Bedtime with a Small Child
Teeth, one more story, the negotiation, and the words you say in the dark.
The bedtime script barely changes from house to house: läggdags, tandborstning, en saga till, and then natti natti. Note that god natt is the full form and natti natti is what you actually say to a small child.
- 1
Nu är det läggdags.
It's bedtime now.
Tip: lägga sig = to lie down / go to bed; läggdags = bedtime
- 2
Ska vi borsta tänderna?
Shall we brush your teeth?
Tip: tand / tänder — tooth / teeth
- 3
Gapa stort.
Open wide.
Tip: gapa = to open your mouth wide; not the same as öppna
- 4
På med pyjamasen.
Pyjamas on.
Tip: the same på med X as with boots and jackets
- 5
Vilken saga vill du ha?
Which story do you want?
Tip: saga = story, fairy tale; also bedtime story generally
- 6
En saga till?
One more story?
Tip: till after the noun = one more of them
- 7
Nej, det får räcka för idag.
No, that's it for today.
Tip: det får räcka — literally 'that may suffice'; the gentle Swedish no
- 8
Ligg ner ordentligt.
Lie down properly.
Tip: ordentligt = properly, thoroughly — a very Swedish adverb
- 9
Blunda.
Close your eyes.
Tip: one verb for 'close your eyes' — there's no equivalent single word in English
- 10
Ska jag sitta hos dig en stund?
Shall I sit with you a while?
Tip: hos dig = at your side, in your space
- 11
Jag är här.
I'm right here.
Tip: the whole reassurance, nothing added
- 12
Ska lampan vara på?
Shall I leave the light on?
Tip: vara på = be on, for lights and devices
- 13
Var är gosedjuret?
Where's your cuddly toy?
Tip: gosedjur — literally 'cuddle animal', from the same gosa as cuddling
- 14
Fryser du? Jag stoppar om dig.
Are you cold? I'll tuck you in.
Tip: frysa = to be cold (the person, not the thing); stoppa om = tuck in
- 15
Sov gott.
Sleep well.
Tip: gott again — the same word as for tasty food
- 16
Natti natti.
Night night.
Tip: the small-child form; god natt is the grown-up one
- 17
Vi ses imorgon.
See you in the morning.
Tip: vi ses = we'll see each other; the standard goodbye
- 18
Somna om nu.
Go back to sleep now.
Tip: somna om = fall back asleep — one word for the 3am reality
- 19
Det var bara en dröm.
It was only a dream.
Tip: after a nightmare — mardröm is the nightmare itself
- 20
En kram, sen sova.
A hug, then sleep.
Tip: kram is the standard hug; kramar closes text messages too