How to Say Thank You in Swedish: Learn to Express Gratitude in Sweden

It is often said that grateful people are happy people. I would add that thankful people are often popular people. Who doesn’t like to be appreciated and thanked when you’ve done something for others? So, it goes without saying that one of the first basic Swedish phrases you need to learn is how to say thank you in Swedish.

If you want to learn Swedish fast, an important tip is to be smart about what vocabulary you begin with. You’re sure to learn more efficiently when you start by focusing on words that you’ll use a lot in conversations. And as you’re about to learn in this guide to Swedish gratefulness, Swedish people absolutely love saying thank you.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at 12 different ways to say thank you in Swedish—and a few ways to respond.

The almighty “tack”

Tack
Translation/equivalent:	Thank you
Pronunciation:	Tuck

You’ll be happy to know that there is, in fact, only one way to say thank you in Swedish. It’s a short little word: “Tack”. It’s pronounced like “tuck” and is used frequently. Most other ways to say thank you in Swedish are simply phrases with the word “tack” in them.

If you stop reading at this point, you’re already leaving the post with the most important word you need to know. This is the word you can use in any situation where you want to thank someone, whether they’re giving you a cinnamon roll or holding the door for you.

Of course, we know that you’re not satisfied with only the most basic form. So, let’s take a look at some of the ways that Swedes use “tack”.

“Tack”: Variations and phrases

Tack tack
Translation/equivalent:	Thank you, thank you
Pronunciation:	Tuck tuck

As you’ll know if you read our post on how to say hello in Swedish, Swedes love to repeat themselves. Double the word, and you’ll get: “Tack tack”. Don’t worry, the phrase is very common in Sweden and won’t sound tacky (pardon the pun).

Tackar
Translation/equivalent:	Thanks
Pronunciation:	Tuck-ar

Another variation of “tack” is the informal “tackar”. It’s similar to the English “thanks”. Yes, where English makes its “thank you” shorter, the Swedish word is so short that we lengthen it into this slang word. As per usual, you can also make it even longer by saying it twice: “Tackar tackar”.

Tack så mycket
Translation/equivalent:	Thank you so much
Pronunciation:	Tuck so mick-et

If you’re very grateful, the next expression will come in handy: “Tack så mycket”. This phrase is similar to the English “Thank you so much” or “Thanks a lot”.

You can also take it one step further by adding a “jätte” (very): “Tack så jättemycket”.

Stort tack
Translation/equivalent:	Big thanks
Pronunciation:	Stoo-rt tuck

If a small thank you isn’t enough, you can give somebody a big thank you: “Stort tack”.

Some Swedes will find this phrase a bit more formal or old-fashioned compared to other phrases. However, this is not a rule, and the phrase can be used in more informal settings as well.

Tack ska du ha
Translation/equivalent:	Thanks to you
Pronunciation:	Tuck ska doo haw

The next phrase, “Tack ska du ha”, sounds a bit funny in its literal translation “Thanks shall you have”. But it is simply a phrase to thank someone.

You’ll hear it in many settings, but it does lean towards being a bit more formal, so you’re more likely to hear it from a stranger than a closer friend.

Tusen tack
Translation/equivalent:	A thousand thank yous
Pronunciation:	Too-sen tuck

If one thank you isn’t enough, you can multiply it by a thousand and give someone a thousand thank yous: “Tusen tack”. This can be used when you really want to emphasize how grateful you are. You can save it for the occasions when someone did something truly kind or gave you something you needed.

A word of warning, be careful not to add a comma here, as “tusen, tack” will sound like you’re asking somebody for a thousand. Imagine you give a beggar some money. If he says “tusen tack”, he’s saying that he’s grateful. If he says “tusen, tack”, he’s not satisfied with what you gave him and wants a thousand. See the difference?

But wait, Swedes say “tack” when they’re asking people for something? Why, yes. Let’s look at this strange use of the word next.

“Tack”: Please and thank you

…, tack
Translation/equivalent:	…, please
Pronunciation:	…, tuck

Yes, the Swedish “tack” can mean both “thank you” and “please”. You might have heard that there is no word for “please” in Swedish, and one could say that this is true. The two words more commonly used to translate “please” are “tack” and “snälla”.

“Snälla” basically means “kindly”, but note that this word is generally used when you’re begging or pleading with someone to do something. For example:

• “Mamma, kan jag få en mobil, snälla?” (Mom, can I have a phone, please?)

It is more common to simply say “thank you” where “please” would be used in English. This is especially true in shorter phrases and sentences. For example:

• “Notan, tack.” (The bill, please.)
• “Kan jag få en kopp kaffe, tack?” (Can I have a cup of coffee, please?)

This is why many non-Swedes often point out that Swedes seem to love to say “tack”! Native Swedish speakers will say “tack” more frequently than English speakers will say “thank you”.

“Tack”: Thanking for something

We’ll now look at some practical phrases that are used to thank someone for something.

Tack för hjälpen
Translation/equivalent:	Thank you for the help
Pronunciation:	Tuck fur yelp-en

If somebody’s helped you in some way, you can show your gratitude with a simple: “Tack för hjälpen”. Whether someone helped you paint your walls or babysit your kids for the night, this phrase comes in handy.

