Great Scandinavian idioms is something we’ve been meaning to write about for ages. Thank you to all those who shared their favourite idiom on Facebook the other day – we laughed so hard we cried at some of these.
We also realised we frequently use some of the expressions and idioms when we’re speaking English in the shop – and no wonder people look at us as if we’re a bit weird when we say things like ‘no cows on the ice’.
Enjoy the list.
The Kitchen People
Button‘Låtsas som att det regnar’ (Pretend that it’s raining) (Swedish)
Meaning: To act normally, so as not to attract any attention
Finns det hjärterum så finns det stjärterum (If there’s room in heart there’s room for the arse) (Swedish)
Meaning: Everybody can fit in here)
Skägget i brevlådan – Caught with your beard in the mailbox (Swedish)
Meaning: “To be caught with your pants down.”
Näytän sulle, mistä kana pissii – Let me show you where a chicken pees from (Finnish)
Meaning ‘Let me show you how it’s done’.
At træde i spinaten – “to step in the spinach” (Danish)
Meaning: To make a mistake
Jeg er kold i røven – I’m cold in the ass (Danish)
Meaning: I don’t care
Dra dit pepperen gror – Go where the pepper grows (Swedish)
Meaning: Go to hell.
Även små grytor har öron – even small saucepans have ears (Swedish)
Meaning: the kids might hear
Det ligger en hund begraven här” – there is a dog buried here (Swedish)
Meaning: there’s something fishy going on.
Det blæser en halv pelican – Its blowing half a pelican (Danish)
Meaning: It’s really windy
Født bak en brunost – born behind a brown cheese (Norwegian)
Meaning: the person is a bit slow
Hej hopp i blåbärsskogen! – Hello jump in the blueberry forest!
Meaning: A cheerful expression to be used when you are a bit surprised (Swedish)
Han har taget billeten – he has taken the ticket (Danish)
Meaning: He’s dead
Oma lehmä ojassa – Own cow in the ditch (Finnish).
Meaning: Someone has an ulterior selfish motive behind an action
Nu har du skitit i det blå skåpet: Now you have shit in the blue cupboard (Swedish)
Meaning: When you really have made a fool out of yourself.
Att lägga lök på laxen – To put onion on the salmon (Swedish)
Meaning: To make things even worse…
Bæsje på leggen – poop on your calf (Norwegian)
Meaning: Make a mistake
Inte för allt smör i hela Småland – Not for all the butter in Småland (SW)
Meaning: Not for all the tea in China.
Å svelge noen kameler – To swallow some camels (Norwegian)
Meaning: to give in
Ligeved og næsten slår ingen mand af hasten – almost and close doesn’t knock a man off his horse (Danish)
Meaning: Close, but no cigar
å være midt i smørøyet – To be in the middle of the butter melting in the porridge (Norwegian)
Meaning: to be in a very favourable place or situation
kiertää kuin kissa kuumaa puuroa – To pace around hot porridge like a cat (Finnish)
Meaning: To beat about the bush
Under isen – meaning “Under the ice” (Swedish)
Meaning: feeling a bit depressed
At hoppe på limpinden – to jump on the Prittstick (Danish)
Meaning: To take the bait
Ingen fara på taket – no danger on the roof (Swedish)
Meaning: No worries
Han tog benene på nakken. He took his legs on the back of his neck (Danish)
Meaning: He hurried
Der er ingen ko på isen – There are no cows on the ice (Swedish, Danish)
Meaning: Nothing to worry about
Han har stillet træskoene – “He took off his clogs” (Danish).
Meaning: “He died”.
Du er helt ude og cycle – You’re completely out cycling (Danish)
Meaning: You’re completely wrong
Dra dit pepperen gror – Go where the pepper grows (Swedish)
Meaning: Go to hell!
Du har virkeligt skudt papegøjen – you’ve really shot the parrot (Danish) Meaning: You’ve been lucky
Ingenting att hänga i julgranen – Nothing to hang on the Christmas tree (Swedish)
Meaning: Not special enough
Han har roterende fis i kasketten – He’s got rotating crap in his cap (Danish)
Meaning: He’s not quite all there
Er det hestens fødselsdag? – Is it the horse’s birthday? (Danish)
Meaning: The rye bread is too thick on my open sandwich
Sånt är livet när kjolen är randig – That’s life when the skirt is striped (Swedish)
Meaning: Such is life
Jeg aner ugler I mosen – I suspect there are owls in the moss (Danish)
Something fishy going on
At være oppe på lakridserne – to be up on the liquorices (Danish)
Meaning to be very attentive or busy
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