accessible Media. New articles every weekday, each with a button that reads it aloud. Free, no login. | A2–B1 |
| Klartext (Sveriges Radio) | A few minutes of news in easy Swedish every weekday on P1 and P4, also as a podcast | A2–B1 |
| Radio Sweden på lätt svenska (Sveriges Radio) | Weekday news podcast in easy Swedish for people who are new to Sweden | A2–B1 |
| Nyheter på lätt svenska (SVT) | SVT's short TV news broadcast in easy Swedish, on SVT2 and SVT Play | A2–B1 |
A good routine: read one 8 Sidor article without help, then press Lyssna (listen) and follow the text while it is read aloud. The next evening, listen to Klartext and see how many of the same stories you can follow. Three caveats: SVT's easy news programme can only be watched from inside Sweden, its page had no episodes available on demand when we checked, and the printed 8 Sidor paper is a paid subscription (the website is free).
If an article has a word you cannot work out, paste the text into our click-to-translate reader, which glosses each word without leaving the page.
Television: SVT Play and UR Play
SVT Play with Swedish subtitles
SVT Play (svtplay.se) is the free streaming service of Swedish public television. The feature that matters for learners is subtitling: SVT says it subtitles all of its pre-recorded programmes in Swedish and most live broadcasts. In the player, the speech-bubble button turns the Swedish subtitles (textning, or svensk text) on and off.
Watching Swedish with Swedish subtitles connects what you hear with how it is spelled, which English subtitles never do. Some programmes are available only in Sweden because of rights, but many work abroad; the programme page says which.
Our guide to learning Swedish with TV, podcasts and easy news lists specific SVT programmes and series by level, so we will not repeat them here.
UR Play: programmes made for SFI
UR Play (urplay.se) belongs to UR, the Swedish educational broadcaster. Much of its catalogue is made for schools and adult education, including SFI. These programmes are slower, clearer and more focused than entertainment TV, and they cover everyday Swedish life, which is exactly what SFI students need. Series we found when checking include:
| Series | What it is | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Välkommen till oss | Drama series about a newly formed family, Yassin, Maria and Leen, made in 2025 for SFI courses C and D | A2–B1 |
| Svenska för alla | Short programmes on basic situations, such as introducing yourself and saying where you are from | A1–A2 |
| Från sfi till arbete | Personal stories about the way from SFI to a job in different trades | A2–B1 |
| Studera svenska | Tips for adult students on planning study time and keeping routines | A2–B1 |
| Svenska till varje pris | Older series (first shown in 2013) following a group of adults on an intensive Swedish course | B1 |
UR's catalogue changes and some programmes are only available for a limited period, so the most reliable way in is to search UR Play for sfi or svenska som andraspråk (Swedish as a second language).
Radio and podcasts: Sveriges Radio
Sveriges Radio (sverigesradio.se), Swedish public radio, publishes almost all of its programmes free in its app and as ordinary podcasts. Apart from Klartext and Radio Sweden's easy-Swedish news above, its international service Radio Sweden publishes news about Sweden in English and in several other languages. That is useful if you have just arrived and want to understand what is going on while your Swedish catches up, but it is not Swedish practice.
Sveriges Radio also has a programme page called Sveriges Radio på ett lättare sätt ("Sveriges Radio made easier"), with radio programmes remade in easier Swedish and at a calmer pace.
For podcasts at B1 and above, such as Sommar i P1, see the TV and podcasts guide. For a way to turn any of these into active practice, try our dictation tool: listen, type what you hear, and check.
Free dictionaries and language advice
Sweden has unusually good free dictionaries, most of them from public institutions.
| Resource | What it is | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Folkets lexikon (folkets-lexikon.csc.kth.se) | Free Swedish–English and English–Swedish dictionary hosted by KTH Royal Institute of Technology, originally built on Lexin data and expanded by users. CC BY-SA licence. | All levels |
| Lexin (lexin.nada.kth.se, also reached via isof.se/lexin) | Dictionaries made for immigrant education, between Swedish and about twenty languages, including Arabic, Somali, Tigrinya, Persian and English, plus an illustrated theme dictionary | A1–B1 |
| svenska.se | The Swedish Academy's dictionaries in one search: SAOL (spelling and inflection), SO (meanings and usage, in Swedish) and SAOB (the large historical dictionary). SAOL and SO are also available as apps. | B1 and up for SO; SAOL at any level for spelling and forms |
| Frågelådan (frageladan.isof.se) | Searchable answers to thousands of questions about Swedish usage, from the language authority | B2 and up |
Which to use when:
- Lexin first, if English is not your strongest language. Looking words up in your first language is faster and less error-prone.
- Folkets lexikon for quick English translations.
- SAOL when you need to know the en/ett gender, the plural or the past tense of a word. Our own verb conjugator and the en or ett tool do the same for common words, in English.
- SO once you can read simple Swedish definitions. Learning a word from a Swedish definition is a good B1 habit.
Språkrådet, the Language Council of Sweden, is part of the Institute for Language and Folklore (Institutet för språk och folkminnen, Isof), the official language authority. Its website, isof.se, publishes language advice and writing rules, and runs Frågelådan. It is mainly for people who already read Swedish well, but it is the place to settle questions like whether to write idag or i dag (both are accepted).
Our own free Swedish dictionary has English explanations, example sentences and inflections for about ten thousand common words, and builds on Folkets lexikon data.
Libraries: books, e-books and audiobooks
If you live in Sweden, your municipal library (bibliotek) is the most underrated free resource you have. A library card (lånekort) is free; you usually need ID and a Swedish address.
