Does Norway And Sweden Speak The Same Language?

Hidden away in their northern corner of the world, many people don’t know much about the Nordic languages spoken in Scandinavia. In fact, it’s common to presume that Norwegians, and Swedes all speak the same language. But this is not the case.

Norwegians speak Norwegian and Swedes speak Swedish. These are two distinct languages, but they are closely related. They both belong to the same branch of the Germanic language tree, North Germanic. They both have their roots in the language spoken by their viking ancestors, Old Norse, and they both are similar enough to where Swedes and Norwegians can converse with each other in their own languages relatively problem free.

In terms of the language, they share many of the same common denominators. The syntax, grammar and vocabulary are all closely related. So related in fact, that learning one of these languages allows you to communicate with ease with speakers of the other language.

However, don’t let that fool you. There are several differences between the languages that can cause some headaches and confusion. There are plenty of false friends, or words that sound the same in both languages but mean different things. Pronunciation also differs widely between the two, and given the vast array of different dialects in both countries, with Norway having the largest gap between dialects, it can become confusing for some Norwegians to understand some Swedes, and vice versa.

Aside from both being North Germanic languages, the history between Norway and Sweden also plays a role in the two languages being so closely tied together. After Norway gained independence from Denmark in 1814, we headed straight into a union with Sweden, and were ruled by the Swedish crown. These historical ties had a profound impact on the language development in Norway, and is still showing its effects today.

So we know that both Norway and Sweden have many different dialects that vary from each other in their own unique way. If that’s the case, what makes Norwegian and Swedish different languages as opposed to just different dialects of the same language? In order to figure this out we need to establish a list of linguistic criteria that define a unique language.

There are 5 such criteria we can look at here.

1. Mutual intelligibility

• This refers to speakers of different languages being able to understand each other without having studied the other’s language. The higher the mutual intelligibility is, the more likely it is that we’re talking about another dialect.
• Norwegian and Swedish have a high rate of mutual intelligibility, but still low enough to separate them into two languages.

2. Phonology

• With phonology we’re talking about the actual sounds of a language. Once again, the further removed a language’s phonology is from another, the more likely we are to be dealing with another language as opposed to another dialect.
• Norwegian and Swedish share a very similar phonology, but with some notable differences in tone and intonation. Still, cross-communication is possible.

3. Grammar

• Here, we’re talking about the rules of sentence structure and conjugation.
• Both languages share a similar grammar system, but with some differences that separate them.

4. Vocabulary

• The words used in a language and their meaning define that language’s vocabulary.
• There is a great amount of overlap here between Norwegian and Swedish, but many words are only used by one of the languages and not the other. Additionally, there are several false friends as well that may confuse speakers of the other language.

5. Sociopolitical factors 

• The history of a region will help determine how the language spoken there develops.
• In the case of Norway, its close ties with Sweden have had a profound effect on the language, but Norway’s history with Denmark has had an ever stronger impact. This has caused the Norwegian vocabulary to me much more reminiscent of Danish, rather than Swedish.

Based on these criteria you may think that Swedish and Norwegian are just different dialects of the same language. And to be honest, there is an argument to be made. However the differences between these two languages, however slight they are, are big enough to where they each land firmly in their own language-camp. 

Yes most Norwegians will be able to converse with most Swedes, and vice versa, however if we add to this a random dialect from each language, there is a higher chance that communication would be stilted or all together impossible. So when we say that Norwegians and Swedes can communicate, we’re really talking about the most simplistic or common dialects of each of these languages.

Alright, so we’ve established that even though the line is thin, we can separate Norwegian and Swedish as their own separate languages. But let’s take a closer look at the differences and similarities between them.

Swedes and Norwegians have a pretty easy time understanding each other. We’ve discussed the high degree of mutual intelligibility between the two languages above. But let’s have a closer look.

Studies show that Norwegians have a bit of an easier time understanding Swedes than the other way around. This amount is still high though, with 80% of young Swedes saying they have no problem understanding most Norwegians.

Regional variations resulting in distinct dialects affect this number however. Those living closer to the border will obviously have more interaction with speakers of the other language, and as such understand it more easily. On the other hand, if we move away from the border and add complicated dialects to the mix, the mutual intelligibility will be smaller.

Short answer? Yes! Since the mutual intelligibility is so high between both languages, the road to mastering the other language is relatively short. You will have to overcome some hurdles on your path, but if you already speak one of the two languages, you’re more than ¾ there!

Throw into the mix that both Norwegian and Swedish are some of the easiest languages to learn (especially for English speakers), and you have an even shorter path to fluency. Norwegian is notable as being one of the easiest languages to learn, given its relatively easy grammar and syntax, along with its simple phonology. As a result, Swedes might have a bit of an easier time learning Norwegian than the other way around.

Still, Norwegians don’t have to put down many hours in the library to learn Swedish. Mostly, the focus should be on understanding the variations in vocabulary, sentence structure and pronunciation.

Why do many people want to move to Scandinavia? It sure as hell isn’t the weather! What we do have however, are high wages, high equity and a reliable and supportive welfare  system. Even still, both countries see a high degree of immigration from each other..

As of 2021, 116 000 people living in Norway were Swedes. 62 000 of these were born in Sweden and had moved to Norway. There were 117 000 Norwegians living in Sweden, on the other hand, but given that Sweden has a higher population, a higher percentage of Norway’s population are Swedes than the other way around.

Given the historical closeness of both countries, cross-cultural understanding has been prevalent. This is not something that is taught in schools however, but rather something absorbed naturally throughout the course of daily life. You will come across plenty of Swedes in Norway, and plenty of Norwegians in Sweden. As a result, their culture will eventually become familiar to you.

Still, each country takes pride in their own cultural identity, and immigrants from the other country should make efforts to adapt and speak the language. In fact, both countries have minority languages that also need their time in the spotlight. Norway, for example, has three official languages! These are bokmål, nynorsk, and Sami, which is spoken by the indigenous Sami population.

Sweden, on the other hand, only has one official language, Swedish. But, it does recognize 5 minority languages. These being Finnish, Meänkieli, Sami, Romani and Yiddish. With so many other languages to take into account, it’s no wonder why Norwegians living in Sweden should make an effort to learn the language, rather than expecting every Swede to be able to understand them completely.