Vocabulary for SFI

SFI, Swedish for Immigrants, is Sweden's free course in basic Swedish for adults, run by municipalities. There is no official SFI word list. Build your own from your course book and class topics: everyday life, society and work. Learn each noun with en or ett, and review a little every day.

What is SFI?

SFI, svenska för invandrare, is Sweden's free course in basic Swedish for adults whose first language is not Swedish. It is part of municipal adult education, Komvux, and is arranged by the municipality where you are registered.

According to Information Sverige, you are entitled to SFI from 1 July of the year you turn 16 if you lack basic Swedish and are, or will be, registered in the Swedish Population Register. You can study full time or part time, and part time can be combined with work or other studies.

• Courses and study paths. Skolverket's course plan has four courses, A, B, C and D, and three study paths. Path 1 covers A to D, path 2 covers B to D, and path 3 covers C and D. Where you start depends on your background and earlier schooling.
• Time limit. New rules from 1 January 2026 give you three years to complete SFI from the date you are registered on the course. Extensions can be granted in special circumstances.
• New course plans. Skolverket has published revised course plans for SFI that apply to studies starting after 31 December 2026. Ask your school which version applies to you.

Contact your municipality, or your case officer if you are registered with Arbetsförmedlingen, for how to apply.

What vocabulary does SFI cover?

There is no official SFI word list. The course plan describes the goal instead: to give you the language to communicate and take part in everyday life, society and working life, and to go on to further studies. In practice the words come from your course book, your teacher and the topics of each course.

That makes your own word list the one that counts. A good list follows the topics you are working on in class, and grows from course A to course D.

Which words help in everyday life and society?

These come up early, both in class and in letters, forms and appointments.

Which words help in the classroom?

New to Swedish? Start with the common Swedish words to learn first, which covers greetings, numbers, time and shopping.

How do you build an SFI word list?

1. Collect words from your course. Take them from the chapter you are reading, the texts your teacher hands out and words you hear in class.
2. Keep one list per topic or chapter. A list called "housing" or "chapter 4" is easier to review than one long list.
3. Write nouns with en or ett. en blankett, ett personnummer. The guide to en or ett explains why.
4. Keep the sentence you found it in. A word in context is easier to recall and to use.
5. Review a little every day. Spaced repetition brings each word back at the moment you need it, so old chapters stay fresh while you work on new ones.

How can Worbi help with SFI vocabulary?

Worbi is a Swedish-English flashcard app. Type a Swedish word and Worbi fills in the translation, examples and inflections, including en or ett. You can also take a photo of a page from your course book and tap the words you want as cards. Keep one collection per chapter, and review them all together in Smart Review.