Archive by Author
10 Common Swedish Idioms – “Shrimp Sandwiches” and “Cows on the Ice” Posted by Chelsea B on Oct 22, 2020
Idioms are the best. They are playful phrases we use to describe a situation by metaphor or figure of speech. The literal translations don’t make sense and often leave non-native speakers scratching their heads – “Huh, what do they mean by saying it’s raining cats and dogs?” There are several of these sayings that sound…
Let’s Vote! Election Vocabulary på svenska Posted by Chelsea B on Oct 16, 2020
‘Tis the Season…for holiday Cheer? No, not quite. Why it’s the season for the American Election of course. Whether you’re “celebrating” or not, we are inundated with the latest polling numbers, debates, headlines, etc. The American Election, especially with a presidential race on the ballot, is covered in world news quite closely, especially in Sweden…
Swedish Autumn Vocab with Elsa Beskow’s Höstvisa Posted by Chelsea B on Oct 9, 2020
“Det glimmar i guld och klaraste rött / It’s glimmering of yellow and the clearest röd.” It feels as if I’ve landed in Elsa Beskow’s version of autumn as it is in her poem Höstvisa. In Minnesota, the trees are almost glowing with reds, yellows, and oranges, and the light it casts it reminiscent of…
Social Reflections on the Musikblogg- “Misstänkt” Posted by Chelsea B on Oct 2, 2020
For this month’s music highlight, we’re returning to a theme that I touched on in the blog earlier this summer – what do conversations of racial and social inequality look like in Sweden? Looking to a culture’s music will often tell you. This post will cover the collaboration between Swedish artists, rapper Timbuktu and songstress…
Transforming Words with Swedish Suffix -het Posted by Chelsea B on Sep 24, 2020
Ärlighet, öppenhet, verklighet… Honesty, openness, reality. These dynamic words are made possible by the Swedish suffix -het. Its English equivalents are -ty, -ity, and -ness, making it a noun-forming suffix. The three-letter addition of -het transforms simple adjectives into big-concept nouns. Words ending in -het are excellent additions to your intermediate and advanced vocabulary…
Exploring the Swedish Suffix -is Posted by Chelsea B on Sep 18, 2020
This week we’re going to take a look at the Swedish suffix -is. Originally, derived from Latin, Swedes use this ending to shorten nouns, transform verbs, and throw down some slang. This -is ending is everywhere, so let’s dig in! Originally, Swedish adopted the -is ending from Latin. The Swedish word for “free” is gratis…
Got a kvart? Spend it with Parisa Amiri & Jason Diakité! Posted by Chelsea B on Sep 11, 2020
Have fifteen minutes? Great, I’ve got a recommendation for you! En kvart plus ett samtal equals SVT’s interview show Kvartsamtalet, where Host Parisa Amiri meets notable Swedes in politics, music, and pop culture. The show has a playful style that allows for a few laughs but also makes space for candid discussion. Language instructors are…