I understood something important about communication last week. When the polite gym instructor/sales assistant/Tesco cashier/woman in the pub looks at me, nods and says “Alright?”, he or she does NOT expect me to answer “Yes, thank you, how are you?”. This is just another way of saying “Hi there” and he or she is NOT interested in my well being. Honestly, this is something I realized just the other day, after almost two years in UK and 22 years of English studies.
This, and a comment from Michael here made me think about the differences between the language we are taught and the language we actually speak. For example, a standard phrase to teach a Swedish newbie would be “Hur mår du?” (How are you?) but I can’t think of the last time I used that actual phrase. I would probably use it if I talked to a kid – who’s not aware of slang – or to someone who is grieving or is sick – whom I’m really concerned about and I would ask the question with a worried expression on my face. But, in every day small talk I would rather use any of the following phrases:
Är allt bra? = Is all good?
Allt bra? = All good?
Allt väl? = All good?
Hur är allt? = How’s everything?
And the ones that are harder to translate but still mean “Hur mår du?”:
Hur är det? = “How is it?”
Hur är läget? = “How’s the situation?”
Läget? = “The situation?”
So, based on the Swedish conversations I’ve had with friends and family the last couple of days- here are three expressions that Swedes (mostly the younger generations) often use to emphasize the answer to the questions above (bra/good – we assume this is a very happy and positive Swede) in every day spoken Swedish.
Hur är läget? Det är asbra!
Det är grymt bra!
Det är sjukt bra!
(To answer properly: Jättebra = very good)
As… = As… is a prefix that can be put in front of almost every adjective to emphasize the word. Something can be asbra (very good) assnygg (very good looking) asdyr (very expensive) etc.
OBS! “As” is not pronounced as the as I just used, instead it is pronounced with a long vowel, “aaaas”.
Grymt = another word used mostly to emphasize adjectives, for example grymt bra (very good) grymt snygg (very good looking) grymt dyr (very expensive).
Grymt can also be used on its own as a reply to the questions above, for example “Hur är läget?” “Grymt!” (Very good/great!)
Sjukt = see above. Things can be sjukt bra (very good) sjukt snygg (very good looking) sjukt dyr (very expensive). Sjukt can aslo be used to describe something crazy and insane for example “Hur var filmen?” (How was the movie?) “Den var helt sjuk!” (It was totally insane/sick!)
OBS! Sjuk ordinarily means sick in Swedish, as being in “Jag är sjuk” (I am sick) and is pronounced “schuuk”.
But remember, when your possible future employer asks you “How good are you with computers?”, “Asbra!” might not be the proper answer to give. Jättebra works jättebra in all jättebra situations.
