{"id":1190,"date":"2024-01-10T16:26:48","date_gmt":"2024-01-10T16:26:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thehistoryofenglish.com\/?p=1190"},"modified":"2024-01-24T08:19:09","modified_gmt":"2024-01-24T08:19:09","slug":"how-many-people-in-sweden-speak-english","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thehistoryofenglish.com\/how-many-people-in-sweden-speak-english","title":{"rendered":"How Many People in Sweden Speak English?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Scandinavian countries are renowned for their impressive English skills and Sweden is no exception. Despite its relatively small population, Sweden has a very high proportion of people who speak English as a second language. Almost 9 in 10 people in Sweden speak English, and the average Swede has a very good command of the language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
English is a second language in Sweden for 9,236,000 people or 89% of the country’s population. These figures make Sweden #7 in the E.U. and #27 worldwide for its non-native English speakers by total numbers. Percentage-wise, within the European Union, Sweden is second only to The Netherlands, where 90.9% of people speak English.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keep reading to discover more interesting and in-depth stats about English in Sweden!<\/p>\n\n\n\n By any metric observed, Sweden is among the best English-speaking countries in the world. Here\u2019s an overview of what we know about English in Sweden:<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to these numbers, it\u2019s safe to assume the average Swedish person over the age of 20 speaks English at an advanced level, or the equivalent of a C1 on the CEFR scale. What this means in real-world terms is that most Swedish people can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n This widespread level of very high English fluency is no small feat. Naturally, many people are quick to wonder what makes the Swedes speak English so well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No article on the topic is complete without touching on this subject. So, let\u2019s take a closer look at this question…<\/p>\n\n\n\n In short, Sweden’s impressive language proficiency is the result of early second-language education and constant exposure to foreign-language media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For a more detailed explanation, Sweden\u2019s English proficiency is the result of multiple social, cultural, and economic factors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n English is a compulsory subject in the Swedish curriculum, with students starting English classes at a young age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n English classes begin in primary school, in grades 1-4, roughly at the age of 6. English remains part of the curriculum throughout compulsory education, until the end of grade 9. Besides introducing English classes at a young age, the Swedish education system also allocates a considerable number of hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For each three years of school, the Swedish curriculum requires a minimum of 480 hours for English, averaging 160 hours yearly. By the end of compulsory school, each Swedish student will have received a minimum of 1,440 hours of English language instruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the CEFR, it takes roughly 1,000-1,200 hours of study to reach a proficient (C2) level when learning English as a foreign language. As we can see, the Swedish curriculum is structured to provide the optimal number of hours to help students master the English language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sweden invests considerably more time into English education compared to other countries. In fact, English learners in Sweden receive 68% more hours of instruction than those in Spain for each year of compulsory education. While Swedish learners get an average of 160 hours per year, those in Spain might get just 95 hours on average.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Learning any language takes time and effort but getting a head start always helps. People who speak Swedish as their native language are at an advantage because English and Swedish closely related.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For starters, English and Swedish are both of Germanic origin. Swedish is a North Germanic language, while English is a West Germanic language. Secondly, English has been shaped by Old Scandinavian languages, particularly Old Norse, throughout its history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After nearly three centuries of Old Norse influence during the Viking settlement in Britain, much of Old English vocabulary and grammar underwent marked changes, which we can still see today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While the two languages are not mutually intelligible, Modern English and Swedish have multiple similarities due to their close origins and histories. The two languages share a lot of their common vocabulary. Not only that, but both languages are also quite similar in terms of basic grammar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s compare some basic Swedish words and phrases to get a better idea of what this means:<\/p>\n\n\n\nEnglish Speakers in Sweden (General Stats)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Why Are Swedish People So Good at Speaking English?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Swedish children start English classes early and study more<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Swedish language is quite similar to English<\/h3>\n\n\n\n