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.
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.