#15 Introducing Yourself at a Homestay | Swedish Daily Life Phrases

When you stay with a host family abroad, your first self-introduction is a very important moment. By sharing your name, where you are from, and the purpose of your stay, you can gradually build a comfortable relationship with your host family.

When introducing yourself in Swedish, using polite, calm expressions and giving clear, concise explanations helps create a natural and positive impression.

In this article, I introduce useful Swedish expressions for greeting your host family for the first time, explain how to structure a self-introduction, and share phrases that help you keep the conversation going.

Dialogue

A

Hej, trevligt att träffas. Jag heter Yuki och kommer från Japan.
（Hello, nice to meet you. My name is Yuki, and I’m from Japan.）

B

Välkommen, Yuki! Hoppas resan gick bra.
（Welcome, Yuki! I hope your journey went well.）

A

Tack, allt gick bra. Jag ska stanna här i tre månader för att studera svenska.
（Thank you, everything went well. I will stay here for three months to study Swedish.）

B

Har du studerat svenska länge?
（Have you been studying Swedish for a long time?）

A

Inte så länge ännu, men jag ser verkligen fram emot att lära mig mer.
（Not for very long yet, but I’m really looking forward to learning more.)）

B

Det låter bra. Känn dig som hemma.
（That sounds great. Please make yourself at home.）

1. Greeting Someone for the First Time

When you arrive at your homestay, you should begin by greeting your host family and giving a brief self-introduction.

This expression corresponds to the English “Nice to meet you” and can be used in many situations, including homestays, schools, and workplaces.

Next, you introduce your name and where you are from.

“Jag heter …” is the most common phrase used to state your name in Swedish.

By adding “kommer från …”, you can naturally indicate your country or hometown.

2. Talking About the Length and Purpose of Your Stay

As part of your self-introduction, it is helpful to briefly explain why you are there and how long you plan to stay.

Here, “ska” is an auxiliary verb used to express plans or intentions.

“för att …” is used to explain purpose and is followed by a verb in its base form.

In this sentence, the information is presented in a clear order: length of stay → purpose, which makes it easy for the listener to understand.

3. Responding to Questions About Your Experience

During the introduction, your host family may ask about your past experience.

When answering, it is a good idea to be honest while keeping a modest tone.

“ser fram emot att …” expresses a positive and forward-looking attitude, meaning “to look forward to doing something.”

4. Words of Welcome That Close the Conversation

At the end of your self-introduction, your host family will often offer welcoming words.

Literally, this means “feel as if you are at home,” and it is a warm expression commonly used in homestay situations.

Other frequently used expressions include:

Summary