5 Things I wish I knew before moving to Sweden
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.ค. 2021
- Hello Friends!!
Thinking of moving to Sweden? Here are 5 things I wish I knew before moving here! Hopefully, you find this helpful!
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Im a swede and I always say ursäkta if I find myself in situations like these and I believe most other people here do, but then I also dont live in Stockholm.. :) People living there is often (not always ofc) considered somewhat different from the rest of us and most swedes would agree with me on that. It is btw seen as very rude to not apologize, the same as in many other countries.
Something people often do here especially during winter, is engaging in "föreningar", developing and learning skills and/or hobbies. It can be anything from bookclubs to cooking or painting and sports. You will find many of these close to where you live and in the whole of Stockholm area, you will find most of them. It is also a very good place to meet people with whom you can become close friends, another of the things you brought up, since you have atleast one common interest and something to build that relationship upon.
But Welcome to Sweden anyways, you seem to be a very intelligent & also beautiful young woman and I hope you will find your happiness here...
Thank you! Yes I signed up for a dance class starting in the fall! Hopefully I can meet some new friends there!
Can’t really agree that people don’t say excuse me in Sweden. I believe most people say ursäkta or förlåt, at least outside of Stockholm. Maybe it’s a bit city thing or you’ve just been unlucky. Perhaps they were not even Swedish.
Well I can only draw from my own experience as someone who spent time in 16 different countries around Europe, lived in many of them, not counting others around the world. Swedes outside of Stockholm will apologize just as often as they do in most other countries, saying ursäkta (excuse me) or förlåt (Im sorry), not doing so is regarded as very rude.
@@ninahersson-daniels501 You mean its rude of me and I cant take criticism, because Im saying that I lived in many countries, I dont agree with you and that I can only speak from my own experience? No wonder you say swedish people are rude, because here (like in the rest of the free world) we call it free speach, having a discussion and actually stand up for our own opinion..
@@ninahersson-daniels501 Well freedom of speach/freedom of expression is actually among other things, the right to gather information, form an opinion based on said information and then have the right to freely express that opinion, including those that others may find offensive. But I will end this discussion now, you have shown me what level you prefer it to be on and I just wont follow you there, it doesnt give me anything..
I'd think many of us Swede's get a bit excited showing off that we're decent at speaking English, whenever we stumble across someone from America, Canada or the U.K. Due to this excitement we might not initially consider that the other part would want to be speaking Swedish for practicing purposes. So, if you're not too shy just simply tell us you want to practice your Swedish :)
yes I've been building my courage to say that in Swedish
@@victoriaahh I hope you find the courage soon! It was honestly one person, asking me that we kept it in Swedish, that made me "wake up" a little when it comes to this.
I've never thought about it before, that the other person maybe would want to practice their Swedish. It makes perfect sense if they would, so now a days I try to remember to actually ask. Not just blabber away in English in my excitement lol.
If i bump into someone and it’s my fault “förlåt” is usually what I use.
Ursäkta is, in my opinion, more if you need to pass someone.
Yes, I don’t agree at all here. In Sweden it is certaintly considered rude not to apologize when you bump into someone.
@@Joakim7471 Stockholm ifs
Thanks for the video! I'm an Aussie living in Australia who's been learning Swedish for a while and looking to move to Sweden, so it's great to hear some of your learnings! I'm glad I found your channel! :)
After almost 20 years of living in Sweden I am quite surprised to hear about Swedes not apologizing because they tend to apologize ("ursäkta") and say "thank you" ("tack/tackar/tack-tack") for everything and nothing lol. I would even say it´s a prominent trait of the culture though they might lack certain manners/codes we´re used to in other parts of the West. I do not know how many time this happened to you but it sounds more like you bumped into a few a-holes (they exist in every country particularly in bigger cities). You have a charming personality, nice discovering your channel.
I agree, we're on the same level as Canadians, me and Canadians have bonded over that many times, because people always tell us we say sorry and thank you too much, haha
Being a swede I don't recognize that at all. To say ursäkta is when you want to pass someone who's in your way and förlåt if you bump in to someone.
