Swedish Sweden

ingen ko på isen

Expression USED In the past BY Some people

(no cow on the ice) • Meaning there’s nothing to worry about or everything is under control.

“Jag är så sen och måste till jobbet” "Ta det lugnt - ingen ko på isen"

"I'm so late and have to go to work" "Take it easy - no cow on the ice"

alt

Swedish Sweden

paltkoma

Expression USED On Occasion BY Everybody, especially full people

(palt coma) • An expression to describe the utter sense of fatigue experienced after eating a large amount of food. In Norrland the variation "paltkoma" is used to describe the feeling after eating a large amount of "palt", a form of potato dumplings. South of Norrland the most common expression is instead "matkoma".

"Jag fick paltkoma av den goda pitepalten" "Jag fick matkoma av att äta alla dom där plättarna"

"I got a palt coma from the tasty pitepalt" "I got a food coma from eating all those pancakes"

Swedish | Norrländska Norrland, Sweden

idas

Word USED Frequently BY Everybody

To not have the energy or will to do something.

"Ja ids int me nå längre"

"I don't have the energy, want to anymore"

Swedish Sweden

smultronställe

Word USED On Occasion BY Some People

(noun) • (wild strawberry place) • A place (or time period) especially associated with comfort, joy, peace, or nostalgia.

"Jag ser så framemot att åka ut till stugan, den är verkligen mitt smultronställe."

"I so look forward to going to the cottage, it really is my wild strawberry place."

Swedish Sweden

mellandagarna

Word USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone

(noun) • (the between-days) • The days between Boxing day and New Year's Eve.

"Hinner vi ses någon gång i Mellandagarna?"

"We will have time to see each other sometime in the between-days?"

Swedish Sweden

tala om trollen

Expression USED Frequently BY Everyone

(speaking of trolls) • When someone who has just been mentioned enters a room.

"Jag hörde att Liam skaffat en hund." *Liam kommer in i rummet* "När man talar om trollen!"

"I heard Liam has got himself a dog." *Liam walks into the room* "When you're talking about the trolls!"

Confirmed by 3 people

Swedish Sweden

att kasta in handduken

Expression USED Frequently BY Some People

(to throw in the towel) • An expression for dying or giving up.

Anna hade levt ett långt och händelserikt liv när hon till slut kastade in handduken.

Anna had lived a long and eventful life when she finally threw in the towel.

Confirmed by 2 people

Swedish Sweden

palla

Slang USED Frequently BY Some people

To have the energy to do something or to want to do something. Often used by teenagers with negation as a way to tell someone that you don't feel like doing something.

"Jag pallar inte gå till skolan."

"I dont want to go to school"/"I dont have the energy to go to school."

Swedish Sweden

Hjulet snurrar men hamstern är död

Expression USED On Occasion BY Some People

(The wheel is spinning but the hamster is dead) • An expression used to describe someone who isn’t very clever

"Hörde du att han fick underkänt?" "Ja, hjulet snurrar men hamstern är död där."

"Did you hear that he failed (the test)?" "Yes, the wheel is spinning, but the hamster is dead on that one. "

syn

Swedish Sweden

dra någonting gammalt över dig

Expression USED On Occasion BY Most People

Why tell someone to simply go away when you can make them look stupid at the same time? "Drag something old over yourself" you can yell at someone, and rejoice in the thought of how utterly embarrassed they'll feel with an old blanket on their head.

"Gå bort! Dra någonting gamalt över dig!"

"Go away! Drag something old over yourself!"

Confirmed by 3 people

syn

alt

Swedish Sweden

när man talar om trollen så står de i farstun

Expression USED In the past BY Some People

(when one speaks about the trolls they’re standing in the hallway) • Used when someone that you’ve recently talked about appears or something that you’ve talked about happens. The Swedish version of “speak of the devil and he shall appear”.

“Chefen och jag bråkade igår. Jag vill verkligen inte träffa henne idag.” *chefen kommer* ”När man talar om trollen...”

”The boss and I had a fight yesterday. I really don’t want to meet her today” *the boss arrives* “When one speaks about the trolls...”

Confirmed by 2 people

syn

Swedish Sweden

tack och hej, leverpastej

Expression USED On Occasion BY Young People

(thanks and bye, liver paste) • Used as a fun way of saying “goodbye”. The Swedish version of “see you later, alligator”. Liver paste can be used as a spread on the traditional Swedish crispy bread. It was used in a famous Swedish children’s book.

"Det var allt för idag. Tack och hej, leverpastej!"

"That was all for today. Thanks and bye, liver paste!"

Confirmed by 2 people

syn

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Swedish Sweden

guleböj

Word USED On Occasion BY Some People

(n.) • (yellow bend) • A 'joke-Norwegian' (skämtnorska) word mimicking Norwegian language sounds that sounds silly or weird to Swedes.

“Men vad tusan, jag var säker på att banan faktiskt hette guleböj på norska.”

“My goodness, I was certain bananas were actually called yellow bends in Norwegian.“

Confirmed by 4 people

syn

Swedish Sweden

spöregnar

Standard Phrase USED Frequently BY Everyone

(v.) • (crop raining) • When it is raining very hard or heavily.

"Det spöregnar just nu så vi borde nog stanna hemma."

"It’s crop raining outside right now so we should probably stay at home."

Confirmed by 2 people

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Swedish Sweden

tjenare

Slang USED Very frequently BY Adults, Young People

(interj.) • Comes from the old expression “Jag är eder ödmjuke tjänare” (“I am your humble servant”).

"Tjenare! Hur är läget?"

"Hi! What’s up?"

æ

Swedish Sweden

lagom

Word USED Very frequently BY Everyone

(adj.) • Not too little, not too much, but just the right amount.

"När är det lagom att ta någon på en dejt?"

"When is it the right time to ask someone out on a date?"

Confirmed by 8 people

Swedish Sweden

ovän

Word USED Frequently BY Everyone

(n.) • (non-friend) • Used for someone you do not like, someone who you are in conflict with.

"Påminn mig om att inte bli ovän med dig."

"Remind me not to become your enemy."

Confirmed by 3 people

Swedish Sweden

kissnödig

Expression USED Very frequently BY Everyone

(adj.) • (in need to pee) • Used to say that you need to pee.

"Jag måste skynda mig till toaletten, jag är kissnödig."

"I have to rush to the toilet, I need to pee."

Confirmed by 3 people

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Swedish Sweden

en nollåtta

Slang USED On Occasion BY Some People

(n.) • (a zero-eight) • A sometimes derogatory term for a person from Stockholm, derived from Stockholm's area code, 08.

"Den där nollåttan kan inte köra!"

"That Stockholmer can't drive!"

Confirmed by 5 people

ety

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Swedish Sweden

orka

Word USED Frequently BY Almost Everyone

(v.) • (having energy) • Having energy, mustering strength. It is most commonly used as a verb, but often it is simply the word "Orka!" on its own, meaning "I can't believe you're willing to spend your energy on that" as well as "I don't have the energy for that" simultaneously.

"Jag orkar inte."

"I don't have the energy."

Confirmed by 5 people