Let’s end another great month of Swedish studies with part II of our Ultimate Slang Lexicon:
Barr = hair (on your head) Proper Swedish: Hår
Brallor = trouses. Proper Swedish: Byxor
Dega = relax, do nothing. Derives from the Swedish word for dough, deg. To “dough” around doing nothing. Proper Swedish: Slappa
Frulle = breakfast. Proper Swedish: Frukost
Grina = to cry. Proper Swedish: Gråta
Knega = to work. Proper Swedish: Jobba/Arbeta
Käka = to eat. Proper Swedish: Äta
Lullig = tipsy. Proper Swedish: Berusad
Nana = to sleep. A word mostly used when talking to kids. Proper Swedish: Sova
Är du på? = Are you up for it? Direct translation: Are you on?
Example: A: Vi ska gå ut ikväll, är du på? (We’re going out tonight, are you up for it?)
B: Nej, jag är inte på. (No, I’m not up for it)
As David correctly pointed out, slang are very much a regional thing and some of the words might just be used in certain parts of Sweden. But we’ve tried to mix it up and please feel free to share your own slang words or protest loud and clear if you need any further explanation. Or have any requests for part III.
Lycka till and see you in February!
5 Comments
Concerning the long dark days. Is Vitamin D deficiency a problem?
John
Hi Jennie,
I’m unsure whether this has been previously covered, but an explanation of liksom/lixom (I’m unsure of spelling) would perhaps help a lot of people. It did me. Perhaps not the best habit to get into, but you know, like, whatever.
Thanks to all contributing to this blog, it has been, and continues to be massively helpful.
Olly.
Thank you ever so much Olly, appreciate your comments a lot and liksom/lixom is a great idea for a post.
Like whatever.
“Grina” is another interesting example of the regionality of slang. The word is related to English “grin”, and in Uppsala where I grew up, it means “to cry”, just like in the blog post. In southern Sweden, however, it means “to laugh”…
I’d never heard “nana” before. Interesting!
A closer English equivalent to the Swedish verb “att grina” would be “to whine”.
That’s the complaining way that kids cry that annoys their parents.
As in, “Nu räcker det– griniga barn får inte vara med.”
I really doubt there is any connection at all between English “to grin”. “To grin” in Swedish is “att flina”.
My favo slang is “ids”
It is almost always used in the negative (with inte). Means to have (or more often not to have) sufficient motivation to do something that you know you probably ought to do.
As in, “Yes, I know I should go vote…men jag ids inte.”
But I think you don’t hear that much south of the Ångermanälven