@@annicaesplund6613 är du norrlänning eller stockholmare möjligtvis? :)
@Angelica Linde
Stockholmare
@@annicaesplund6613 haha well där har vi svaret till varför du har den upplevelsen! I Stockholm har folk typ inte tid att vara överartiga, där är folk mycket mer kyliga mot främlingar än i resten av Sverige (märkte jag när jag bodde där i 2 år), på samma sätt som stockholmare överlag tycker det är mycket viktigare att vara creddiga och blasé än resten av landet
Its amazing that you managed to find a place at all! My bff was on the waiting line for 10 years in stockholm!. Even when she was working for the military, doesnt matter.. She ended up saving up and buying her own place.
I love your channel, Victoria! My dream job is in Sweden so your videos have been super helpful. I love your personality and advice, can't wait to see what the next step is in your journey! And yay we both work in design!
Thank you for this video! My husband and I aspire to move to Sweden in the next couple of years. Hopefully sooner rather than later. There isn't much info on black/brown people's experiences in Sweden so it's gold to find your content. Thank you!
Thank you! I hope this is helpful!
I don't understand why so many foreigners move to Stockholm when south Sweden is so much more accessible, cheap with more access to housing - both travel-wise (close to Denmark/Continental Europe and CPH Airport), housing-wise and money-wise. Anywhere's better than Stockholm when it comes to housing and cheaper *anything* !
We need skilled people like you down in Skåne, Victoria! And we're not that much big city-people like the Stockholmians!
It is cheaper for a reason. job opportunities, services, opening hours. Etc is a reason people move to Stockholm.
Myself included even tho I'm a Swede.
Stockholm IS in the south of Sweden... 😜 😂
@@attesmatte 🤣🤣
I've been looking for a house anywhere south of Stockholm. Preferably south of Jönköping and more toward either coast. Not in any major city but within driving distance of one. I'd like to buy now and move there for retirement.
Nice vid and great list! All 5 quite relevant.
I live just outside Stockholm, and yes, the thing about not saying "ursäkta" är typical Stockholm especially in the morning when everybody is goding to work.
In Sweden it is rude to create a scene or be too loud in public. The polite words like förlåt, ursäkta and varsågod are used all the time, but the most important thing is tone of voice and a smile. So to be polite is to smile, use a friendly tone then the words don't matter so much.
In the UK the polite words matter more. I have been rudely talked to in London many times but they think they are polite because they say please. I found an angry please is rude.
Also, in Sweden you should always thank the host/hostess for the food/coffee etc if you are invited to someone's house.
Next time you meet them you have to say Tack för senast.
Rules on politeness are different in different countries. No place is better than others, just different.
It's always fun to hear how people from other countries think and feel.
Hope you will enjoy your stay here.
One thing about learning Swedish: The letters Å, Ä, and Ö are their own letters, not varieties of A and O. An Ä isn't an A with two added dots just like an R isn't a P with an extra leg.
True, but historically, Ä/Ö was an A/O with a small e on top, which became stylised as two dots. The ring over Å was originally a small o. (These changes took place already in the mid to late 1500s though.)
Good point, often these are described as diacritics or umlauts, but they're not.
They are distinct characters, distinct letters, distinct graphemes, distinct vowels and distinct phonemes.
The actual pronunciation varies with the dialect and sometimes overlaps with other letters (å/o and ä/e, for example)
@@herrbonk3635 so are the Swedish Ä/Ö pronounced like the German ones?
@@gustavmeyrink_2.0 Not exactly the same but similar. If you use the German pronunciations, you would certainly be understood. (At least much better than with the usual unambitious attempts by English speakers, where many simply can't accept there are other sounds than these heard in English.)
@@herrbonk3635 thanks!
Hi Victoria, thank you for all the information. My wife and I are planning to move to Stockholm around January 2022, so, it's always good to find all the possible kinds of information about the culture, living costs, lifestyle, etc. Would you be able to make a video about the housing prices, how the rent works, etc.? Thank you so much in advance, I love your videos!!