Tack för maten
Translation/equivalent:	Thank you for the food
Pronunciation:	Tuck fur maw-ten

After a good meal, most parents hope that their kids will be polite and say thank you with a: “Tack för maten”. Of course, the phrase is not reserved for children. Adults can also use the expression to express gratitude for a meal someone has prepared.

For bonus points, why not learn this famous Swedish rhyme:

• “Tack för maten, den var god, den ger hälsa, kraft och mod!” (Thank you for the food, it was tasty, it gave health, strength, and courage!)

This old rhyme is famous for having many varieties, many of them strange and rude. Rhyming variations are often made up by mischievous kids at the dinner table. Some famous ones include:

• “Tack för maten, den var god, mitt på bordet stod en ko!” (Thank you for the food, it was tasty, there on the table stood a cow!)
• “Tack för maten, den var god, hälften spydde, hälften dog!” (Thank you for the food, it was tasty, half of them threw up, half of them died!)

If you’re unsure of your audience’s sense of humor, however, sticking with the original rhyme is your safest bet.

Tack för allt
Translation/equivalent:	Thank you for everything
Pronunciation:	Tuck fur alt

When you don’t feel like getting into the details, you can thank someone for everything: “Tack för allt”.

This phrase lets you get away with not listing all the things you’re grateful for. You’ll still sound very grateful. In fact, “tack för allt” makes it sound like you’re acknowledging that the person has done a lot for you.

Tack för idag
Translation/equivalent:	Thank you for today
Pronunciation:	Tuck fur ee-dog

Another general expression is thanking someone for the time you’ve spent together that day: “Tack för idag”. This expression is usually said when you’re parting with someone.

Note that you don’t have to have spent the whole day together to use the phrase. It can be said to a friend you’ve hung out with, to a teacher when class is over, or to a colleague at the end of a work meeting.

Tack för senast
Translation/equivalent:	Thank you for last time
Pronunciation:	Tuck fur say-nust

The next phrase might initially sound strange to English-speaking ears: “Tack för senast”, which directly translates to “Thank you for the latest.” This is a common phrase to thank someone for the last time you met and had a nice time together.

Imagine that a Swedish friend invites you over for dinner. At the end of that dinner, you’ll naturally be polite and say something like “tack för maten” or “tack för allt”. But let’s say you meet your friend a few days later. If you want to make your Swedish friend happy, you’ll thank them again with a “tack för senast”.

How to respond to a thank you in Swedish

Since Swedes love saying thank you, it’s also important to know how to respond to their expressions of gratitude.

Varsågod
Translation/equivalent:	You’re welcome
Pronunciation:	Vaw-sho-goad

One of the most classic responses to “tack” is: “Varsågod”. It is often used when you have given a person something, and they thank you for it.

This is probably the first search result you’ll get when you search for “you’re welcome” in your English-Swedish dictionary. However, there are responses to “tack” which are more common.

Inga problem
Translation/equivalent:	No problem
Pronunciation:	Ing-ah pro-blem

Another common response is simply to say “no problem”: “Inga problem”. It is commonly used when you’ve done someone a favor, and they thank you for it.

Similar and common responses are:

• “Ingen fara”: Literally means “no danger”, but similar in meaning to saying “no worries”.
• “Ingen orsak”: Literally means “no cause”, but similar in meaning to saying “no worries, no need to thank me”.

Det var så lite
Translation/equivalent:	It was nothing
Pronunciation:	Dea-t vaw-r so lee-tuh

The next response literally means “It was so little”: “Det var så lite”. It has a similar vibe to saying “it was nothing” when someone thanks you for a gift or a favor.

Tack själv
Translation/equivalent:	Thank YOU
Pronunciation:	Tuck hwell-v

Yes, Swedes love saying thank you so much that they sometimes say thank you to a thank you! Jokes aside, there are times when someone thanks us, and we feel like we’re the ones who should be thanking them. At those times, you can use “Tack själv!”

Now you know how to say thank you in Swedish: What’s next?

As you’ve learnt, Swedish “tack” is one of the most important words you can learn in Swedish. However, I’m sure you want to expand your Swedish vocabulary beyond this short word. What’s next for you? One of the best ways to learn Swedish is to immerse yourself in the Swedish language.

Naturally, you can listen to Swedish audio recordings and music, read Swedish books and articles, and watch Swedish movies and shows. You can also use Swedish learning apps that gamify your experience. These apps can help you improve your vocabulary and put what you learn into practice. Some useful apps are:

• Duolingo
• SwedishPod101
• Clozemaster

Following Swedish YouTube channels is also a fun way to surround yourself with Swedish. You can find both the typical kind of Swedish vloggers, as well as Swedish learning channels or playlists, such as:

• Coffee Break Swedish
• Say It In Swedish
• Fun Swedish

You can check out a few examples of the kind of videos they upload below. Simultaneously, you get to deepen your understanding of phrases, words and sentences to express gratitude in Swedish.