10 Things You Should NEVER Do in Sweden
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.พ. 2025
- 💌 Sign up for my Living Swedish newsletter here: bit.ly/LivingS...
🇸🇪 Thinking of visiting or moving to Sweden? 🇸🇪 In this video, I share 10 things you should NEVER do in Sweden if you want to fit in and avoid awkward situations. From skipping the queue to speaking too loudly, I break down the social norms and cultural rules that Swedes take seriously.
☕️ Support this channel by buying me a coffee: www.buymeacoff...
📎 Business inquiries: missuli.online@gmail.com
🎥 Watch next:
Should You Move To Sweden? • Should You Move To Swe...
What Is Typical Swedish? • What Is Typical Swedis...
📷 Follow me on Instagram @livingswedish_uli
Please LIKE this video, comment, and subscribe for more content.
#Sweden #Stockholm #movingtosweden
On Gotland and especially Öland, the nature is much the same as in bronze-age... You can find huge grasshoppers, lizards, lightworms and enormous fields of orchids which you have seen only on pictures... This nature was probably common all over Europe 3000 years ago, but is now rare, and only common in some places like Istmantorps borg in June-July... I was there 1998 and felt totally unreal..., like another planet...
Haha, 'Don't speak too loudly'. Yes I would like to say this to my countrymen from the US and our cousins from across the pond (the UK, especially when drunk) that yes, dooooo tone it down. I can tell a New Yorker's voice from half a block away when on Birger Jarlsgatan going towards Stureplan. If I had a Krona to each time I heard a loud American, I'd be retired by now.
All these things goes for Denmark too.
Regarding smalltalk:
If you have something relevant and funny to say, say it.
For example, if you are standing in a queue and something unexpected happens. If you can make a funny remark, do it. Often people will reply with something equally funny. Danes love a good laugh, and it often breaks the ice. Other than that, stick to the weather.
Alltid vädret😂👍
You can ware shoos indoor, if you bring your own not used outdoor. For example, if you go to a party it is very common you bring your party shoos that you change to when enter the house/flat.
I'm a 42 year old Swede and i have never ever heard anyone bring party shoes to a party. But what do i know? 🤷♂
@@dodgybishop1479 I think it's kind of one of those things you can do. But if you actually do, you might be to well organized as a person to find that parties are fun,
I am 76 years old, and yes, I have experience with guests bringing slippers. For those who don't bring shoes, I have slippers in different sizes if they feel uncomfortable wearing only socks.
Lived in Sweden for 41 years now. I am very Swedish now. Most of this true, but remember not everyone in Sweden has Swedish habits.
@@mn4169 I should hope so after 41 years in Sweden that you’d feel Swedish! ☺️
4:32 Being punctual: a tradition common across Japan, Germany and surprisingly also Sweden.
A good list, though as a Swede born in the early 60's and thus still influenced by an even older generation and their strong social norms, I could add a great number of norms that should still be followed today. However, unfortunately, many of these have been fading away for the last thirty years and the younger generations, no matter what culture you come from, are having difficulties following what really is, as you said, part of the core values our society is based on and that these norms/rules are the main reason why Sweden as such a small country has been successful. One thing though, the "no shoes" library thing, which libraries are you talking about. Do you mean the children's sections specifically or the libraries themselves? I, myself, have never visited a Swedish library where I've had to remove my shoes!
Its not specifically Swedish culture but Nordic culture with also included the old Swedish Empires province of Lifland todays Estonia. Where the cultural habits is similar to Finland and Sweden. Their former countrymen in the Swedish Empire.
It´s regarded polite not to wear shoes when entering someone else´s home. But wen going to a library, bank, shop, sport arena, church or any other pubic place ....... (Just think by Yourselfe) keep´em on!
Well spoken, Uli! 🙂All is correct as far as I am concerned - my thoughts, that is. The smalltalk thing has though been a bit exaggerated.... It is more of having a feel of when it´s a good time to smalltalk... I can really appreciate it at times, when in the mood for it. So not all swedes have this as a constant rule I would say - it´s more of when it should occur, and why...? Hahaha.... Let´s put it like this; chances of a good smalltalk with a swede increases the closer you get to the weekend.... ;-)
Thank you so much, Ulli, for the updates🙏🏾❤️ It amazed me how the cultural differences between Sweden and America are, especially in California. It is crazy 😂 one thing I noticed here is, as you said, the "litter." If people are in lines, you should ask the last person if he/she is in line. You can't simply jump in😊
I get pissed off if someone jumps a que.
What about the first visit to peoples houses in Sweden. Many times you get the obligatory tour of the whole house even upstairs.
Library?! I have never had to take off my shoes in a library here in Sweden. Maybe in the children's section, if there are sofas or pillow corners to crawl into. But never otherwise.
But at people's homes, you take off your shoes. Of course! Who wants old dog piss and leftovers from strangers' spit on the floor? (It has nothing to do with weather. Just common sense and courtesy. Do you spit at each other's floors too...?)
