Note: this review only points out the pros and cons unique to Pimsleur’s Swedish course. For a more in-depth look at the pros and cons of all Pimsleur courses and the Pimsleur method in general check out our Ultimate Pimsleur Review.

Summary of Pimsleur Method

(all languages)

Review of: Pimsleur

Use: Audio courses for learning foreign languages

Effectiveness

With Pimsleur you will be able to speak at a functional level

Price

$14.95 per month

Time Commitment

Each lesson is 30 minutes

Ease of Use

Lesson are simple: just listen and repeat when prompted

Structure

Pimsleur courses are well designed and structured to teach you a foreign language 

I Like

• Actually gets you speaking & listening
• Functional vocabulary
• Emphasizes pronunciation
• Easy to use

I Don’t Like

• Formal language

Summary: Pimsleur courses are known as some of the best audio courses for learning to speak a foreign language.

Their method includes a question/recall/response technique that is very effective for helping you internalize the basics of a new language.  Many people who use Pimsleur cite a marked improvement in their speaking abilities.

Pimsleur is also one of the few language courses that focuses heavily on correct pronunciation. This helps a lot when trying to remember new words in a foreign language. 

However Pimsleur courses also have their drawbacks. They tend to use formal language that is too respectful for most day to day situations. The courses are also sometimes criticized for teaching limited vocabulary. 

Monthly Subscription for $14.95

​

Pros

Emphasis on pronunciation

Pronunciation is important no matter which language you’re learning, but pronunciation is especially helpful for native English speakers learning Swedish.

Because Swedish is so similar to English, its pronunciation is one of the few aspects of the language that could prove difficult to master.

This is where Pimsleur’s focus on pronunciation really helps out. Their course will break down new words syllable by syllable so that you can pinpoint and practice the most difficult parts of the Swedish sound system.

The fact that the course is audio based means you get instant feedback on your pronunciation.

Once you get pronunciation out of the way the Swedish language really starts to open up. Pimsleur is a great tool to bring you to that point.

Reading is better than other Pimsleur courses

The reading materials are always scant in Pimsleur courses. You get a booklet of sample sentences and words in Swedish and recordings of a native reading the same text. The idea is that you read along as you listen to the native speaker.

The effectiveness of this technique will vary depending on the language you’re learning. It isn’t much help if your language doesn’t use an alphabet or has grammar far removed from English.

Both the Swedish alphabet and grammar system are similar to those of English, which makes this part of the Pimsleur Swedish course more effective than it would otherwise be.

Cons

Only 1 level

The biggest drawback of Pimsleur Swedish is that it only has 1 level! My guess if that Pimsleur doesn’t think it’s worth their time to produce more Swedish courses. It’s a shame because more courses would really make Pimsleur a solid Swedish resource.

With only 30 lessons in the 1st and only level, Pimsleur Swedish will only get you to a beginning level of Swedish speaking ability. There’s simply isn’t enough material to get you farther.

What other people are saying about Pimsleur Swedish

I’ve tried 8 different swedish learning systems to become conversational in Swedish and this is just hands down the best. They’ve really done a great job at identifying the kinds of phrases you’d want to say early and the systems has the right repeat and refresh rate so you really get it.

It would be better if it was more engaging and perhaps done in software, but the convenience of leaving a CD in the car and turning it on now and then has me using it more frequently than I ever would with software.

Kevlar Amazon.com Reviewer (Pimsleur Swedish)

I have gone through this course a few times and I highly recommend it. It is by far the best conversational course for Swedish that I have come across…It was very difficult to find quality language materials for Swedish, especially in past decades.

I don’t think that there is such a thing as one perfect language course, so please realize that this course does have a few limitations. You will not learn a lot of vocabulary or grammar, or how to read the language, but it will really help you to begin to speak it.

Edward A. Jones Amazon.com Reviewer (Pimsleur Swedish)

Alternatives to Pimsleur Swedish

Price

From $4+ per month

Time commitment

15+ minutes a day 

Summary:

Swedishpod101 features audio lessons in a podcast format. Lessons are great for grammar and vocabulary. Each lesson is designed around a French conversation between native speakers, and the teachers do a great job of keeping things engaging. 

 While it’s not as structured as Pimsleur it’s still a substantial Swedish learning tool (it’s also much cheaper too). The site features transcripts, an in-site flashcard system, and many other useful features.

Price

$6+ per hour (varies between teachers)

Time commitment

30 minute or 1 hour lessons 

An intro video from one of Italki’s Swedish teachers. 

