Learning Swedish?

[Svartvintras]

I have always been interested in learning Swedish, especially because many of my favorite bands hail from Sweden.

Is there a software/program I could use to learn Swedish, or another way? Moving to Sweden or living there is not an option at the moment.

[Thidrek]

What's your native language?

[Svartvintras]

English.

[Allfader]

Use the search tool. We talk sometimes about that.

Try this website

http://www.personal.psu.edu/adr10/swedish.html

[Vampyrian]

Google is also your friend.

[lordcthulhu]

So is Babelfish.

[Alec Walter Conway]

Originally Posted by lordcthulhu

So is Babelfish.

Babelfish is your friend if you want to learn to put swedish words one after the other without necessarily making a sentence, and even then, sometimes the words aren't actually swedish.

Babelfish is also good for spending hours having it translate absurdly long strings of hardcore insults. Fun for everyone.

[Svartvintras]

I mean learn Swedish so I can speak it fluently, and understand the lyrics to my favorite songs.

[lefay82]

Originally Posted by Svartvintras

I mean learn Swedish so I can speak it fluently

go to sweden then, or take some lessons with some swedish mothertongues.

i'm studying swedish by myself and i can assure you i can understand written texts but i cannot speak or understand people who speak.

[pancreator]

hi, svartvintras.

on this site you find swedish courses, but also lots of other info:
http://www.kreativpedagogik.se/engelska.htm#english

when you learn for your own, its quite normal that you dont understand the people. but after the first courses, which should be added by children books and online newspaper, are talking books useful and later radio.

and maybe you find a swede living nearby who likes to practice with you.

good luck.

[amf]

These five lessons are a good start: http://www.slayradio.org/mastering_swedish.php

(I know it has been posted before)

Originally Posted by Lupskalla

Maybe this link can help you: http://lexin.nada.kth.se/sve-eng.html
I think is one of the best translators for the swedish language!

Good luck

This one is also good. http://tyda.se/

[Meanspark]

I did try to learn swedish years ago. The hardest part is finding the time to study...swedish is not that difficult

[pancreator]

Originally Posted by amf

These five lessons are a good start: http://www.slayradio.org/mastering_swedish.php

LMAO

but im not sure if this is a serious answer to a serious question.

[lefay82]

Originally Posted by amf

This one is also good. http://tyda.se/

uhhhh thanks!!!!!
this is nice, for plural forms and pronunciation.

i have only a pocket dictionary and i cannot find all words, i've searched for a complete swedish-italian dictionary and i was able find only one, but it costs 91 €, a little too much for my finances by now.

[mental_mercury]

No online/computer course will truly help you beyond basic grammar rules and vocabulary. Go to your local community college and see what's up, or try and find a tutor. You've got to spend some money to learn a language...otherwise you just end up sounding retarded.

Even if you spend $50 bucks like I did a year ago and buy one of those all-in-one things, with a workbook, cds, and textbook, it still won't help you very much. You've got to find a native speaker or qualified teacher, someone who knows what sounds 'right' and 'wrong'...I hate to sound like a dick but that's just how it is. I've been taking German for a year in college and can attest to this.

[pancreator]

@mental mercury:

of course its possible without a teacher, swedish is not as difficult as german. but i prefer books too...
sure, youre far from being perfect, but imo thats no prob. its important to have a solid basis in vocabulary and grammar, the rest comes in sweden.
and if you listen to talking books and radio, as i told, youll get the "rights" in your ear, too.
btw, these are advices i took from a professional language teacher.

[mental_mercury]

Originally Posted by pancreator

@mental mercury:

of course its possible without a teacher, swedish is not as difficult as german. but i prefer books too...
sure, youre far from being perfect, but imo thats no prob. its important to have a solid basis in vocabulary and grammar, the rest comes in sweden.
and if you listen to talking books and radio, as i told, youll get the "rights" in your ear, too.
btw, these are advices i took from a professional language teacher.

You say that Swedish is easier than German. For you, of course that is true, your native language is Norwegian and that is somewhat close to Swedish, relatively speaking.

The threadstarter, like me, is a native English speaker. Both Swedish and German would be of equal difficulty to learn, as both are nothing like English. So you are biased.

