Living in Sweden
Official Swedish letters, explained in English
Letters from Swedish authorities are written in a careful, formal Swedish that even fluent learners find hard. Pick who sent yours to see the words they use, what they mean, and what to do.
Who sent the letter?
- FörsäkringskassanSwedish Social Insurance Agency34 words · 3 example letters
- SkatteverketSwedish Tax Agency31 words · 2 example letters
- MigrationsverketSwedish Migration Agency31 words · 3 example letters
- CSNSwedish Board of Student Finance28 words · 2 example letters
- ArbetsförmedlingenSwedish Public Employment Service27 words · 2 example letters
- KronofogdenSwedish Enforcement Authority32 words · 2 example letters
- 1177 and healthcare1177 and your region's healthcare28 words · 2 example letters
- Kommun (school, preschool and social services)Your municipality (kommun)34 words · 3 example letters
- Landlord and rentYour landlord and the Tenants' Association29 words · 2 example letters
- Bank lettersYour bank30 words · 2 example letters
- Search all wordsThe glossary across every agency, in Swedish or English.
A language aid, not legal advice
These pages explain the Swedish words in official letters. They don't replace the letter itself or advice about your case. Always check the deadline printed on your letter, and contact the agency (their phone number and your case officer are usually at the bottom of the letter) if anything is unclear. Lingolib is not connected to any of the agencies named here. Facts were last checked on 2026-10-07.
How a Swedish official letter is built
Once you know the pattern, most letters from Swedish authorities follow the same order. Find these parts and you have understood the important half.
- The heading says what kind of letter it is: Beslut om … (decision on …), Begäran om komplettering (request for more information), Kallelse (appointment), Påminnelse (reminder).
- The decision or request, usually in the first lines: what has been decided, or what they want from you.
- The reasons (skäl, motivering, beslutet grundar sig på): why they decided as they did.
- The deadline, marked by senast (no later than), inom (within) or förfallodag (due date).
- How to challenge it: Om du inte är nöjd med beslutet (if you are not satisfied with the decision), followed by begära omprövning or överklaga and a time limit.
- Who to contact: the handläggare (case officer), a phone number and your ärendenummer (case number).
Twelve words in almost every letter
Learn these and you can find your way around any letter, from any agency.
- beslutdecision
- The formal answer to your case. A beslut is legally binding until it is changed. Read the date on it: most time limits for challenging it start from the day you received it.
- handläggarecase officer
- The person handling your case. Their name and phone number are usually at the bottom of the letter. You can call and ask them to explain it.
- senastat the latest, no later than
- Marks a deadline: senast 15 november means 15 November is the last day. It must usually have arrived by then, not just been posted.
- begära omprövningask for a review
- To ask the same agency to look at its decision again. At some agencies this is the first step before you can appeal. Do it in writing and within the time limit in the letter.
- överklagaappeal
- To ask a court or higher body to change a decision. The letter must tell you how and by when. Missing the deadline usually means you lose the right to appeal.
- kompletteringadditional information
- Something is missing from your application. The letter says what to send and by when. If you don't send it in time, the agency may decide on what it has, often a no.
- ärendenummercase number
- The reference number of your case, also called diarienummer or dnr. Quote it in every contact.
- delgivningformal service of a document
- The formal way an authority makes sure you have received a document. Time limits often start from the day you were delgiven.
- förvaltningsrättenthe administrative court
- The court that hears appeals against most decisions by agencies and the kommun. You usually send the appeal to the agency, which passes it on.
- vänligenplease (formal)
- Formal please, used mainly in instructions: Vänligen kontakta oss. It is polite, not a sign of a problem.
- härmedhereby
- Formal word that marks the letter itself as the notice: Du kallas härmed means this letter is your summons.
- bilagaattachment, enclosure
- A document sent with the letter. Bilaga 1 is enclosure 1. Bifoga means to attach.
Tips for dealing with official letters
- Open it the day it arrives. Some deadlines are short: three weeks to appeal at Migrationsverket and CSN, and usually ten days to respond to a payment order from Kronofogden.
- Use the e-service. Most agencies show the same letter on their logged-in pages (Mina sidor), where you can also reply and upload documents.
- Ask for an interpreter. Agencies can book a tolk for calls and meetings. Say which language you need.
- Ask for simpler language. Public bodies must write plain, understandable Swedish. It is fine to ask your case officer to explain in simpler words. Our email templates have a ready-made message for this.
- Get help for free. The service offices of Statens servicecenter help with matters for Försäkringskassan, Skatteverket, Migrationsverket, Arbetsförmedlingen and Pensionsmyndigheten, with no booking needed. Many kommuner and libraries also help people read letters.
Agency facts on these pages were checked against each agency's official website on 2026-10-07 (service offices: Arbetsförmedlingen). The example letters are our own fictional texts, written to show typical wording; they are not copies of real letters. Word meanings beyond our glossary come from Folkets lexikon (CC BY-SA 2.5) and Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0) through our Swedish dictionary.