Swedish Language Blog

Since I am stuck in bed with a nasty bug today, I will ruthlessly steal this brilliant list from the always equally brilliant page The Local. 10 Swedish words that you won’t find in English (click here for the full story). I have written about this topic before, missing simple words like bakfylleångest (hangover anxiety), kissnödig (in need of a wee) and träningsvärk (achy muscles after a work out) -words that pretty much speak for themselves. This list is slighty different, but boy do we use most of these words in the Swedish daily language. In other words, get a paper and a pen and take notes, friends!

1. Orka
This verb is a tremendously common word in the Swedish language meaning “to have the energy.
Ex: Jag orkar att gå uppför trapporna (I have the energy to walk up the stairs)

2. Harkla
It’s used to describe that little coughing noise one makes, often before giving a speech or dislodging cinnamon bun pieces from their throat.
Ex: Jag måste harkla mig! (I must dislodge something from my throat!)

3. Hinna
This is an enormously common verb in Swedish, meaning “to find the time” or “to be on time”.
Ex: Hoppas att jag hinner till tåget! (Hopefully I will make it to the train in time!)

4. Blunda
To close your eyes, or to turn a blind eye.
Ex: Blunda så ska du få en överrraskning! (Close your eyes and you will get a surprise!)

5. Mysa
We almost have this in English with the word snuggle, but if you’re gonna be mysering in Swedish, you can do it with someone, alone, or even in a café – perhaps “to cosy up” fits the bill.
Ex: Ikväll ska jag mysa framför tv:n! (Tonight, I will cosy up in front of the telly!)

6. Vabba
This is becoming increasingly popular in Sweden, and is short for Vård Av Barn (meaning “to be at home because the children need taking care of, but you get paid for it from the government”). In fact, Swedes have even taken to calling February “Vabruary” due to such common child sicknesses.

7. Duktig
Anyone who has learnt Swedish will have heard this one by encouraging Swedes. It means “good at it”, or “talented at it”.
Ex: Du är så duktig på att prata svenska! (You are really good at speaking Swedish!)

8. Jobbig
In terms of common words, you can’t spend a day in Sweden without coming across this word. It can mean troublesome or trying, annoying or difficult, about people, things, events – almost anything. It’s a real all-encompassing word.
Ex: Matte är så himla jobbigt! (Maths is so very difficult!)

9. Gubbe/Gumma
Here is a two-for-one package meaning “old man/old lady” and rather endearingly – that is, if you’re saying them in an affectionate voice. In fact, they can be coupled with “lilla gubben” to mean “little guy” for a boy, or “lilla gumman” for a girl.
Ex: Hon är en söt liten gumma (She is a cute little old lady)

10. Mormor/farmor/morfar/farfar
As well as being a tongue twister for the rookie Swedish learner, this combination is a brilliant selection of words we desperately need in English. These are the words for your grandparents – (Mothermother, fathermother, motherfather, fatherfather).

Gingerbread gubbe and gumma!

Sweden’s entry to the big Eurovision Song Contest is finally chosen and no, it’s not Björn Ranelid. In fact, it seems like the Swedes for once agreed on this year’song, since it broke the all time high voting record. So, everybody’s happy, then? No raging debates in the evening papers and in social media? Well, of course there has been raging debates in the aftermaths of Melodifestivalen. But the debates have not been about bad songs, weird performances, strange outfits or tanned writers. No, the post Melodifestivalen debate 2012 has been about – believe it ot not – hairy armpits.

Here’s what happened:
Seconds after the winner Loreen was announced, the cameras swept over the audience and showed thousands of fans waving their arms in the air. For a fleeting second, one of the cameras caught a female fan, happily waving her arms in the air and very briefly showing of her underarm hair – live on TV in front of an estimated 4.1 million Swedes.

One Facebook user managed to take a screenshot of the woman, which he posted online and the image then spread like wildfire.
Within hours, thousands of people had shared the image on their sites with equally as many harsh and bullying comments attached to it. A hairy armpit was the talk of every town and the poor girl even came forward in the evening press as “the armpit’s owner”. Luckily, she was more astonishe than upset about the whole thing. This is what she told The Local:
“This is absurd, very absurd. I mean, there are wars going on in the world, yet crazy people are sitting here commenting on this. Everything is so fast on the internet, people don’t think they can hurt people but then can. I’m fine, but I’m also glad I’m older, if I were 15 I would be really hurt right now.”

Facebook groups were formed – both for and against hairy armpits – and even demonstrations were held on public places where women proudly were showing off their unshaved armpits.  #hairriot is still threading on Twitter and in short, body hair is a hot topic in Sweden at the moment. Today, the daily magazine Metro published an article about how young Swedish girls believe that body hair makes them appear less female, with youth centres receiving queries from girls about shaving as young as ten (read in English here).

All of this, year 2012, because of one unshaved underarm and the power of the social media… Any thoughts? Would it have caused the same stir in your country?

Oh, almost forgot. Here’s our lovely winner Loreen with Euphoria. Fingers crossed until May 26!

From yummy men to yummy buns!

Being pregnant mean an awful lot of things. For start – I’m having a baby! But I’m also having some serious cravings and of course are these cravings quite specific Swedish things that might not be the easiest thing in the world to get hold of. This past weekend was one long urge for a fresh-out-of-the-oven cinnamon bun, nowhere to be found on a Sunday morning in Bristol. So, why didn’t you make them yourself, one might argue. Well today I did! But only after I discovered something even tastier than a cinnamon bun – a Philadelphia cream cheese bun!

Four very talented friends of mine have started the home bakery Fika Bristol (we all know about the Swedish fika by know, don’t we?) They are making and selling some of the most amazing Swedish biscuits, short bread, buns and sandwiches I have ever tasted and yesterday I was lucky enough to sample some of their latest goods .This – ladies and gentlemen – is the most amazing bun I’ve ever come across – and I have come across quite a few. And the best thing of all – it is equally as tasty when you make it yourself. Guaranteed.

Philadelphia buns in a pan (30 buns – the recipe said 48 but I only got 30… perhaps you have better luck!)

Dough:
150 gram butter
5 dl milk
50 gram fresh yeast (equals 12 gram of dried yeast)
1 egg + for brushing
1 dl sugar
½ teaspoon salt
10-11 dl plain flour

Filling:
150 gram butter
2 tablespoon vanilla sugar
3 dl icing sugar
100 gram Philadelphia cheese

Melt the butter and add milk, leave to cool down. Add the yeast into the butter and milk, then add egg, sugar and salt. Add the flour bit by bit and work it into the dough, knead it for a bit. The dough will end up quite loose, more like a batter but no worries; this is the way it’s supposed to be. Leave it to rise for half an hour.
Flatten the dough in a black pan. Make 30 holes in the dough and pour in the filling, approx 1 tablespoon in each hole. Leave to rise for another 45 minutes. Brush with egg, sprinkle with pearl sugar and leave in the oven (200 degrees c) for 15-20 minutes. Cut into 30 pieces once the pan has cooled down.

Then – enjoy!