The no excuse me thing, has been mentioned already in the comments, its is rude in any country if you don't and even in Stockholm, but people seem to be more stressed there, but I am Swedish and live in a much bigger city in Australia and people do say sorry if they do pump into you most of the time and same in my hometown, Göteborg. Sweden
I am from Sweden and always say Ursäkta. I think it is more a Stockholm thing but not sure (because I think that most Swedes would think that it is rude not saying Ursäkta). ^^ Ursäkta is the same as excuse me. Great video! 😊
Yes, I agree with Star Victory. "Excuse me"" seems most related to "förlåt". I have heard a few British people denigrate the Scandinavian languages because we don't have a synonym for the word "please". We have to use more words to convey that sense, such as "would you mind helping me?" or "Would it be rude of me to ask this of you?" or "Would you be so friendly as to help me in this regard?", etc.
I recommend Stefan Thyron's channel. He is an American living in Sweden.
Im a swede and I fully know what you refer to when people dont apologize when bumping into someone. I find it rude too. I cant understand why this bad behaviour has become so common in Sweden. Perhaps teaching good manners is something that has been neglected or fallen between the chairs over the last 20-30 years. Do not pick up the bad habit of not apologizing if you bump into someone. Also swedes will perceive a person on a much more positive note if you apologize afterwards.
Fruktansvärt beteende enligt mig. :(
Not saying "ursäkta" is a Stockholm thing. Stockholm residents rarely if ever talk to people on the streets or on public transport, it's a cultural thing where they're afraid of bothering them and would rather leave them alone. People in Stockholm are generally very reserved until you get to know them, so they might ignore bumping into someone because they don't want to make it into a "big deal". It's a bit weird. But people are a bit more open in the rest of Sweden, especially in the smaller cities.
You usually use 'ursäkta' when you are about to pass someone, or extend over someone at a dinner table for example.
If you by mistake bump into someone, you would usually use 'förlåt!'
I'd say most people (even in Stockholm) would say förlåt when bumping into someone... though during rush hours it can be so choked with people that fewer will bother.
I think the reason it is used less in Sweden overall is maybe because of the privacy culture here... that it spills over somehow... I know it's weird.. but maybe there are two conflicting rules.
Most Swedish food is good to harmless. I like to think of IKEA as global distributor of meatball that also sells flat-pack furniture for example.
Some are acquired tastes but worth persevering like salty liquorice but if somebody suggests or offers Surströmming run, run far and into the wind! If you get a whiff of that you will think Swedes are dangerously insane! :)
Salty licorice is vile.
Haven't noticed the lack of "ursäkta" as you mentioned, but It does not surprise me. Sadly I have noticed that some of my fellow Swedes do not respond when a stranger greets them even if the situation is very appropriate for such a thing. This lack of response has happened to me several times, and it always makes me furious. Now when I take a walk I usually don't greet strangers until they say hello first.
I would love to have a beer with you and discuss anything, but unfortunately i don't live close to Stockholm.
I would also say. That it is a little bit tougher mentality in Stockholm (sad to say) compared to living in smaller towns in Sweden... Offcourse not all but its a bigger bunch of people who sadly is like that.. But don't care for those. There's always good people everywhere, let them who gives good vibes be the one you care about. Those who don't let them be with those who are like them like minded. Let no one get to you. /Much love /J
I live in Stockholm and I always say "Ursäkta" when I bump in to someone. But yes, its a Stockholm-thing. But not everone :)
Welcome here! The "not saying excuse"-thing i would argue is more a Stockholm-thing
I agree. Its just in Sthockholm, in the rest of Sweden are we more polite.
Love #5
I think people forget that not everyone is treated the same way. Not everyone's experience is the same. Stop comparing 'your' experience with a person who is NOT you. I really appreciate your sharing your experience, Victoria! Thank you
I think that if someone says "ursäkta/förlåt/excuse me" it kinda implies that they bumped into you on purpose or that they think you are in the way or bothering them somehow. So I don't want people to think that about me so I just won't acknowledge it all by not saying anything.
Not true that we dont say excuse me if you bump into someone. The swedes should generally do that but we had a huge import from MENA and they havent adapted the swedish customs.
