Yes. You can start learning Swedish for free. A Premium tier unlocks Reader mode for your own texts, custom daily pace and goals, unlimited translations, and all curated word lists.

How does spaced repetition work?

Memory fades on a predictable curve. Reviewing a word just before you would forget it, at widening intervals, flattens that curve a little more each time. Smisli uses an FSRS scheduler that predicts when each word is about to slip and shows it exactly then. A synthesis of 254 experiments found spaced practice reliably outperforms cramming.

FSRS (Free Spaced Repetition Scheduler) is a modern algorithm that models how likely you are to recall each word and schedules the next review for the moment your memory of it is about to fade. It is more accurate than fixed-interval systems.

Do I need to install an app?

No app store needed. Smisli runs in your browser and can be added to your home screen in one tap, so it opens full-screen like a native app. Android and iOS store apps are on the way.

How long does it take to learn Swedish?

The 1,000 most common words already cover about 85% of everyday speech. At a steady daily pace those words compound quickly. A few new words a day is enough to reach real comprehension in a matter of weeks, not years.

Data-engineered language learning

Break through the Swedish fluency ceiling.

1,000 words cover 81% of daily speech. We built a curriculum to get you there — grounded in corpus linguistics and spaced repetition science.

Try it for free No app store needed · works instantly

SV · Noun · Verb

fika

A social coffee break with sweets; to take such a break.

Vi tar en fika klockan tre.

We have a fika at three.

Tap any word to save it →

The real bottleneck01

81%

of speech from 1,000 words

Grammar is not what stops you. Vocabulary is.

Word value follows Zipf's Law — a sharp power law. Word #1,500 pulls 60× less weight than word #50. The order you learn matters enormously. Most apps ignore this.

Nation (2006) · Adolphs & Schmitt (2003) · OpenSubtitles corpus

Cumulative language coverage — 1,000 words cover 81% of speech

Engineered curriculum02

We split the curriculum at the frequency knee.

Regime A · Below rank 1,000

Vocab-first

19 grammar-sequenced modules. Every word recurs ≥3× in authored stories before the SRS interval stretches.

Regime B · Above rank 1,000

Text-first

50 story modules. The text comes first, vocabulary is mined from it. Nordic noir, island mysteries, Stockholm life.

Result

83 modules · 1,848 words

Every word reinforced through both flashcards and reading. Checkpoints every 5 modules lock in retention.

Engineered for dual reinforcement

Most apps isolate flashcards from reading. Smisli is built from a spoken-frequency corpus so 100% of taught words recur naturally across authored stories before review intervals stretch, reinforcing retention from both angles.

The only free lunch03

254

experiments confirm it

Spaced repetition is the closest thing to a memory cheat code.

Recalling a word strengthens the memory trace far more than re-reading it. Our FSRS algorithm predicts the exact moment each word is about to fade — and shows it then.

Ebbinghaus (1885) · Cepeda et al. (2006) · Roediger & Karpicke (2006)

Zipf's Law — word frequency drops exponentially by rank

We don't card everything

Prepositions and particles have no clean 1:1 translation. Carding them produces "fluent-sounding gibberish." We seed them into stories instead — the card-vs-text split is driven by part-of-speech analysis.

Human quality guarantee

AI sequences your path. A native speaker verifies every sentence.

What learners say04

★★★★★

"Smisli is the only app that actually got me understanding my colleagues at work. The context makes all the difference."

Sarah T. · Expat in Stockholm

★★★★★

"The spaced repetition feels like magic. I learn a word in a story and it pops up exactly when I need to review it."

David M. · Learning for 3 months

★★★★★

"Finally an app that doesn't treat you like a child. Real texts, real vocabulary. Just pure, efficient learning."

Elena R. · B1 Swedish level

What you get05

83-module structured spine

Zero to B2: vocab-first modules, story modules, checkpoints every 5.

Reader mode

Paste any text. Tap any word to save it.

FSRS memory engine

Each word reviewed at the mathematically optimal moment.

Dictionary & native audio

Instant translations, pronunciation, and example sentences in 8 languages.

Native-verified content

Every text written by AI, verified by a native speaker.

Common questionsFAQ

Is Smisli better than Duolingo for Swedish?

We skip "the apple is red" and focus on the 1,000 highest-frequency words, taught through real stories and reinforced by spaced repetition.

What makes this different from flashcard apps?

A structured 83-module curriculum that sequences words by frequency and grammar, wraps them in stories, and schedules reviews with an FSRS algorithm.

How fast can I learn Swedish?

1,000 words = 81% of speech. At 15 minutes a day, conversational comprehension in a few months.

Is Smisli free?

Yes. Premium unlocks Reader mode for your own texts, advanced pace, and unlimited AI translations.

Does spaced repetition actually work?

254 experiments confirm it. Read more.

Learn moreGuides

Start with one word. Keep it forever.

Start learning Swedish Free to start · no app store needed