Finnish vs Swedish: Which Is Easier, and How Similar Are They?

Key takeaways

• Swedish is the easier of the two for English speakers (Foreign Service Institute Category I against III).
• Their everyday vocabulary is mostly different: roughly 1 in 10 everyday words look alike, so knowing one gives you little to lean on in the other.
• Start with the one you will actually use; if speed is the goal, Swedish asks for fewer hours.

How hard is each one?

For an English speaker Swedish is the easier of the two: the Foreign Service Institute puts it at 552–690 class hours against 1,012 for Finnish. These are the figures behind the how long does it take to learn a language calculator, from the US Foreign Service Institute's published language training times.

The hours are for a native English speaker in full-time classes aiming at professional working proficiency. Useful everyday conversation comes sooner, and the calculator breaks the time down by level.

How much do the words overlap?

Their everyday vocabulary is mostly different: roughly 1 in 10 everyday words look alike, so knowing one gives you little to lean on in the other.

A few everyday words that look alike in Finnish and Swedish:

And a few everyday words that look completely different:

Writing system and grammar

• Both use the Latin alphabet, so neither asks you to learn a new script, though each has its own spelling rules and special letters.
• Noun cases are a bigger part of the grammar in one than the other (see the table).

Which should you learn first?

If your main aim is the fastest route to holding a conversation, Swedish asks for fewer hours. If you want to reach a particular place, a person or a job, start with the one you will actually use: steady motivation counts for more than the difference in hours.

Frequently asked questions

Is Finnish easier than Swedish?

For an English speaker Swedish is the easier of the two: the Foreign Service Institute puts it at 552–690 class hours against 1,012 for Finnish. Hours are for a native English speaker reaching professional working proficiency in full-time classes; casual learning gets you to useful conversation well before that.

How similar are Finnish and Swedish?

Their everyday vocabulary is mostly different: roughly 1 in 10 everyday words look alike, so knowing one gives you little to lean on in the other.

Should I learn Finnish or Swedish first?

If your main aim is the fastest route to holding a conversation, Swedish asks for fewer hours. If you want to reach a particular place, a person or a job, start with the one you will actually use: steady motivation counts for more than the difference in hours.

Keep going

• How long does it take to learn Finnish?
• Free Finnish vocabulary lists
• Finnish vocabulary test
• How long does it take to learn Swedish?
• Free Swedish vocabulary lists
• Swedish vocabulary test
• Swedish Vocabulary: Closer to English Than It Looks

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