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B1Swedish·46 cards

Water Idioms

Swedish idiom drawn from water — kasta sig i det, hålla huvudet över ytan, i djupt vatten.

Swedish swims in water idioms — this deck wades in by depth: jumping in and testing the water, being out of your depth, going with or against the current, the cold-and-warm cycle every Swedish swimmer knows (ending in the earned sauna), and the fish idioms. Notice how many map straight onto English — and where Swedish quietly swaps the image.

Close-up of dynamic water splash with droplets captured mid-air, showcasing motion and energy.
Photo: wal_ 172619 on Pexels
  1. 1

    känna sig för

    to test the water

    Tip: lit. 'feel oneself forward'

  2. 2

    kasta sig i det

    to jump straight in

    Tip: lit. 'throw oneself into it'

  3. 3

    störta sig in i något

    to plunge into something

    Tip: lit. 'hurl oneself into something'

  4. 4

    ta till sig det direkt

    to take to it like a duck to water

    Tip: lit. 'take it in immediately'

  5. 5

    vara som en fisk på land

    to be a fish out of water

    Tip: lit. 'be like a fish on land'

  6. 6

    vara utanför sitt element

    to be out of your element

    Tip: lit. the same

  7. 7

    vara på djupt vatten

    to be out of your depth

    Tip: lit. 'be on deep water'

  8. 8

    vara över sin förmåga

    to be over your head

    Tip: lit. 'be beyond one's ability'

  9. 9

    vara illa ute

    to be in deep water

    Tip: lit. 'be badly out'

  10. 10

    sitta illa till

    to be in hot water

    Tip: lit. 'sit badly placed'

  11. 11

    ha råkat illa ut igen

    to be in hot water again

    Tip: lit. 'have got into trouble again'

  12. 12

    hålla huvudet över vattenytan

    to keep your head above water

    Tip: lit. the same

  13. 13

    hålla sig flytande

    to stay afloat

    Tip: lit. the same

  14. 14

    drunkna i jobb

    to be flooded with work

    Tip: lit. 'drown in work'

  15. 15

    få andas ut

    to come up for air

    Tip: lit. 'get to breathe out'

  16. 16

    rädda någon ur knipan

    to bail someone out

    Tip: lit. 'rescue someone out of the pinch'

  17. 17

    lämnas åt sitt öde

    to be left to sink

    Tip: lit. 'be left to one's fate'

  18. 18

    antingen simmar man eller sjunker man

    to sink or swim

    Tip: lit. 'either you swim or you sink'

  19. 19

    följa med strömmen

    to go with the flow

    Tip: lit. 'follow with the current'

  20. 20

    simma motströms

    to swim against the tide

    Tip: lit. 'swim against the current'

  21. 21

    ryckas med

    to be swept away

    Tip: lit. 'be pulled along'

  22. 22

    hålla huvudet kallt

    to keep your head

    Tip: lit. 'keep the head cold'

  23. 23

    vara helt vilsen

    to be all at sea

    Tip: lit. 'be completely lost'

  24. 24

    slå kallt vatten på det

    to pour cold water on an idea

    Tip: lit. 'throw cold water on it'

  25. 25

    blåsa varmt och kallt

    to blow hot and cold

    Tip: lit. the same

  26. 26

    röra upp känslor

    to make waves

    Tip: lit. 'stir up feelings'

  27. 27

    lugna ner läget

    to calm the waters

    Tip: lit. 'calm down the situation'

  28. 28

    gjuta olja på vågorna

    to pour oil on troubled waters

    Tip: lit. the same

  29. 29

    göra ett rejält avtryck

    to make a splash

    Tip: lit. 'make a proper impression'

  30. 30

    vara utspelad

    to be washed up

    Tip: lit. 'be played out'

  31. 31

    det är passerat

    water under the bridge

    Tip: lit. 'it has passed'

  32. 32

    vara en droppe i havet

    to be a drop in the ocean

    Tip: lit. 'be a drop in the sea'

  33. 33

    i det tysta vattnet går de stora fiskarna

    still waters run deep

    Tip: lit. 'in the quiet water swim the big fish'

  34. 34

    vara stor i en liten damm

    to be a big fish in a small pond

    Tip: lit. 'be big in a small pond'

  35. 35

    det finns fler fiskar i havet

    there are plenty more fish in the sea

    Tip: lit. the same

  36. 36

    fiska efter komplimanger

    to fish for compliments

    Tip: lit. the same

  37. 37

    dyka ner i detaljerna

    to dive into the details

    Tip: lit. 'dive down into the details'

  38. 38

    skrapa på ytan

    to skim the surface

    Tip: lit. 'scrape on the surface'

  39. 39

    hålla för granskning

    to hold water (an argument)

    Tip: lit. 'hold up to scrutiny'

  40. 40

    vara vattentät

    to be watertight

    Tip: lit. the same — of an argument or an alibi

  41. 41

    vara dyngsur

    to be dripping wet

    Tip: lit. 'be dung-wet'

  42. 42

    frysa in i märgen

    to freeze to the bone

    Tip: lit. 'freeze into the marrow'

  43. 43

    tina upp så småningom

    to warm up slowly

    Tip: lit. 'thaw up eventually'

  44. 44

    ha gjort sig förtjänt av bastun

    to earn your sauna

    Tip: lit. 'have made oneself deserving of the sauna'

  45. 45

    känna sig som ny

    to feel reborn

    Tip: lit. 'feel like new'

  46. 46

    klara det galant

    to sail through it

    Tip: lit. 'manage it splendidly'