En förkylning – a cold. You can also use the adjective if you want to say you feel like you have a cold: jag är förkyld.
If you have a basic cold there are lots of treatments available without prescription in the pharmacy. They include näsdroppar (nose drops) or nässprej (nose spray) if you've got a blocked nose, and halstabletter (throat tablets) or halssprej (throat spray) if you've got a sore throat.
Hosta – a cough. If you have one of these you may want some hostmedicin (cough medicine), which you can get from a pharmacy, although Sweden's 1177 healthcare information website states that it's just as effective to drink a lot of water. Unlike in English, you don't use the article when saying you have a cough. Instead, you say jag har hosta (literally: I have cough).
Bear in mind that Swedish pharmacists do extensive medical training so are able to provide consultations and advice on a range of minor illnesses, although if you have an infection you should get someone to go to the pharmacy on your behalf rather than going there yourself. You can also order medicines online either for delivery to your home or pick-up at a local pharmacy.
If you’re buying cough medicine you will probably be asked if your cough is torr (dry), slemmig (wet or productive), allvarlig (severe) or kronisk (long-lasting).
En feber – A fever. If your illness is a little more severe and you are running a temperature this is the word you want. Again, your pharmacist can give you over-the-counter medication for this, and will advise you to consult a doctor if they consider it more severe.
Alvedon/Panodil – these are the most common brand names for paracetamol in Sweden and can be bought without prescription from all pharmacies if you need a painkiller or something to help a fever. It’s so ubiquitous that even medical professionals often use the brand names.
Influensa – The flu. Flu season affects thousands of people every year in Sweden and if you’re in an at-risk group it’s a good idea to get your flu vaccine (full details of how to access it are available here, although the 2025/6 flu shot campaign doesn't start until mid-October).
Vårdcentral – literally, your "health centre", this is where you go to to speak to a läkare (doctor), the Swedish equivalent to a family doctor or GP, one that covers all types of medicine and doesn’t specialise.
Symtomen – The symptoms. If you visit the doctor they will probably ask your symptoms and these might include svullna halsmandlar (swollen tonsils), hosta (coughing) or jag har svårt att andas (I have difficulty breathing/swallowing). If you want to say that something hurts, you say jag har ont i [insert body part here]”.
Ett recept – A prescription. The doctor hands these out then you go to the pharmacy to collect the medicine.
One very important question you might be asked is har du någon läkemedelsallergi? – Are you allergic to any medications?
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