A1 level

Asking for directions in Swedish

Last updated 28 October 2026

Getting lost in a Swedish town is easy, and asking for help is just as easy. Most Swedes speak English, but the phrases below are quick to learn and make the reply much easier to follow. They cover asking, understanding the answer and checking that you got it right.

Asking where something is

Ursäkta, var ligger stationen? Excuse me, where is the station?
Var finns toaletten? Where is the toilet?
Hur kommer jag till centrum? How do I get to the centre?
Är det långt härifrån? Is it far from here?
Kan du visa mig på kartan? Can you show me on the map?

Ursäkta is the usual way to get someone's attention. Förlåt is also used, but it more often means "sorry". Var ligger is a very Swedish way to ask where a place is, and it literally means "where does it lie". For things you can find indoors or in a shop, use var finns.

Understanding the answer

Gå rakt fram. Go straight ahead.
Sväng till vänster. Turn left.
Sväng till höger. Turn right.
Ta första gatan till vänster. Take the first street on the left.
Det ligger på höger sida. It is on the right-hand side.
Det ligger mittemot banken. It is opposite the bank.

Directions in Swedish use the imperative, which is the bare verb stem: gå (go), sväng (turn), ta (take). Listen for that first word and you will know the kind of move you need to make.

Near and far

Det är nära. It is nearby.
Det är inte långt. It is not far.
Det är ungefär tio minuter till fots. It is about ten minutes on foot.
Du kan ta bussen. You can take the bus.

Swedes often give distances in minutes rather than metres. Till fots means "on foot", and med buss means "by bus".

Public transport

Vilken buss går till flygplatsen? Which bus goes to the airport?
När går nästa tåg? When does the next train leave?
Var kan jag köpa en biljett? Where can I buy a ticket?
Vilket spår går tåget från? Which platform does the train leave from?
Jag vill åka till Uppsala. I want to go to Uppsala.

In many cities you pay with an app or a travel card, and you tap in at the gate or on the bus. Check the local transport company for the details, for example SL in Stockholm.

The words for position

Swedish	English
rakt fram	straight ahead
till vänster	to the left
till höger	to the right
bredvid	next to
mittemot	opposite
bakom	behind
framför	in front of
vid hörnet	at the corner
över gatan	across the street