Swedish Insults and Swear Words That You Should Know

So you’re learning Swedish and want to broaden your linguistic horizons by delving into the realm of Swedish insults? Then look no further, because you have stumbled upon the perfect resource! In this article, we will not only unveil the nuances of Swedish insults, but also equip you with the tools necessary to craft your own verbal masterpieces. 

Swedes don’t shy away from using svordomar (swear words), and it is not uncommon to hear people curse in everyday conversation, even in professional settings.

Hearing profanity on television is entirely normal, as it’s not censored. In fact, there was even an instance when a movie title (Fucking Åmål) had to be altered due to its perceived profanity, making it unsuitable for magazine advertising in the United States.

Most Swedish curse words revolve around references to Satan or hell, with sexual profanities being less common compared to some other languages. However, this trend is shifting among the younger generations. In recent years, there has been a growing inclination to borrow swear words from English, likely influenced by English-language media. Nevertheless, Swedish insults remain more prevalent in everyday speech.

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Common curse words between Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish

Scandinavian languages are closely related to each other, which naturally means that they also share some curse words with slight variations. 

Fan!

If you’ve been around any Swedes, you’ve definitely heard the word fan. It’s a versatile swear word which appears in all three Scandinavian languages and is one of the most used curse words in Swedish. It can be used in a variety of ways; for example, you might say fan också if you drop something or fan ta dig if you are angry with someone. You can also use it to intensify other words, such as Det är fan skittråkigt (Damn, that’s boring). 

In English, the closest equivalents to fan are f*ck or damn. However, it’s important to note that the exact meaning and connotations of fan can vary depending on the context in which it is used. In some cases, it may be considered a relatively mild swear word, while in others it may be seen as more offensive.

Here are some uses of this word.

Fan i helvete – F*cking hell. When you’re extra annoyed at something.

Vad fan – What the devil

Vafaan – Damn it!

Fan också – Damn it! Också on its own means also, so the literal translation of this expression is “devil also.”

Fan ta dig – Screw you!

Fyfan – Damn it! When you’re very annoyed.

Swedish Insults with Numbers

In Swedish you can swear or rather show your annoyance with the numbers sjutton (seventeen), attans (old form of eighteen), and tusan (thousand). It’s not quite clear what the origin of these utterances is, but it’s believed that sjutton, which is Odin’s number (according to Norse mythology), was used in order not to say Odin’s name in vain. Attans might have come into use because it rhymes with Satan.

Swedish Curses and Insults

Cursing Using Longer Swedish Expressions

Din jävla … – You f*cking…

Din jävla fitta – You f*cking p*ssy

Din jävla idiot! – You f*cking idiot!

Din jävel – You son of a b*tch!

Det är så jävla tråkigt! – That’s so f*cking boring!

Helvete också! – Damn it!

Vilken skithög – What a piece of shit!

Dra åt helvete! – Go to hell!

Skitbra – really good. Literally “shit good.” 

Helvete, vad ont det gör! – F*ck, that hurts!

Du är iq-befriad – Literally, you are free of IQ.

Fan, jag tappade min mobil! – Damn, I dropped my phone!

Skit också, jag svarade fel på provet! – Shit, I messed up on the test!

Fan, vilket skitväder! – F*ck, what a shitty weather!

Det här är jäkligt gott! – This food is damn good!

De har skitgoda pizzor – This place has damn good pizza.

Vad fan händer? – What the hell is going on?

Create Your Own Swedish Insults

The Swedish language makes use of compound words, which means you have the power to invent new words on the spot by combining two words together. With this linguistic prowess, you can craft your very own Swedish insults.

Take two words, usually one related to a concept or object and the other carrying a negative connotation, and blend them together. And there you go! You’ve created your very own Swedish insult. Here are some examples:

Let’s take the word röv (ass) that we learned earlier and add the word hål (hole) to it. As a result you get rövhål (asshole). 

Another example. Let’s take the word fisk (fish) and add it to the word fitta (p*ssy, c*nt). You get fiskfitta, meaning fish c*nt.

You can also create new insults by adding words like attans or jävla to any noun. Attans bananer is a great example because it’s a real Swedish insult. Meaning literally “damn bananas.” Some other examples:

Attans dyrt – damn expensive

Jävla snygg – f*cking beautiful

Jävla tråkig – f*cking boring

Skithäftig – damn cool

And lastly, you can combine several Swedish insults together when you’re royally pissed at something; for example, Satans jävla helvete! or Fan jävla skit!

Keep in Mind

When you first start learning a language, it’s easy to overdo it with the curse words. You might not realize how strong they are, or you might not be aware of the cultural context in which they’re used. That’s why it’s important to pay attention to how native speakers use curse words before you start using them yourself. 

It’s also important to keep in mind that there is a hierarchy of obscenity when it comes to these words: Some are simply more offensive than others. If you’re not sure which words to use, it’s best to err on the side of caution and avoid using them altogether.

Finally, remember that some curse words are only appropriate to use with close friends. If you are not sure if it’s OK to use a curse word in a particular situation, it’s always best to ask a native speaker.

​​Remember, words have power. Use them wisely.

Start learning Swedish with Lingvist

You’ve now learned a bunch of Swedish insults and curse words, and if you want to try out your listening skills, check out this video. However, one video isn’t enough to master Swedish insults or the language as a whole, so how should you continue? 

A great way to improve your listening comprehension is to consume Swedish media. Watch Swedish YouTubers, listen to podcasts, or watch Swedish movies and TV shows. This will expose you to real spoken Swedish and help you learn how to use insults in the correct context.

To take your Swedish to the next level and understand the rest of the words that come after the curses, you can combine media with Lingvist’s language learning app. With just 10 minutes per day, you’ll see your Swedish skills improve faster than with any other language learning method.

So, what are you waiting for? Start learning today and take advantage of Lingvist’s free trial!