Help and emergencies in Swedish
The words you hope to never need. Play the ten Swedish words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Swedish phrases in this lesson
- Hjälp!yelp
- Help!
- Ring en läkarering en LAIR-ka-reh
- Call a doctor
- Polispoo-LEES
- Police
- Apotekah-po-TEK
- Pharmacy
- SjukhusSHOO-hoos
- Hospital
- Jag har gått vilseyah har got VIL-seh
- I'm lost
- Jag mår inte brayah mawr IN-teh BRA
- I don't feel well
- Det blev stuletdeh blehv STOO-let
- It was stolen
- Det är en nödsituationdeh air en NURD-sit-oo-a-shoon
- It's an emergency
- Låt mig varalawt may VA-ra
- Leave me alone
The silent hj- makes it "yelp", identical to Danish. For calm requests: "kan du hjälpa mig?" (can you help me?). Sweden has a strong tradition of helping strangers; someone will respond.
The emergency number is 112; for health advice, 1177.
Non-emergency: 114 14. Sweden is a low-crime country; visitor emergencies are uncommon. Police speak English and are approachable. The most likely report a tourist files is for a lost or stolen item; do it online at polisen.se for insurance purposes.
Apoteket is the main pharmacy chain. Many medications are prescription-only in Sweden; the system is strict. Basic painkillers are sold at supermarkets and kiosks. Pharmacists speak English and will advise; show them the package if you cannot find words.
Literally "sick house". Emergency departments (akutmottagning, ah-KOOT-mot-TAG-ning) are free or low-cost for EU visitors with a European Health Insurance Card; others should have travel insurance. Swedish healthcare is excellent.
Literally "I have gone astray". Showing a map and looking confused is universally readable; a Swede will step in. Stockholm's island geography can genuinely disorient; the free SL app's map is the best navigation tool.
At a pharmacy: "jag har ont i..." (yah har ont ee..., I have pain in...) plus pointing. "Jag har feber" (I have a fever), "jag är illamående" (I feel nauseous). Swedish healthcare is thorough; describe symptoms as clearly as possible.
Combine it: "min plånbok blev stulen", my wallet was stolen. Sweden is a low-crime country, but pickpocketing does happen in crowded parts of Stockholm such as Gamla Stan and on busy metro platforms. Report it online at polisen.se for the insurance paperwork.
Literally "let me be".