How to Write an Email in Swedish

How do you start an email in Swedish?

The Swedes are thus a rather informal people when it comes to writing emails, but there are nevertheless certain customs and phrases that you need to know to start your email the right way.

It all depends on whether you’re writing a formal or informal email. Let’s check out all the phrases you can use when writing an email to a Swede.

“Hej” («Hello»)

Starting a Swedish email with a simple “Hej” is perfectly fine. It’s a great and simple way to start an email when you’re writing to friends, colleagues, professors, or even to your boss.

If you want to add a personal touch, you can also write “Hej, First name”. Adding the recipient’s name gives the email a warmer tone right from the start. However, be sure to not misspell the name because no one likes to see their name spelled incorrectly. (More about Swedish names)

“Kära [Förnamn]” («Dear [First name]»)

The phrase “Kära” (or “Dear”) is most used between acquaintances but not between close friends, family, or colleagues. To Swedes, “Kära” is rather formal and should be reserved for formal relations.

“Bästa [Förnamn]” («Dear [First name]»)

The Swedish word “Bästa” lacks a direct English equivalent, as it can be translated as “best”. When you use “Bästa” to start an email, it’s considered to carry the same meaning as “Dear”. This phrase is nowadays viewed as a formal greeting and is used to show respect. You can use this greeting when you’re sending an email to someone you have never met and who is of great importance.

“Bästa [Yrkestitel]” («Dear [Title of profession]»)

This might seem peculiar to some. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, it was common to address people using a greeting phrase together with their profession. The concept of addressing someone by using their profession instead of their first or last name is still perfectly acceptable but highly formal.

For instance, you may start your email with: “Bästa domare” (“Dear Judge”) or “Bästa lärare” (“Dear teacher”). It’s also possible to include the recipient’s last name in these phrases. You may write “Bästa domare Nilsson” (“Dear Judge Nilsson”) or “Bästa lärare Paulsson” (“Dear teacher Paulsson”).

“Goddag, god morgon eller god kväll” («good day, good morning or good evening»)

It’s also perfectly fine to use the time of day as a basis for your greeting. However, using only “Goddag” to greet someone in an email can come off as rude, depending on how well you know the recipient.

If you have been in contact with the recipient earlier and you know each other (on some level), then using a simple “Goddag” is perfectly fine. However, if you don’t know the recipient, it would be more appropriate to write “Goddag, Eva”, for instance.

“Hej alla” («Hello everybody»)

When addressing several people at the same time, this phrase is a safe bet. “Hej alla” can be used between friends and colleagues or by the boss to address members of his or her staff—it applies to any situation.

How to sign off an email in Swedish

In Sweden, it’s generally easier to end an email than to start it. Why? Well, because most Swedes use one single catch-all phrase to end their email. Naturally, however, there are variations for every occasion. Below you will find every phrase you could possibly need to end your Swedish emails in the right way.

“Vänliga hälsningar” («best regards»)

This is by far the most common way to sign off an email in Swedish. It’s simple, friendly, and can be used in both formal and informal emails.

“Med vänligar hälsningar” («sincerely»)

“Med vänliga hälsningar” is a valediction that carries more warmth than the one above. Translated literally, it means “with kind regards” and is thus used to express cordiality. This phrase is also often shortened to “Mvh”—but the abbreviation is never used in formal emails.

“Varma hälsningar” («warm regards»)

Use this phrase only with people you know well. It can be deemed too affectionate if you say “varma hälsningar” to someone you haven’t met.

“Bästa hälsningar” («best wishes»)

If you get tired of “vänliga hälsningar”, you can use this phrase instead. It’s professional yet appropriately warm, and it can be used in formal as well as informal emails.

“Allt gott” («be well»)

“Allt gott” is an expression borrowed from German and means “be well”. It can come off as too curt if used in a formal email, so make sure to only use it with people you know.

Other useful Swedish email phrases

If we go beyond salutations and valedictions, there are plenty more useful phrases that you can use in your Swedish emails to make them sound sophisticated. Here are a few examples:

Some unserious Swedish email phrases

Of course, not every email must (or should) be serious and sophisticated. When it comes to email communication, there’s lots of room for funny and unserious emails, too. To get you started, here are a few phrases you can use:

How formal should a Swedish email be?

The Swedes might seem rather informal to those who come from cultures where there is a clear distinction between formal and informal language and expressions.

During the 1960s and 1970s, Sweden introduced the so-called “Du-reformen” (the thou-reform), which was the process of popularizing the informal second-person singular pronoun «du», meaning “you”.

Before the reform, Swedes used surnames, titles, and occasionally the formal second-person plural, «Ni», to address other people. Due to the reform, the usage of the informal «du» became mainstream, and «Ni» disappeared almost completely. Nowadays the younger generations may address older people as «Ni» out of courtesy, but it is never considered necessary.

By Nathalie Ehrström
Nathalie Ehrström is a native Swedish speaker living in Finland. She graduated from Åbo Akademi University, which is a Swedish language university located in Finland (linkedin profile)