Hej! That is the most common casual greeting in Sweden. Although a warm handshake matched with direct eye contact is considered the customary greeting in the country, you may want to break the ice with a little ‘hej’ (pronounced as hey) on the onset of informal conversations. Here are several tips on how it is best to communicate in Sweden:

Language Skills
Majority of people in Sweden speak perfect English. The English Proficiency Index, measured by the global language training company English First (EF) put Sweden as the third best ‘non-native english speakers’ in the world. With 90% of its people able to converse in English, it would be a breeze for any tourist to talk to the locals in this country.

Body Language
It is important to the Swedes that you value their personal space. In a public area, hugging and displaying affection are uncommon, nevertheless, polite gestures like elbow clutches are already becoming usual between friends and families. You may also observe how usual it is for people to be situated more than one arm’s length apart from each other, a proper distance is required between strangers even inside an elevator.

Once you see a Swede turning his body away from your direction in an enclosed area such as a restaurant, start minding the tone of your voice. The locals here are gentle and are modest in their conversations, not using excessive non-verbals or hand gestures when conversing.

Locals in Sweden shake hands upon arriving and even before departing as part of their polite salutations. However, in rural areas it may be seen as too formal to shake someone’s hand, unless you just closed a business deal. Although previously noted as a conventional gesture of greeting, handshakes should always come with the gentleness of your demeanor and low-toned voice.

Topics for Discussion
If you enjoy leisure travel, non-critical current events, philosophy, and the arts as a subject matter for discussion, you may be able to hit the sweet spot of Swedish conversations. Swedes love being in light and informative discussion circles, and it may even be their way of getting to know their peers. In talking about your travels inside their country, you may want to mention the many beautiful sceneries you’ve been to. Swedes take pride in their every region and getting recognition from tourists can be a heart-inflating moment for them.

Whatever topic you may opt to start with in Sweden, make sure you wrap it in a decent amount of humility, that means you skip the brag and be polite in your conversations. But to add a word of caution in the topics you might discuss, try to avoid subjects that are too personal like religion, family backgrounds, amount of money one makes and alike. Most importantly, be equally modest and humble whenever talking to a local; a boastful remark may come across as a rude gesture.