What libraries offer learners:
- Lättlästa böcker (easy-to-read books). Most libraries have a section of novels and non-fiction in easy Swedish for adults, many from LL-förlaget, the easy-to-read publisher that is part of MTM. These are real books with adult themes, not children's books, and they are one of the best bridges from A2 to B1. Ask the staff: Har ni lättlästa böcker för vuxna? (Do you have easy-to-read books for adults?)
- E-books and audiobooks. Most Swedish libraries lend e-books and audiobooks through an app, often one called Biblio. Which app and which titles depend on your municipality, so ask your library. Listening to an audiobook while reading the same book on paper is excellent practice from B1.
- Newspapers and magazines to read on site, often including 8 Sidor.
Official information for newcomers
| Resource | What it is | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| informationsverige.se | The county administrative boards' site for asylum seekers and people with new residence permits. Information about Swedish society in 11 languages, a "learn Swedish" section with videos, pronunciation practice and the Hej svenska practice app. | A1–A2, newcomers |
| SFI (svenska för invandrare) | The free, municipal Swedish course for adult residents, with courses A to D | A1–B1 |
| Skolverket (skolverket.se) | The National Agency for Education, which sets SFI's curriculum and publishes how it works | Reference |
SFI
SFI (Swedish for immigrants) is the biggest free resource of all: a real course, with teachers, a curriculum and a recognised grade. If you are registered as living in Sweden, are at least 16 and lack basic Swedish, you are generally entitled to it through your municipality. Course D, the last one, is often described as roughly B1, and a pass in it is one of the ways to show your Swedish for citizenship.
We cover who can join and how to apply in learning Swedish when you move to Sweden, and how to combine SFI with self-study in SFI or an app?. Our SFI guide in Swedish is written for current students. Note that people whose Danish or Norwegian is good enough that SFI is not considered necessary have no right to it under the Education Act; see our guide for Norwegians and Danes learning Swedish.
Official letters are where many newcomers first need real Swedish. Our guide to official letters explains the vocabulary of letters from Swedish authorities.
Free tools on Lingolib
We build free tools for the specific things learners get stuck on. None of them needs an account.
| Tool | What it does | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Level test | Places you roughly on the CEFR scale | Everyone, first |
| Word lists | The most frequent Swedish words, downloadable | A1–B1 |
| En or ett | Look up the gender of a noun, with the patterns behind it | A1–B1 |
| Verb conjugator | All forms of common Swedish verbs | A1–B2 |
| Numbers and telling time | Practise numbers and the Swedish way of saying the time | A1–A2 |
| Reader | Paste any Swedish text and click words to translate them | A2–B2 |
| Text level checker | Shows how hard a Swedish text's vocabulary is | A2–B2 |
| Dictation | Listen and type practice | A2–B1 |
| Keyboard | Type å, ä and ö on any device | Everyone |
| Printables and word of the day | Worksheets and a daily word | A1–B1 |
How to put it together
A pile of free resources does nothing on its own. What works is one structured backbone and two or three daily habits:
- Backbone: SFI, or a course. Season 1 of Complete Swedish is free in full: 49 video lessons from zero to A2, with synced Swedish transcripts.
- Daily reading: one 8 Sidor article.
- Daily listening: Klartext or Radio Sweden på lätt svenska.
- Weekly speaking: a conversation with a Swedish friend or colleague, or a study circle.
- Weekend: something on SVT Play or UR Play with Swedish subtitles.
FAQ
Can I learn Swedish completely for free?
Yes, to a solid intermediate level. SFI is free for residents of Sweden, and outside Sweden you can combine a free course such as Season 1 of Complete Swedish with easy news from 8 Sidor and Sveriges Radio, SVT Play and free dictionaries. Speaking practice is the hardest part to get for free; colleagues, neighbours and study circles help.
Is SVT Play free outside Sweden?
SVT Play is free and needs no account. Many programmes can be watched from abroad, but some, including SVT's easy-Swedish news, are available only in Sweden because of rights restrictions.
What is the best free Swedish dictionary?
For English speakers, Folkets lexikon is a good free Swedish–English dictionary. For spelling, gender and inflection, SAOL on svenska.se is the authority. Lexin offers dictionaries between Swedish and about twenty other languages.
Where can I find easy Swedish news?
8 Sidor publishes easy-to-read news online every weekday, and Sveriges Radio has Klartext and Radio Sweden på lätt svenska, both short weekday news programmes in easy Swedish that are also podcasts.
Do libraries in Sweden have books for Swedish learners?
Most do. Look for the lättläst (easy-to-read) section, which has novels and non-fiction for adults in easy Swedish, and ask whether the library runs homework help or reading groups.
Sources
Last checked 7 October 2026.
- 8 Sidor: About 8 Sidor and MTM: Lättläst (8 Sidor and LL-förlaget).
- Sveriges Radio: programme pages for Klartext, Radio Sweden på lätt svenska and Sveriges Radio på ett lättare sätt, with programme details from Sveriges Radio's open API.
- SVT: Så arbetar SVT med undertexter and the programme page Nyheter på lätt svenska.
- UR Play: Välkommen till oss, Svenska till varje pris, Svenska för alla: Presentera dig, Från sfi till arbete: Snickare.
- Svenska Akademien: svenska.se.
- Folkets lexikon: about.
- Lexin, linked from isof.se/lexin.
- Isof: Språkråd och skrivregler and Frågelådan.
- Länsstyrelserna: informationsverige.se and its page Lär dig svenska.
- Skolverket: Komvux i svenska för invandrare (sfi).
Learn Swedish with Complete Swedish, Season 1 free
49 short video lessons that teach one thing at a time, from your first sentence to the grammar SFI expects. Watch them all on the site, no account needed. A free account adds quizzes, a library of your words and saved progress, plus 7 days of the AI tutor and speaking practice when you confirm your email.
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