2 syllables: Swe, den. Stress on Swe.
SWEE-duhn
/ˈswidən/
Sweden is pronounced SWEE-duhn (/ˈswidən/). It has two syllables (Swe-den), with the stress on "Swe". Sweden is a proper noun for the Nordic country in Northern Europe. It refers to the kingdom with its capital Stockholm, known for its design, industry, and welfare system. The word denotes a place name and is used in formal and informal contexts alike.
nounSweden is a proper noun for the Nordic country in Northern Europe. It refers to the kingdom with its capital Stockholm, known for its design, industry, and welfare system. The word denotes a place name and is used in formal and informal contexts alike.
- You may lengthen or shorten the first syllable unintentionally. Aim for a tense /iː/ like in see, not a lax /ɪ/. - The /d/ is often overemphasized or articulated as a strong /d/; keep it light and quick. - The final /ən/ should be unstressed and softly released; avoid an exaggerated nasal end. - Practice with slow, then normal, then fast tempo to keep rhythm steady while maintaining vowel integrity. - Use minimal pairs with and without final /n/ in other words to feel the boundary (e.g., Sweden vs Swede).
How to Pronounce Sweden
"I’m planning a trip to Sweden next summer."
"Sweden has a strong economy and high quality of life."
"She studied Swedish literature and cinema."
Pronounce it as /ˈswiːdən/ in US/UK/AU. Start with a clear /s/ followed by a long, tense /iː/ vowel as in “see.” The second syllable has a short, relaxed /dən/ with a light /d/ and a softly released final /n/. The stress pattern is first-syllable stressed (SWEE-den). Audio resources: try Cambridge Dictionary audio for /ˈswiːdən/ and Forvo pronunciations of native speakers.
Common errors: 1) Shortening the /iː/ to a lax /ɪ/ (swi-dən instead of swee-den). 2) Overemphasizing the final /n/ or adding an extra syllable (swi-eee-den). 3) Misplacing the /d/ as a hard dental tap; keep it a light, voiced stop. To correct: hold the /iː/ like in “see,” keep the /d/ soft and the /n/ lightly released; practice with minimal pairs like /swiː/ vs /swiːdən/, and record to check length and timing.
Across accents the core /ˈswiːdən/ remains; however, rhoticity affects connected speech. In many US accents, the /r/ is not present here; Sweden remains non-rhotic, with silent or weak /r/ in surrounding words. UK and AU speakers follow non-rhotic tendencies as well, but vowel quality can be slightly tighter in some UK varieties, leading to a crisper /iː/ and a more pronounced final /ən/ in careful speech. Overall, the main variance is vowel length and intonation, not a different consonant set.
The difficulty lies in the long /iː/ vowel and the light, soft /d/ transition into a short, unreleased /ən/ that follows. Speakers often mistrack the duration of the first syllable or over-emphasize the /d/, creating an extra syllable. The lack of a strong vowel in the second syllable can encourage a triphthong-like misstep if you’re not careful with the /dən/ sequence. Focus on the crisp separation between /iː/ and /dən/.
A unique aspect is maintaining the long /iː/ in the first syllable while keeping the second syllable compact. Pay attention to the transition from /iː/ to /dən/ so that the /iː/ does not slide into a shorter vowel or a diphthong. The /d/ should be a light, voiced stop, not a heavy plosive, and the final /ən/ should be weakly released. This keeps the rhythm natural for wobble-free, native-like Swedish country name pronunciation.
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- US: expect a non-rhotic flow; keep /ˈswiːdən/ with slightly longer first vowel and a soft /d/ before /ən/. IPA: /ˈswiːdən/. - UK: similar non-rhotic pattern, slightly crisper vowel; maintain /iː/ length. IPA: /ˈswiːdən/. - AU: tends to be similar to UK, with a possibly more fronted /iː/ and quick /ən/. IPA: /ˈswiːdən/. - Vowel focus: keep the first vowel close to [iː], avoid turning it into [ɪ] or [eɪ]. Consonant: light /d/, no extra release before /ən/. - Practice with mouth-position diagrams: lips rounded? neutral; tongue high for /iː/, tip of tongue barely touching alveolar ridge for /d/; finalize with relaxed /ən/. - Reference IPA: US/UK/AU all use /ˈswiːdən/ in typical careful speech; aim for consistent non-rhotic flow.
The name Sweden derives from the Old Norse forms Svear or Svio, referring to the Svear people—the historic tribe that inhabited parts of what is now central Sweden and contributed to the formation of the medieval Swedish realm. The term evolved in the runic and early medieval periods, aligning with the rise of the Swedish kingdom around lake Mälaren and the Baltic coast. The Proto-Germanic root *Sweoniz* likely influenced the name through ethnonyms for the Svear, later Latinized as Suecia in medieval Latin sources. By the late Middle Ages, as Swedish national identity and language solidified, Svealand and Götaland were consolidated into a recognizable, politically coherent kingdom; the English exonym Sweden gradually supplanted older forms. The modern word first appeared in English-language texts in the late 16th to 17th centuries, paralleling increased contact with Sweden during exploration, trade, and diplomacy. In contemporary usage, “Sweden” identifies the country as a geopolitical unit, its inhabitants as Swedes, and its language as Swedish (Svenska). The word’s evolution mirrors broader shifts from ethnonym to territorial name to nation-state identity, reflecting linguistic and cultural interchanges within Northern Europe.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "Sweden" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "Sweden" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Sweden" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Sweden"
-ven sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
