Tag Archives: lessons

Tips for learning Swedish

Swedish Christmas vocabulary

1 Comment

Christmas time is here. Again! Whether you celebrate the tradition of Christmas or not you might be interested in picking up a word or two in Swedish, related to the season.

I made and shared this poster on Swedish Christmas last year and have been asked to post it again. After all; it’s Christmas every year. 😉
This poster is free to print (you would make me happy though if you shared it or left a comment) – put it up somewhere where you make sure you lay your eyes on the words at least daily. Don’t forget to use the words!

Simply right click on the poster to print it.

 

Swedish christmas words
Svenska julord
Swedish traditions & culture, Tips for learning Swedish

Sju sjösjuka sjömÀn

Leave a comment

Good morning! Let’s warm up our voices today with some Swedish tongue twisters. Let’s start with an easy one:

FÄr fÄr fÄr? Nej, fÄr fÄr inte fÄr, fÄr fÄr lamm.

Do sheap have sheep? No, sheep donÂŽt have sheep, sheep have lambs.

Now that was easy yet 
 odd.

Time to move on to those you try to repeat correctly as many times as possible.

Sex laxar i en laxask.

Six salmons in a salmon-box.

Packa pappas kappsÀck.

Pack daddy’s suitcase.

Lastly and usually the most tricky one for non-native speakers. Unless youÂŽre Dutch and go for a Gothenburg-accent – there are similarities to your advantage!

Sju sjösjuka sjömĂ€n pĂ„ det sjunkande skeppet Shanghai.

Seven seasick sailors on the sinking ship “Shanghai”.

If you aim higher try to add “sköttes av sju sköna sjuksköterskor”  – nursed by beautiful nurses. I get a lot of questions on this sound from expats and during my Swedish classes. Listen to the sound via Forvo.com

I am sure you can find several versions of “Sju sjösjuka sjömĂ€n …” on YouTube.

Tips for learning Swedish

What do you call a person from ___ (fill in the blank) in Swedish? nationalities

Leave a comment

Nationalities in Swedish

Today I present a link to a list of countries and nationalities in Swedish. It can be found at TT NyhetsbyrĂ„n’s website as a tool for journalists, or anyone who writes. But we do use nationalities when speaking too, don’t we?

Here is the link.

The list is useful not only if you are learning Swedish but also to Swedes. There are quite a few countries around our globe and I am sure even as a Swede you will find a few nationalities on the list that you have never used before!

Swedish traditions & culture, Tips for learning Swedish

Sommarpratare i P1 

Leave a comment

Swedish lessons Skype
Sommar!

Dags för Ärets sommarpratare, ocksÄ kallade sommarvÀrdar! Du kan lyssna pÄ dem pÄ Sveriges Radio, P1.

Ett utmÀrkt tillfÀlle att öva svenska, och att ta del av intressanta historier.

MÄnga pratar om Sommarpratarna pÄ jobbet under fikarasterna, och med vÀnner och bekanta. DÄ Àr det bra att kÀnna till fenomenet, och kanske Àven ha lyssnat pÄ i alla fall nÄgra av dem.

Du kan ladda ned en kalender med Sommarpratarna.

Vilka ska du lyssna pÄ?

HÀr Àr en lÀnk till en engelsk introduktion 

HÀr Àr en lÀnk till programsidan 

Tips for learning Swedish

sÄ pratar vi pÄ vÄren

Leave a comment

Det finns alltid nya ord att lĂ€ra sig. Visst Ă€r det kul?! Har du tĂ€nkt pĂ„ att en ny sĂ€song innebĂ€r att du behöver anvĂ€nda/lĂ€ra dig nya ord?  Ord pĂ„ vĂ„ren kan till exempel handla om att Ă€ta utomhus, eller den förĂ€ndring som sker i naturen. NĂ€r du klickar pĂ„ lĂ€nken nedan kommer du till en lista med vĂ„rord. Du kan ladda ned listan, eller skriva ut den.

In English: A new season means new words to discover! Click below to find your list of spring/early summer essential vocabulary.

vÄrordDownload
Swedish cottage
Tips for learning Swedish

Swedish conversation classes

Leave a comment

Time to sign up for individual Swedish conversation classes via Skype.

Any resolutions or promises of investment in yourself for the new year? Maybe it is time to start the language lessons you have been thinking about.

There are openings daytime and evenings to start speaking Swedish. Contact charlotta@globatris.se to find out more on pricing and availability, and on how I can assist you in learning or improving your Swedish.

Maybe you want to work on your pronunciation. Perhaps you are interested in writing and want assignments or prompts followed by feedback? Or perhaps you are looking for suitcase Swedish for an upcoming trip to Sweden. Maybe you are new to Swedish.

Tips for learning Swedish

Att dreja

Leave a comment

att dreja = to throw/make pottery

Exempel i olika tempus:

Vet du hur man drejar?

I augusti provade jag att dreja. Jag hade inte drejat sedan jag var liten.

Jag drejade en tekopp. 

HĂ€r har det drejats i dag! 

Relaterade ord: 

en drejskiva = the turning plate used for throwing pottery

en drejare = en person som drejar 

en drejning = a throwing

att dreja bi = to slow down the speed when sailing

Swedish traditions & culture, Tips for learning Swedish

Lagom

Leave a comment

Lagom

Outside of Sweden the word “lagom” seems to be trending this year. It takes over the Danish “hygge” and I expect to see books to be written on the subject. Or, wait; could really that much be squeezed out of the word lagom? To fill an entire book? Well, if hygge could 


Lagom is not trending in Sweden. It’s always around, always with us.

The urban legend has it that lagom derives from the Vikings; sharing the meal and the mead between themselves, using the same bowl. The words supposed to have been spoken were to not eat or drink more than that it would last “laget om” – the team around. Laget om then became lagom. Alas lagom means ”just the right amount, not too little not too much”. Lagom is a balance of things. Wether used for water temperature, amount of miles travelled during holiday, how much pick-and-mix candy the kids are allowed or how many guests are to be invited lagom is the answer.

A few examples in English and in Swedish:

Is it time to leave? Yes, it’s probably (the right) time. // Är det dags att gĂ„? Ja, det Ă€r nog lagom.

Isn’t it too cold to swim? No, it’s just about right/perfect.// Är det inte för kallt för att bada? Nej, det Ă€r lagom varmt.

Does the blouse fit you (refering to size) Yes, it’s good! // Passar blusen? Ja, den Ă€r lagom!

Is it lots to do at work at the moment? No, it’s pretty ok/the right amount of work. // Är det mycket att göra pĂ„ jobbet just nu? Nej, det Ă€r ganska lagom.

Swedish traditions & culture

Vacuum cleaner – a delicious Swedish pastry

Leave a comment

This delicious pastry is commonly known as “dammsugare” in Swedish (=vacuum cleaner) referring to the look of old vacuum cleaners. The official name is Punch-roll. It’s covered with marzipan, the interior made of yesterdays crushed cookies and cakes (as if there would be leftovers…) butter, cacao and … flavored with punch liqueur. The “dammsugare” is usually made of green marzipan but I found a pink one with a #botanical pattern.
Wordlist / ordlista

marsipan

en punchrulle – the pastry mentioned

en dammsugare

damm = dust

att dammsuga = to vacuum

en dammrÄtta = a dustbunny