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Informal Speech

In rapid or informal speech, speakers often take short cuts. Hear it in Swedish! provides a number of examples of this and helps you to move from correct (but stilted) speech to a more natural, relaxed pronunciation. Here are some examples:

Example 1

Dropping a final consonant. Rapid speakers of English drop the final "t" of "don't" in a phrase such as "I don't know". The same principle applies in Swedish as well. For example, compare the formal and informal pronunciation of "litet" ("little"):

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Formal:
litet ("little")

Informal:

litet grann ("a little bit")

Example 2

Dropping "g" from "morgon". By convention, the "g" in "morgon" ("morning") is usually not pronounced in informal conversation. Listen to the difference:

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Formal:
morgon ("morning")

Informal:
morgon ("morning")

god morgon! ("good morning!")