[pancreator]

Originally Posted by mental_mercury

You say that Swedish is easier than German. For you, of course that is true, your native language is Norwegian and that is somewhat close to Swedish, relatively speaking.

The threadstarter, like me, is a native English speaker. Both Swedish and German would be of equal difficulty to learn, as both are nothing like English. So you are biased.

sorry, you couldnt know: im german. but youre right: with german and english are both norwegian and swedish pretty easy.
but i didnt know that swedish would be as difficult as german to a native english.

[Allfader]

German is harder than swedish. Swedish has some similarities with english - some words, some grammar, etx - but german is so much more complicated.

I'm native spanish but I know a little ov english too and swedish has been a lot easier than german, the difference is huge IMO.

The spelling is similar to spanish (ov course, not counting the special letters and some swedish rules for 'sk', 'tj', etx)

[Qu Appelle]

I'm trying to learn some basic Norwegian, out of a textbook.

*Written* Norwegian seems to be pretty easy for me, so far - I can now write down my name, where I live, and that I work in an office, not a factory.

However, *spoken* Norwegian is another matter altogether. I have no one to speak with, and listening to it is confusing, what with the tones and all. Fortunately, my goal is to get some reading comprehension, and not necessarily be able to speak with someone.

Now, this reminds me - time to crack out my books again!

[lefay82]

Originally Posted by Qu Appelle

I'm trying to learn some basic Norwegian, out of a textbook.

*Written* Norwegian seems to be pretty easy for me, so far - I can now write down my name, where I live, and that I work in an office, not a factory.

However, *spoken* Norwegian is another matter altogether. I have no one to speak with, and listening to it is confusing, what with the tones and all. Fortunately, my goal is to get some reading comprehension, and not necessarily be able to speak with someone.

Now, this reminds me - time to crack out my books again!

i've noticed that for me (i've studied a little bit of swedish) spoken norwegian is easier to understand than spoken swedish, of course i'm speaking of words common in both languages or with a similar sound.
i don't exactly know why, i think that maybe norwegian has a little bit harder and articulated pronunciation. swedish sounds like a liquid and fluid language, where is hard to understand when a word ends and when another one begins.

[Naglfar]

Best way to learn any language is to spend the requisite money to learn it. You can do something cheaper, for example, pick up a self-learning language program, like Pimsleur. But the best way is to take courses offered by local colleges / community colleges.

Depending on where you live, and what language you want to learn, community college courses are pretty cost-effective. They're also cheap in comparison to paying for language courses at a regular university. The problem is that you want to learn Swedish, so they're are likely fewer CCs that offer it.

If you have money to spend, the fastest way to learn it is to find an immersion program somewhere.

Unless you have a natural talent for learning languages (and most people do not), self-teaching will be slow and uneven. A friend of mine taught herself Farsi, but she also speaks 6-7 other languages. So if you're not a prodigy, and you have the time and money to spend some afternoons or evenings taking language classes, check community colleges, local colleges, and if you're really serious you can probably sign up for some Swedish summer immersion course. I'm sure they have them in Sweden, because nearly every European country has at least a handful of them.

Edit: The Swedish embassy might even offer classes or have info on this if you live in the USA.

[pancreator]

Originally Posted by Lupskalla

Swedish language is really easy for me, hehe! I don't know why hihihi!

your mother was a good teacher, eh?

@ qu Appelle:
i think ive posted it already, but here once more: http://pavei.cappelen.no/
here are grammar, vocabulary, but also listening-exercises. the beginning is very easy so you should manage them with basics. the second "book" is called "stein på stein" and there is a third one, but dont remember the name.
its gratis.

good luck.

[benny]

I will be going to the University for Norwegian this coming fall if everything goes according to plan

[Qu Appelle]

Originally Posted by pancreator

your mother was a good teacher, eh?

@ qu Appelle:
i think ive posted it already, but here once more: http://pavei.cappelen.no/
here are grammar, vocabulary, but also listening-exercises. the beginning is very easy so you should manage them with basics. the second "book" is called "stein på stein" and there is a third one, but dont remember the name.
its gratis.

good luck.

Aw, coolness! Thanks! I'll be able to start a little bit of studying again when my new job starts, and I have a set schedule again.