Dating Swedish men: What you should know about dating Swedish guys

The whole world celebrates the natural beauty of Scandinavian men and women: tall, fair and attractive Swedes become popular actors, models, YouTubers, so it’s no surprise that so many people would like to date a beautiful and intelligent Swede. Though many modern Swedish men don’t look like Vikings anymore, they still have great genetics and a reasonable approach to fashion and sports to look fit and healthy. Also, Sweden is a developed and pretty rich country that provides lots of great opportunities to Swedes and migrants who move there to work and study. Therefore, it’s no surprise that many women would love dating Swedish men and building serious relationships with them but don’t know how to do it without visiting the country in the first place.

Lots of Swedes act and behave pretty similar to people from the US or Europe but they still have some unique traits that influence their views and expectations from dating and relationships. Though dating a Swedish man can become one of the best experiences in your life, it’s not that easy to achieve: lots of travellers and migrants are convinced that it’s hard to become friends with locals and get closer to them. At the same time, if you’re lucky enough to find some friends in Sweden who can help you to meet friends, or if you managed to meet a great Swedish man online, then it’s time for you to know more about Swedes and what to expect from them. There are the most prominent features you should know about in advance:

• Though not all Swedish men are shy, some of them are. Their shyness combined with the local mentality that tells them not to bother or offend anyone makes them not as pro-active as you might want them to be, so foreign women dating Swedish men are usually initiative and easy-going. Swedes don’t want to be seen as pushy, bothering, or silly, and the easiest way to avoid any possible awkward situation is to do nothing – so don’t be surprised. Locals are neither initiative nor approaching even when they’re actually interested in women, and it’s especially true for meetings in real life. That’s why most of them prefer looking for partners while meeting friends’ friends or online. At the same time, Swedes are ok with foreigners being more active and initiative, so if you like a guy and want to take the first step, then go for it;
• Dating isn’t an established concept in Sweden but young people who use the Internet a lot and enjoy American media have a dating culture like everyone else. At the same time, Swedes have a unique concept of “Fika” – a daytime meeting with a friend or a partner in a cafe when you drink coffee and eat pastry while chatting. Though Swedes may seem a bit too shy and reserved, they actually like chatting but prefer light conversations with people they don’t know that well. If a guy asks you out on a Fika, it may mean he likes you or it may mean that he just wants to become friends with you – so you can use the opportunity to spend time well and know more about him anyway;
• Swedes can have one-night stands too. If you meet a guy at a bar and have a few drinks together, then it’s often expected that you’ll spend the night together and say goodbye to each other afterwards. At the same time, dating a Swedish man that starts with Fika is usually more serious and deep than a hookup. Therefore, if you want to have long-lasting relationships with Swedes, don’t start your searching at a bar – try finding new friends or start online dating;
• While lots of women dream of dating Swedish menbecause of their well-developed rich country and high salaries, you shouldn’t expect your Swedish boyfriend to shower you with gifts or to show off with his money – it’s simply not customary there. Most Swedes have decent houses, cars, and careers, and they don’t brag – so they don’t feel like they need to buy your attention with gifts or money. If you have a birthday party, then your Swedish boyfriend usually presents something useful and high-quality to you – but not necessarily too expensive. Also, local men usually don’t pay for their women in cafes or restaurants. Dating a Swedish man who understands that you belong to another culture might be different, but otherwise, prepare to “go Dutch”;
• Dating a Swedish man doesn’t necessarily lead to marriage. In fact, lots of modern Swedes don’t see marriage as something important or necessary at all. Lots of couples never officially get married and raise kids together: in Sweden, unmarried couples have lots of rights, so you should learn about it in detail if you dream of marrying a Swedish man. Also, women don’t change their last names after marrying Swedish men, so you won’t get an unusual and exotic Swedish last name unless you change your name on your own;
• Swedes don’t like being physical in public and they value their time a lot. Don’t interrupt them while working and don’t be late on a date – it’s seen as disrespectful in Sweden. Also, Swedes are very serious about personal boundaries, so get ready for your boyfriend to spend lots of time doing hobbies and working instead of spending every free minute with you. Spend more time doing hobbies and self-education instead;
• Finally – don’t ignore online dating services! Lots of shy Swedish singles go online to find partners, so it’s your chance to meet a great man without even going to Sweden in the first place. Create an account on a dating site and chat with Swedish singles to find the one you love!