Nationaldagen in Sweden: dates 2026–2027, traditions and words
| Day | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Sveriges nationaldagRed day | Saturday, 6 June 2026 | Sunday, 6 June 2027 |
- The date
- Always 6 June. Gustav Vasa was chosen as king on 6 June 1523, and a new constitution was adopted on 6 June 1809.
- Day off?
- A public holiday since 2005, when it replaced Whit Monday (annandag pingst). When it falls on a Saturday or Sunday, there is no extra day off by law.
Swedes celebrate their national day quietly compared with many countries. 6 June was Swedish Flag Day (Svenska flaggans dag) from 1916, became the national day in 1983 and a public holiday in 2005.
For many newcomers it is a special day: municipalities across Sweden hold citizenship ceremonies (medborgarskapsceremonier) around 6 June to welcome the year's new Swedish citizens.
What Swedes do
- Flags on flagpoles, buses and buildings. It is an official flag day.
- The royal family takes part in the celebrations at Skansen in Stockholm, shown on TV.
- Citizenship ceremonies in town halls and parks, with speeches, music and often a gift.
- Some people wear folk costume (folkdräkt) or the national costume (Sverigedräkten). For most, it is simply a day off in early summer.
Food and drink
| Swedish | English | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| jordgubbar | strawberries | The first Swedish ones are arriving; no fixed national dish though. |
| glass | ice cream | A day off in June often means ice cream outside. |
| smörgåstårta | sandwich cake | Often served at ceremonies and parties. |
Words for Nationaldagen
Nouns are given with en or ett where you would use them that way. Words in our dictionary are linked, with their forms and pronunciation.
| Swedish | English |
|---|---|
| nationaldagen | National Day |
| Sveriges nationaldag | Sweden's National Day |
| en flagga | a flag |
| flagga | to fly the flag |
| en flaggstång | a flagpole |
| en flaggdag | a flag day |
| blågul | blue and yellow |
| en medborgare | a citizen |
| ett medborgarskap | citizenship |
| en medborgarskapsceremoni | a citizenship ceremony |
| kungen | the king |
| kungafamiljen | the royal family |
| ett firande | a celebration |
| en folkdräkt | a folk costume |
| en grundlag | a constitutional law |
| välja | to choose, elect |
| en röd dag | a public holiday |
Phrases you will hear
- Glad nationaldag!Happy National Day!
- Grattis till medborgarskapet!Congratulations on your citizenship!
- Är du ledig på nationaldagen?Are you off on National Day?
- Ska vi gå på firandet i parken?Shall we go to the celebration in the park?
Songs
These are the songs you are likely to hear. We list them by title only; any Swedish songbook (sångbok) has the words.
- Du gamla, du fria: Sung as the national anthem by custom (there is no law about it). Words by Richard Dybeck, 1844.
Learn more Swedish
See every holiday and the full list of red days in the Swedish holiday calendar, and pick up one new word a day with the Swedish word of the day. Dates and weekdays are easier with our guide to days and months in Swedish and the Swedish numbers tool.
Sources
- Lag (1989:253) om allmänna helgdagar, Riksdagen: which days are public holidays.
Dates are calculated from the rules above and were checked against the law and published calendars. Last checked 7 October 2026. Customs vary between regions and families; this page describes the common ones.