17 dialect words you'll need to know to survive in southern Sweden
Struggling to understand Sweden's southern 'skånska' (or Scanian) accent? Here's our guide to some of the regional words.
You know the feeling. Just when you think you've mastered Swedish, you run into someone from the south and all your language skills go out the window. The Local Sweden's editor, who grew up in Skåne, lists 17 dialect words to at least help you fake being a local. When it comes to diphthongs, you're on your own.
Påg
In Swedish: Pojke
In English: Boy
Tös
In Swedish: Flicka
In English: Girl
Rullebör
In Swedish: Skottkärra
In English: Wheelbarrow
Mölla
In Swedish: Kvarn, usually väderkvarn
In English: Mill, usually windmill
Mölla, or vindmölla, is also used to describe a modern electricity-generating wind turbine ('vindkraftverk' in Swedish).
Födelsedagsgris
In Swedish: Födelsedagsbarn
In English: Birthday boy/girl
The literal meaning of födelsedagsgris is 'birthday pig'.
'Coca'
In Swedish: Cola (i.e. Coca-Cola)
In English: Coke
Most Swedes will ask for a 'cola' when they want a glass of the fizzy beverage. To southerners it is known as a 'coca', which as you probably guessed the average Swede associates more with cocaine.
Uppåt landet
In Swedish: No real equivalent. What southerners call everything north of Helsingborg.
In English: Up north, literally up in the country.
Mög
In Swedish: Smuts/skit
In English: Dirt/shit
Asa
In Swedish: Släpa
In English: Drag
Balle
In Swedish: Balle (but not really, see explanation below)
In English: Buttock/Penis
The tricky thing about this one is that in most of Sweden 'balle' refers to a man's genitals, whereas in southern Sweden it is fairly child-friendly slang for buttock. Sometimes this gets very awkward.
READ ALSO: Twelve Swedish words with awesome literal translations
Grina
In Swedish: Grina (but again, not really, see explanation below)
In English: Laugh/Cry
Here's another confusing one. In standard Swedish "jag grinade på min farmors begravning" means "I cried at my grandmother's funeral". In southern Sweden it means "I laughed". So be careful there.
Hialös
In Swedish: Otålig
In English: Impatient
Rälig
In Swedish: Äcklig
In English: Disgusting
THE LOCAL ITALY: Twelve dialect words to help you survive in Rome
Fubbick
In Swedish: Idiot
In English: Idiot
Ålahue
In Swedish: Idiot
In English: Idiot (literally: eel head)
Klyddig
In Swedish: Krånglig
In English: Awkward, Difficult
Spissflabbad/spisstrutad
Long explanation: Literally, this means that someone's got a "pointy mouth". Southerners tend to speak quite far back in the mouth, while those speaking standard Swedish keep their tongue closer to the lips. So someone who is 'spissflabbad' is someone southerners feel speaks in a posh and slightly affected way.
Short explanation: Stockholmer
What's your favourite Swedish word? E-mail [email protected]!
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You know the feeling. Just when you think you've mastered Swedish, you run into someone from the south and all your language skills go out the window. The Local Sweden's editor, who grew up in Skåne, lists 17 dialect words to at least help you fake being a local. When it comes to diphthongs, you're on your own.
Påg
In Swedish: Pojke
In English: Boy
Tös
In Swedish: Flicka
In English: Girl
Rullebör
In Swedish: Skottkärra
In English: Wheelbarrow
Mölla
In Swedish: Kvarn, usually väderkvarn
In English: Mill, usually windmill
Mölla, or vindmölla, is also used to describe a modern electricity-generating wind turbine ('vindkraftverk' in Swedish).
Födelsedagsgris
In Swedish: Födelsedagsbarn
In English: Birthday boy/girl
The literal meaning of födelsedagsgris is 'birthday pig'.
'Coca'
In Swedish: Cola (i.e. Coca-Cola)
In English: Coke
Most Swedes will ask for a 'cola' when they want a glass of the fizzy beverage. To southerners it is known as a 'coca', which as you probably guessed the average Swede associates more with cocaine.
Uppåt landet
In Swedish: No real equivalent. What southerners call everything north of Helsingborg.
In English: Up north, literally up in the country.
Mög
In Swedish: Smuts/skit
In English: Dirt/shit
Asa
In Swedish: Släpa
In English: Drag
Balle
In Swedish: Balle (but not really, see explanation below)
In English: Buttock/Penis
The tricky thing about this one is that in most of Sweden 'balle' refers to a man's genitals, whereas in southern Sweden it is fairly child-friendly slang for buttock. Sometimes this gets very awkward.
READ ALSO: Twelve Swedish words with awesome literal translations
Grina
In Swedish: Grina (but again, not really, see explanation below)
In English: Laugh/Cry
Here's another confusing one. In standard Swedish "jag grinade på min farmors begravning" means "I cried at my grandmother's funeral". In southern Sweden it means "I laughed". So be careful there.
Hialös
In Swedish: Otålig
In English: Impatient
Rälig
In Swedish: Äcklig
In English: Disgusting
THE LOCAL ITALY: Twelve dialect words to help you survive in Rome
Fubbick
In Swedish: Idiot
In English: Idiot
Ålahue
In Swedish: Idiot
In English: Idiot (literally: eel head)
Klyddig
In Swedish: Krånglig
In English: Awkward, Difficult
Spissflabbad/spisstrutad
Long explanation: Literally, this means that someone's got a "pointy mouth". Southerners tend to speak quite far back in the mouth, while those speaking standard Swedish keep their tongue closer to the lips. So someone who is 'spissflabbad' is someone southerners feel speaks in a posh and slightly affected way.
Short explanation: Stockholmer
What's your favourite Swedish word? E-mail [email protected]!
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