Summary:

Italki is an online market place that connects language learners with language teachers for one-on-one language classes via video or audio chat.

You can connect with language speakers from around the world and practice your speaking skills. Italki is one of the only sites that offers lessons with professional Swedish teachers.

*with a purchase of $20 or more. After your first purchased lesson a credit of $10 will be added to your account

Price

From $6.95+ per month

Time commitment

15+ minutes a day 

Summary:

Babbel features  lessons in a quiz based format. Lessons are separated by course categories which include things like difficulty level and specific aspects of grammar. 

Babbel works well as a supplement for your daily Swedish learning, and it’s good for learning the foundations of the language.

Conclusion

Pimsleur Swedish is a highly recommended resource for new Swedish learners. Because the Swedish language is closely related to English, a complete audio course like Pimsleur is more effective than it might be for other foreign languages. Our only gripe is that there’s only one level!

You can find the first lesson of Pimsleur Swedish for free on Pimsleur’s site. Work through the lesson and see if Pimsleur Swedish is right for you!

Use: Audio lessons for learning Swedish setup as podcasts. The site also has bonus content and provides several study tools.

Effectiveness

Engaging podcasts help you learn words in context. But you’ll have to practice speaking on your own

Price

Free content and monthly plans at $4 to $47 per month

Time Commitment

Each podcast is around 15 minutes long.

Ease of Use

Digital immersion without the tedious work

Structure

Podcasts are sorted by level of difficulty and subject.

I Like

• Over 1,200 podcast lessons
• Free content and affordable price
• Lessons are fun and interesting
• Built in flashcard system

I Don’t Like

• No speaking required
• Limited community features

Summary: For a monthly fee Swedishpod101 provides access to Audio lessons for learning Swedish. 

Swedishpod101 proves to be a great resource for learning the Swedish language. While advanced learners may find it useful, beginners and intermediate Swedish speakers will get the most out of this product.

You can use the podcasts and in-site features to learn vocabulary and grammar pretty effectively. However it’s really in your listening skills and pronunciation that Swedishpod101 can help you the most.  

The site’s content is also available on mobile (via app), so you can practice on the move. With their limited free content and 7 day trial (no credit card required), Swedishpod101 makes it easy to test out their product before you make a purchase.

Subscription plans starting at $4 per month (Free plan available too)

Is Swedishpod101 right for you?

Swedishpod101 is an excellent tool for intermediate and beginner students of Swedish. The majority of the lessons are aimed at these levels, so more advanced students may not find the site as useful.

The site is best used to practice developing your “Swedish ear” by listening to native speakers, and for learning new words and grammar ideas in the context of a conversation. The podcasts are highly conversational and typically feature at least two native speakers.

Swedishpod101 is also one of the better tools out there for learning Swedish on mobile. All the content on the site is also available on their Iphone, Ipad, and Android apps. If you’re looking for a way to practice Swedish in the car, on the bus, or walking to work then look no further.

Features​

Podcast episodes

Though they do have some extra features and content, Swedishpod101 is mostly an audio podcast for learning Swedish.

Usually the episode last around 15 minutes (give or take), and deal with an explicit grammar rule, cultural topic, and or useful Swedish phrase. The lessons are always centered around a Swedish conversation between two or more speakers.  

Swedishpod101 provides well structured lessons around difficulty level and subject

Lifelike situations

By and large Swedishpod101 keeps the lessons relevant to the real world. You can tell they put some thought into making the lessons useful and the conversations similar to ones you might actually have if you went to Sweden. 

They do this by centering the conversations on various situations. Usually the scenario is someone talking to a friend or walking around town.

Conversations are natural and interesting

The hosts are pretty good at keeping your attention during each episode before and after the featured conversation they share stories, jokes, and interesting Swedish facts and it all helps keep you listening.

This feature is markedly different from a lot of other audio based language learning courses.

​Tools and Resources

The folks behind Swedishpod101 also provide you with a selection of tools and resource you can use as you learn Swedish.

On the site you’ll find a handy word lists, grammar helps, and a Swedish dictionary. However the 3 tools that give the most value are the probably the flashcards, slow playback, and lesson transcriptions. 

Flashcards

If you’re familiar with Anki, Memrise, or other Spaced Repetition programs, Swedishpod101’s flashcards work in much the same way, showing you the cards you’re likely to forget the most and the ones you remember the least. 

