What are Swedish Men like - Dating Guys from Sweden

Hailing from one of the most beautiful countries in Scandinavia, Swedish men embody the best of this technologically advanced and socially equitable society. However some aspects of their dating culture may seem inscrutable to partners from other countries. So here is a brief guide to what Swedish men are like and how to make the best of a relationship with your Nordic hero.

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They like keeping their emotions in check

If you belong to a culture where it is alright to express your emotions in terms of words and gestures, you may find Swedish men rather formal and emotionally distant. Incredibly in popular western culture, this is even attributed to the cold and austere Swedish climate which supposedly makes people unfriendly and humorless. However this is not really a sign of their unresponsive nature but a way of keeping their emotions in control. Swedish men are rather shy of demonstrating how they feel and would much rather keep their emotions to themselves. When dating Swedish guys be prepared for some formality in the beginning. This is only his way of being polite and showing respect to you, which can hardly be said for men of many other cultures who are overly familiar on the very first date and overly eager to get in the woman’s pants.

They would rather listen than talk

If you are dating a Swedish man, you may find yourself doing most of the talking in the relationship. And even after you have asked him three questions in a row, he may still not send one your way. Don’t construe this as a sign of his disinterest in you; in fact Swede males much prefer to do the listening rather than talking themselves. And indeed if you come from a part of the world where women are expected only to be seen and not heard, this can be a refreshing change. At the same time, this is yet another symptom of the slow measured natures of the Swedes; but don’t be fooled by his relative silence – all the while that you are chatting about your work and family, your date is actually evaluating you as a potential partner. It is his way of turning things over in his head and deciding whether to move forward with this relationship.

Be prepared to go Dutch

One common mistake that women of other western cultures, particularly from America, make while dating Swedish men is to expect their partners to wine and dine them through the date. However since equal rights for both sexes are deeply ingrained in Swedish culture, it is the norm rather than the exception when women are expected to split the bill on a date. Indeed if your Swede guy has treated you to a movie or theater, you may even be expected to cover the after-dinner coffee or drinks. Going Dutch is not really seen in Sweden as a sign of male parsimony and even Swedish women are perfectly comfortable with the convention. So when going out with a Swede on a date, don’t forget to carry your purse along, together with enough cash and your credit cards too, for good measure.



Slow and steady

Yet another aspect of Swedish men which makes for slow dating is their cautious natures. They like to be sure not only of the sincerity of their own emotions but also of their partner before settling down to exclusive dating. Even if the Swedish guy you’re dating is not seeing any other woman, he may still seem to take ages to take things to the next level. Swedish Men are usually hesitant to make the first move towards a committed relationship but then they don’t like their women to be pushy either. Considering all things, dating a Swedish guy may be a slow business, particularly if you are used to the ardor of the Italian Romeos or the persuasiveness of the French beaus.  But what you lose out on tempo and excitement, you are sure to gain in solidity and equality.

Get him in the outdoors

One way you are sure to get your Swedish boyfriend excited is to plan a date in the outdoors. The Swedish people love nature and thus a date that involves hiking, biking or just a walk through the woods will be greatly enjoyed by your partner. The Swedish love for the outdoors may have something to do with the large areas of coniferous forests that their country is blessed with and perhaps the fact that they have to stay indoors for almost the entire winter. Indeed their fascination with the outdoors extends to a kind of passion for fitness and so a date revolving around any physical activity is sure to be a great way to bond with your guy.

The right choice if you want marriage

While Swedish men may not impress you with their dating skills, their deep-rooted beliefs in the equality of sexes may make them perfect as marital partners. Swedish men are far more likely to take on their share of household chores and domestic responsibilities in a marriage as compared to men of other developed countries like America, Japan and Australia. In fact a news report in The Local, an English language Swedish newspaper claimed that Swedish men’s enlightened attitudes toward equality and gender roles make them among the best potential husbands in the developed world. The report quoted a survey carried out by Oxford University economist Almudena Sevilla-Sanz and published in 2009 in the Journal of Population Economics, which took into account gender roles in twelve developed countries of the world. Such an inference is hardly surprising, considering that Sweden was one of the first countries in the world to replace maternity leave with parental leave in 1974. In fact, present Swedish laws not only offer a generous, fully-paid thirteen-month parental leave upon the birth of children but actually reserve three months of it exclusively for the fathers. Together with state laws, Swedish men genuinely believe in caring for their homes and families which is why they could make a great choice if you are looking for a partner to settle down with, to content domesticity. 

References:

  1. Swedish men make the best husbands: study - The Local