I moved here in November for my Master’s Program at Stockholm University. Unfortunately it has all be online so far, so I haven’t really met many people yet. Finally getting vaccine today though, so hopefully will get to meet people soon.
I’ve started looking for work, and depending on if they can work with the 2 hours twice a week for classes, I might get an offer soon from Klarna.
I find the grocery shopping interesting here too. The bag situation, and then extra charge for plastic bottles that you can then recycle at the store for credit. It’s pretty nice.
I agree with the language too. I can read a bit well, but when they speak it I feel like it’s utterly different lol. When I saw Quiet Place 2 I forgot it has a lot of sign language, and hence a lot of subtitles that were all Swedish here obviously, but fortunately I was able to understand it well enough.
As far as housing, I was lucky that Covid meant student housing was available, so I’m in a student flat in the city until I graduate.
My biggest adjustment upon moving was having to use Apple Pay for everything because of regulations on cards here, if I get a job, I’ll finally open a bank account here and get BankID so I can access everything lol. It’s crazy how many hoops you have to jump through just to integrate. They even require a personal number to buy movie tickets online, lol
Welcome Michael! Yes! the banking bureaucracy was something I really wasn't expecting and was definitely a challenge in the beginning but once you get it, things are so much easier.
Good luck with the offer!
Hi @michaellegere, how's is Stockholm? Would like to connect if interested
The bumping in thing is more of a Stockholm thing, in the rest of Sweden people say sorry. The ones who doesn’t are considered strange.
I’ve lived in Stockholm all my life, and if someone Dont say ”ursäkta” its still super rude. But Welcome to Sweden 😉
If i bump in to someone, i allways says ”förlåt/ursäkta” and it is the same as exuse me.
It's not really like exuse me. You rarely use exuse me for something really serious in English.
Exactly like Lotta Z said. If someone bumps into u and says ursäkta or förlåt they are basically offering an apology.
@@Bellz972 . Yes i Know. I am swedish 😂😂😂😂
I'd say "ursäkta" is pretty much exactly the same as "excuse me" when bumping into someone or when trying to get thru. However "be om ursäkt" is more like "ask for forgiveness". (Edit: And yea, it's a Stockholm-thing. One of the reasons some of us wouldn't wanna live there. Also, I'm a white swedish guy and can not really tell if or how this is different for a colored girl. I would hope that that doesn't matter.)
Bumling into someone without saying ursäkta or förlåt is plain rude and its NOT what we are bought up with!
I guess stressed big town people don't allways show manners. I allways try to say ursäkta or förlåt if I should bump into annyone or do other noogood things... I'm maybe old fashioned but I like when people say miss Or Mrs or Mister and so on when I am in other countries. We used to do that for a long time ago. I think its an underline of humbleness and paying respect.. But guess times changes...
Exactly. Also worth mentioning that nowadays they are a lot of non Swedish people living in Stockholm who do not adhere to these cultural codes of conduct/manners and can be very rude in this regard...
Urseäkta I the same as Excuse me.
I wonder if you say something back when someone says exuse me in the US? I was in Canada and many people said Exuse me to me all the time, I was apparently a person many people bumped into. But I did not know if I should say something back or not? What is the correct phrase to answer back with? No Problem?
yes, I usually say "no problem" or "no worries" as in don't worry about it :)
Or you could say 'Its cool'.
As a swede I would consider someone saying "Ursäkta" as confrontative. Like they blame you for bumping into them.
Yeah, the bumping-into-thing and not saying sorry or ursäkta is indeed rude , also here i Sweden! I hope you have not been bumped into, too many times... And although this post is from July last year I want to say "Welcome!" 😀
Not saying excuse me is mostly a Stockholm issue!
background music?
Hard agree on ”manners”. Hashtag not all Swedes of course, but still. I live in London now, and Brits say Londoners are _so rude_ but, people are a lot more functionally polite here than in Stockholm, I e they leave you space and apologise if they get in the way. Again, not all Swedes, and it gets better in smaller towns.
