A Dane might say “one more time for prince Knud” (en gang til for prins Knud) – this refers to the former king’s (Frederik IX) brother, who was known to need an explanation more than once.Meaning, things will be revealed, secrets will out. Swedish saying: “What is hidden in snow, is revealed at thaw” (Det som göms i snö, kommer fram vid tö).In Finland, instead of saying “And that’s that”, you say “And because… onion” (Ja sillä sipuli).A Danes might say he feels like an egg yolk (‘Jeg har det som blommen i et æg‘) which and he means that he feels comfort and fulfilment.If a Finn tells you ‘Let me show you where the chicken pees from’ ( Näytän sulle, mistä kana pissii) he simply means “Let me show you how it’s done”.If an Icelandic accuses you of Jumping onto your own nose ( Að stökkva upp á nef sér), they mean to tell you that you get angry and worked up too quickly.If a Finn tells you that you are “shooting flies with a cannon” he simply means to tell you that you are overcomplicating things, putting a lot of effort into achieving something impossible (ampua tykillä kärpäsiä).In Sweden, if a person looks like he’s sold all the butter and lost all the money (Ha sålt smöret och tappat pengarna), it means he looks both sad and guilty at the same time.Some people in Norway mighty say you have ‘pooped in the drawer’ if you have been caught out in a difficult situation (Å bæsje i skuffen).If a Swede says he is going to ‘throw a goat’s eye at it’, it means he’ll have a quick glance at something (att kasta ett getöga). If you’re sitting in meeting with some Danes and one of them says that everything has gone to goat (gå I ged), they are merely trying to explain that it fell through (or failed), as in “that project went to goat”.If a Dane makes a mental note of something, he ‘writes it behind the ear’ (at skrive noget bag øret).If a Swede tells you to go to the forest, he is telling you to get lost (Dra åt skogen).If a Dane tells you he is ‘angry in the garbage’ (gal i skralden) he means to tell you he is furious.In Denmark, if something is really expensive, you can say ‘it costs the white bits out of the eyes’ (det koster det hvide ud af øjnene).I suspect there are owls in the bog (Jeg aner ugler I mosen) (a versatile saying used in Danish, Swedish and Norwegian).Made a fool of yourself? In Norway, you say that you “shat on your leg” (Nå har du bæsjet på leggen).In Iceland, they don’t say “I’ll get my revenge”, instead they’ll say ‘I’ll find you at the beach’ (Ég mun finna þig í fjöru).In Finland, if someone is “like a bear shot in the ass” (kuin perseeseen ammuttu karhu), it means they are cranky.If someone ‘slides in on a prawn sandwich’ in Sweden (“Glida in på en räkmacka”) it means someone who didn’t have to work to get where they are in life.If someone is caught with your beard in the mailbox (Skägget i brevlådan) (Danish, Norwegian, Swedish) Meaning: “To be caught with your pants down.”.If there’s room in heart there’s room for the arse (Finns det hjärterum så finns det stjärterum) (Swedish saying) Meaning: Everybody can fit in here).“Sausage of death” is everything trivial. If a Dane says “Taking the bus is the sausage of dearth” (“Det er dødens pølse at tage bussen”) he simply means it’s boring or annoying.The Finns don’t “get diarrhoea”… they “have poop flying out of their bums like flocks of sparrows” (paska lentää kuin varpusparvi).If a Swede says “something landed between two chairs” he means that something has been forgotten and nobody is taking responsibility for it.That’s life when the skirt is striped (Sånt är livet när kjolen är randig).Follow it here.įeel free to comment below of any extras we have forgotten…. It’s your daily dose of nonsense Nordic Knowledge #BeNordic. If you’re here because you miss your Nordic roots (or know someone who does)? Check out our big selection of Cure for Homesickness hampers or browse our best selling sweets for your next fix of Fazer liquorice, Freia chocolate or Marabou munchies?ĭo you read our daily facts on Facebook? Maybe you should. It was very popular and since then, we have added a lot to the list, so we thought we’d share it. Quite a few years ago we wrote a list of our favourite sayings and idioms.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |