You have probably heard about Jantelagen – translated as the Jante law, governing Swedish society and social relationships. But what exactly is Jante law in Sweden, and what is there to do when you experience the effects of it? In fact, the term is not of Swedish origin It first appeared in the pseudo-autobiographical book […]
Swedish Expressions
Swedish Sayings I Wish I Knew Before Moving to Sweden
Swedish sayings can be very “interesting”. Like many other countries, Sweden has plenty of expressions, idioms and sayings rooted in history and tradition. Some of them can be found in other languages, or at least share similar meaning like “Beat around the bush” and “Gå som katten kring het gröt” (English: walks like the cat […]
Unexpected Cultural Norms in Sweden
When moving to a new country it’s always helpful to study up on some of the cultural norms. There’s nothing worse than being caught off-guard when trying to blend in somewhere new. However, while most countries are forgiving when someone new breaks a cultural custom, some things should preferable be avoided. That’s why we’ve put […]
Weird Swedish Expressions
When you are learning a new language, it isn’t necessarily a grasp of grammar or a large vocabulary that will make you feel like “you get” a language. It is instead when you start learning (and using) the sounds and expressions that are typical of that language. I teach Swedish on a daily basis […]
Swedish Language Milestones
Swedish language milestones are important to keep you going. I started learning Swedish six months ago and during this learning experience, I have defined some milestones for me. I will accept myself fluent in Swedish when I check all these milestones! Jaha This one is relatively easy but it is a good first milestone. “Jaha” […]
Swedish expressions – I have a rooster in my throat
Swedish expressions come in many forms. Swedes are usually very good at English but sometimes, as you are likely to notice if you hang out with Swedes long enough – things can get a bit confusing. And it quite often has to do with proverbs that really don’t work when directly translated. But what are […]