Do practice the Swedish if you intend to stay a while. We pretend that we “can English” and will refuse to speak Swedish to you or deny that it’s important and employers say the darnedest things (“our corporate language is English”, meaning your boss will confidently write bad English rather than getting a translator or copy writer) but _really_ though, you are better off learning it and just insisting on speaking it, despite everybody around you falling over themselves to speak English to you. Best of luck, welcome to the motherland!
I usually say "Ursäkta" for "excuse me" or "oj, förlåt!" if I bump into someone. Stockholm is more like "whatever-people", you'll be bumping into people all the time, and many don't say anything, it's just expected that your day is filled with bumping into people. In other places in Sweden, you will experience people saying sorry, ursäkta, förlåt more often. You will probably hear "Flåt", though. 😂
Hope you like it here anyway! ❤️
Hmm if i bump into someone i say sorry, seems to be the polite thing to do.
Is this verkstadsgatan?
"Ursäkta" is the swedish equivalent of. "excuse me". You don't think "ursäkta" is good enough since it's more like "sorry" in your book. I don't understand what else we're supposed to say then.
1:18 WTF? There are no regulations against living in an apartment for "extended periods of time".
I think she is reffering to "andrahand", dont u think? I live in stockholm and im not allowed to rent it out
@@er6946 Perhaps, but are there regulations against "extended periods of time" there?
Pardon me, but we do have Maners in Sweden, i think you just had a bad experience.
I was brought up to say ursäkta, if I would for example bump in to someone.
And 3 months to get your person nummer? you should be greatful
Ursäkta (mig) = excuse me ( this is often shortened to "ursäkta"
Jag ber om ursäkt = I am sorry /I appologise.
Jag är ledsen = I am sorry/ I am sad/ I appologise.
Förlåt (mig) = forgive me / excuse me
And sometimes we also use sorry to say excuse me.
the closest translation of "Ursäkta mig" would be "Pardon me".
Its kinda trick as "Jag ber om ursäkt" is based in the same word but is an actual apology, the first one isnt.
It can be an apology, depending on how you emphasise it.
Stockholm is rude. Everywhere else they say "förlåt" (sorry).
Not saying excuse me is very much a Stockholm thing haha.
I don't think so, I hear it everyday, but then I don't use subways or buses regularly. I think it is there you see that, especially during rush hours. But it's the same in many major cities.
BS.
Hi welcome to our wonderful country. You moved to Stockholm not representative for the rest of Sweden.
Welcome to Sweden Victoria, you are not the first american to move to Sweden, there are many others and they also vlog in youtube about that, for example Evan Thomas & Stefan Thyron.
It's always not easy to move to another country but what is positive that you moved to a country there almost the majority speaks very well English so you don't need even to learn any Swedish at all. But i advice you to learn some phrases just to use them as courtesy in special occasions. At the same time, you are lucky because you already have a job, also you got help to relocate, many people does not get that help and you actually shortened your integration a little (maybe very much as well).
As i mentioned in your first vlog, you need to make friendships as soon as possible, this will be a challenge because you don't want to be friend with just "anyone" but as soon as you click with someone your network will expand much faster.
Regarding your speech about the social security number "personnummer" and all that bureaucracy behind it, i agree it takes time and all that, but believe me you are not alone and it's worth it because with that done you will be able to do everything you want as any Swedish citizen except vote in elections.
I guess also that you work for Spotify if i am not mistaken, so i assume that you have wonderful colleagues surrounding you, the most important thing is to NOT be shy at all with people, just be yourself and don't think people will be annoyed or something if you open yourself for them, for sure you need to choose the right person:s but it's worth the try.
Finally, if you get any vacation during this summer, have a visit to the far south of Sweden to Malmö, Lund & Helsingborg city, it's nice and also different in many ways. Just rent a car and drive through from Stockholm to Malmö (about 650 km), you gonna like that journey a lot.
wow! Thanks for all the great advice! I plan on visiting Uppsala and maybe Malmo soon, so we shall see!
@@victoriaahh May I suggest using the app GoFriendly? It's an app for women who wants to make friends :)