#swedish proverbs

Ropa inte hej (fören du är över bäcken) - Don’t holler hi! (until you’re over the stream). Meaning to not take out a victory in advance or celebrate something you’re not sure about just yet. The English saying I’ve found to match this one is “don’t count your chickens before they hatch” 

Delad glädje är dubbel glädje, delad sorg är halv sorg - Shared joy is double joy, shared grief is half grief. Just that the support of others can make anything better. 

Ett gott skratt förlänger livet - A good laugh extends life. pretty much a fact but it is expressed a lot as a way of saying to not take things too seriously or to allow oneself some fun.

Den som väntar på något gott väntar aldrig för länge - Those who wait for something good, never waits too long. Used similarly as “all good things come to those who can wait” but is more about if you know that what you’re waiting for is worth the wait then you can wait forever. 

Bara döda fiskar följer strömmen - Only dead fish follows the stream. Something to say when you’re encouraging yourself or someone else to do something unconvensional, find your own way. 

Det som göms i snö kommer upp i tö - that is hidden in snow comes up in thaw. Meaning that you can’t hide something forever, the truth will come out. As the snow metaphor shows, things will change and your secret will be revealed.

Pengar växer inte på träd.

Money does not grow on trees

Delad glädje är dubbel glädje, delad sorg är halv sorg.

Shared happiness is double happiness, shared sorrow is half a sorrow

Skrattar bäst, som skrattar sist.

Laughs best, who laughs last

Äpplet faller inte långt från trädet.

The apple does not fall far away from the tree

Den som lever får se.

The one who lives will see

Den som ger sig in i leken, får leken tåla.

Swedish is a language that uses a lot of proverbs in everyday communication so I figured I should write about my favourite 8 that you’d hear if you came to Sweden. 

Borta bra, men hemma bäst - “Away is good, but home is best”. Something said by every mother ever after returning from a trip. In English “home sweet home” or “There’s no place like home” would serve the same purpose. 

Som man bäddar får man ligga - “As you make your bed, so you must lie in it”. Meaning that your actions will have consequences that you have to live with. Also often used as a way of saying that you have no one to blame for something but yourself.

I de lugnaste vatten (simmar de fulaste fiskarna) - “In the calmest of waters (the ugliest fish swim)”. Usually when someone uses this proverb they only say the first bit (not that within the paranthesis) as everyone understands the meaning. It means that those who seem most normal have the biggest/darkest secrets. Usually used when someone who’s percieved as very normal has been found to have some wierd secret or a dark past. It can also be used to say, do not take things at face value. For example if someone is perfect/boring/very normal you can say “In the calmest of waters” to express that you think there’s more to them than it seems.

Smaken är som baken (delad) - “the taste is like the bum (divided)”. Again the last word is usually left out. Meaning that there’s a difference of opinion. Similarly used to the English “agree to disagree” or “suit yourself”. However, the Swedish is usually used a bit more insultingly (not always). Meaning that there is a division between our opinions but yours is wrong or (like a bum).

Är man med i leken får man leken tåla - “if you’re in the game, the game you have to tolerate”. Used similarly to the English “it’s all part of the game”. Meaning that if you have entered into something willingly you have to see it through, even if it ends badly for you.

Bränt barn skyr elden - “a brunt child dreads the fire”. Apparently this is also an English proverb but I have never heard of it. It has the same meaning. That if some act has lead to dire consequences that person will not act in that way again. Can also sometimes be used to express a willingness to let someone try something that will end badly so they will learn from their mistakes.

Den som gapar efter mycket mister ofta hela stycket - “ the one who gapes for a lot usually loses the whole piece”. Probably the wierdest translation so far. It means that if someone is greedy and keeps wanting more or isn’t satisfied they will risk to loose everything.

Hålla låda (Hold a box) - Means to basically say a monologue, no input from the people you’re talking to. A teacher can say “Jag ska inte hålla låda”, which means that the teacher really doesn’t intend to be the one speaking throughout the lesson.

Allt är inte guld som glimmar (Everything isn’t gold that glimmers) - Means that just because something looks one way, it doesn’t mean that’s what it actually is.

Den som gapar efter mycket mister ofta hela stycket (He who grasps for a lot often loses everything) - Means that the one who is greedy and tries to get more instead of being satisfied with what he already got might lose what he had in the beginning.

Det finns inget dåligt väder, bara dåliga kläder (There is no bad weather, only bad clothes) - The meaning is obvious, and it’s no wonder that this is a Swedish proverb - rain and snow is not uncommon here. We have no “snowdays”, and we go to school even if it’s -30 C (-22 F).

Det som göms i snö kommer fram i tö (What is hidden in snow appears when it thaws) - Means that something that is hidden will be uncovered again.

Ropa inte hej förrän du kommit över bäcken (Don’t shout hello until you’ve crossed the brook) - Means that you shouldn’t think you’ve won before you have, or you should announce something that you’re not yet sure about.

Finns det hjärterum finns det stjärterum (If there’s room in the heart there’s room for the arse) - Means that with a good attitude difficult things can be easier taken care of, or if you’re good friends you can crowd together.

Man saknar inte kon förrän båset är tomt (You don’t miss the cow until the booth is empty) - Means that you don’t realise there will be bad consequences until after you act. Or you don’t miss someone you’ve treated badly until they’ve left you.

Måla inte fan på väggen (Don’t paint the devil on the wall) - Means that you mustn’t presume the worst will happen, make things worse than they are.

Nära skjuter ingen hare (Close will not shoot the hare) - Means that almost succeeding is not succeeding - it will not put a hare steak on the table.

Skita i det blå skåpet (Shit in the blue locker) - Means to make a fool of yourself, or to go too far.