A nice perk of SWP101’s flashcards is that you can make them by simply clicking on a word from any lesson. This saves a lot of time and lets you build up your deck fast.

Slow playback

You can take any single Swedish word from the dialogues and play it back slower or at regular speed. This will allow Swedish learners to double check their accent and Swedish spelling.

Lesson transcripts

Having a full transcription of each lesson definitely comes in handy as well. Inevitably you will want to go back and confirm what you heard and see the correct spelling of a word. The lessons transcripts make that easy. 

Price

Subscription levels​

Swedishpod101 comes in a variety of 3 subscription levels: basic, premium, and premium plus. Not unlike other subscription sites, the more months of Swedishpod101 you buy upfront the cheaper the price is per month.

The cheapest level is the basic level. It can be anywhere from $4 per month for 24 months up to $8 a month for a single month. Basic will give you access the entirety of the podcast episodes. 

Next in line is the premium level. It’s price ranges from $10 a month for 24 months up to $25 a month for a single month. With premium you get the podcast plus all the learning tools and resources.

Lastly we have the premium plus level. This is the most pricey of the three starting at $22.88 a month for $24 and costing as much as $47 a month for a single month.

At this level you’ll get everything from premium in addition to an assessment and instruction from an actual Swedish teacher. 

Which level should I choose?​

The basic is the most cost effective hands down. In truth you don’t NEED anything in addition to the podcast episodes themselves.

 The premium subscription isn’t a bad choice if you want more bells and whistles. The only level you should watch out for is the premium plus. If you really want someone to help guide in learning Swedish get the basic level subscription and hire a tutor on a Italki.

Problems with using Swedishpod101

Speaking Swedish isn’t necessary

Someone learning Swedish could take the time to listen to every episode of Swedishpod101 and never actually open their mouth to speak any Swedish. This isn’t the sites fault.

They clearly bill themselves as an audio based course. All audio courses fall short of providing the feedback and experience that speaking a language with other people provides. 

No way to connect with other learners

My only true gripe with the site is that it lacks any feature to connect you to your fellow Swedish learners. Many other language sites do, why not Swedishpod101?

Best way to use Swedishpod101​

Study & review

Swedishpod101 works great for daily practice. Just listening to one episode a day and using the flashcard decks for review can been a huge boon to your Swedish. Pay close attention to the material you don’t know or have trouble with. 

Listening & pronunciation​

Get the full benefits of their audio podcast and use the transcripts and slow playback to practice Swedish pronunciation. Give careful attention to the may the individual words blend into one another when spoken together. 

Learn Swedish anywhere

You can use the mobile to learn throughout the day whether you’re walking down the street, riding the train, or waiting in line. It may not seem like much at first much using these moments to practice Swedish will help you maximize your time and quicken your learning. ​

Alternatives to Swedishpod101

Price

From $6.95+ per month

Time commitment

15+ minutes a day 

Summary:

Babbel features  lessons in a quiz based format. Lessons are separated by course categories which include things like difficulty level and specific aspects of grammar. 

Babbel works well as a supplement for your daily Swedish learning, and it’s good for learning the foundations of the language.

Price

$150

Time commitment

30 minutes a day 

Summary:

Pimsleur is probably the second most popular language course behind Rosetta Stone. Pimsleur is entirely audio based and is specifically designed to develop your conversational skills.

They use a unique and effective question/recall/respond technique to get you on your feet in your new foreign language. With Pimsleur You’ll learn a limited but functional vocabulary and have a good sense of pronunciation.

Pimsleur is pricier than Swedisnpod101, but it is also more structured and it the only Swedish audio course that will develop your conversation skills.

Price

$6+ per hour (varies between teachers)

Time commitment

30 minute or 1 hour lessons 

An intro video from one of Italki’s Swedish teachers. 

Summary:

Italki is an online market place that connects language learners with language teachers for one-on-one language classes via video or audio chat.

You can connect with language speakers from around the world and practice your speaking skills. Italki is one of the only sites out there that provides lessons with professional Swedish teachers. 

*with a purchase of $20 or more. After your first purchased lesson a credit of $10 will be added to your account

Conclusion

Swedishpod101 is a reputable resource for learning Swedish. Its portability and its engaging podcast episodes make it a great companion to regular Swedish practice or a Swedish course.

More than anything else the site will help improve your accent and grammar, as well as your vocabulary. 

With a free 1 week trial with no payment information required, it’s not a bad idea to try out Swedishpod101 and use the site for yourself.