The thing about being late is really fun. It's about the fact that we have an "arrival time" even for parties etc., i.e. "when does the party start/when should you arrive". I was at a party in England in the days before a big wedding. Both English and Swedish guests. I was with the host couple since the day before. Ten minutes to five I said "oh, now the guests are coming soon". The host couple wondered who I meant. "Everyone?" They disagreed with me and explained how it works in England. "All the Swedes will be here in ten minutes," I said. The host couple didn't believe me. "The guests will come from time to time in the next few hours, right? Ten minutes later the doorbell rang. All the Swedish guests were outside. The host couple were quite shocked.
No, as you say, there are no consequences if you break social rules. Because we Swedes are not particularly conflicting. There is an expression: You are silent and clench your fist in your pocket.😀
Do you know what's funny? Some of the things you mentioned are things we Swedes are told not to do when we go to Germany: 😂
Never stay on the left side in the elevator in public transportation, i don´t know about anything else. Well maybe one or two other things but not as important as the first rule, never block the left side in the rollercoaster staircases, rulltrappan.
I take my shoes off when ever i go to someones house it just makes sense as does if you have snow boots on so i would love to know how a shopping centre works with shoes as your going from on store to the next or are they more street front stores?
❤❤❤
I did that in a work interview once (in Sweden), i told the HR person that they cant find anyone better suited for the job. I guess they agreed because i got the job and i still have it :D
Aaaw, she called us sweets. No it was swedes, it almost sounded like sweets. Well! Can´t hang around here all day, got important things to do (yeah right).
Many of the things You comment are not "Swedische Specialitäten" !
Uli, anyway, are you from Sweden or just live there. Good Sunday morning, nice kiss on your second forehead.💐😉
She is originally from Germany
Thank you.@@marcusfridh8489
@AuroraBorealDas203Noites your welcome, she always says that in the beginning of every video. That she is originally from Germany, lived a while in the UK and moved to Sweden with her Brittish partner and then their oldest daughter about 3 and a half years ago. And their youngest child was born in Sweden.
Thank you for describing us so well. Rules and laws must be followed, but we don't always like it, but we do it out of respect for these rules and laws. We respect other people and we want to be respected.
Salwan Momika was killed in his home 29 jan this year, due living through life threat since his Quran burnings. Prosecutions against him got dismissed, the day after he died 30th january.
Meanwhile his companion Salwan Najem is found guilty on four counts with conditional charges. During his comments of Momikas death he said "I am next".
It is indeed a complicated case when it comes to free speech.
It shouldn't be complicated though.
Free speech is never 'complicated'. It's either free or it's not.
And don't forget to bring your own bed sheets if you're going to stay at friends house. 👋
??most people has enough bed sheets for any possible guestd😂u must have ended up at the wrong"friends"
I’m swede and I’ve never done that. I don’t know anyone who has done that either. Just sayin’👍😊
No, that is not common at all.
@@haber70a You just made that up right? Never in my life have I heard such a thing nor tolerate it if ever confronted with it.
Some ‘friends’ you have.
Yes, small talk is so boring. Talk about nothing, no point.
Hi, thanks for your informative video.
I recently received a job offer from a company in Sweden and am about to move there from the south of France. However, recent news about crime in Stockholm and attacks on immigrants make me hesitant about this decision.
I’d love to hear your thoughts, do you think Sweden is still a safe place to live?
Compared to most other countries Sweden is still safe.
Yes, there are gang related wars going on using excessive violence. However, viokent attacks on immigrants are pretty rare. Especially if you are or "look European". I suppose you heard of the school shooting this week, which a horrible occurence, and something that doesn't happen often (I think last time was 10 years ago). It's not clear it was an attack on immigrants, although it looks like.
That said we of course have our share of far-right politicians, just like Front National. They are only verbally abusive. We have our own version of the German AfD which is even more far right, but still mainly verbally abusive.
I’d say there is a lot more of these problems in France.
Yea.. we are weird I know.. I blame it on our climate!!
In anyway, I have come to understand that I actualy say "tack" alot, or if I recon that the other rather speak english, "thank you" much more then I thought! Soo Im probably polite anyway??
Another thing that puzzle me is that many tourists say, "the streets are so clean".. what? Dont they have recycling in there countrys or garbage colectors?
With that "take of your shoes follows, every houshold need a long shoehorn" at least for ones guests! Its freaking awsome for one self and better for ones shoes altso!
Its mostly at gyms one change frome outdoor sneakers to indoor/gym sneakers!
When I was at the university.. moste people shifted shoes, frome heavy duty outside shoes (especialy in winter) to more light indoor shoes.. even as it was stone floors everywhere! Its comon sens and better comfort!
No, we are definitely not "weird" in any respect - there are just some things which are common here but not in other countries. It really has nothing to do with the climate - it's mainly a matter of respect for others. Like most North Europeans Swedes prefer order and organisation - queuing is just one example of that. That also goes for environmental issues - Swedes do not throw their garbage just anywhere. I'd say that most of the traditions we have are simply based on common sense.