Getting a Toddler Dressed
The fifteen minutes by the front door: offering a choice, naming the clothes, conceding, and getting out before the bus goes.
Swedish weather makes this a negotiation eight months a year. The trick most parents use is the false choice — röda eller blåa? — and the two words that end it: sista gången and nu går vi.
- 1
Kom, nu ska vi klä på oss.
Come on, we're going to get dressed.
Tip: klä på sig — to put clothes on yourself; the 'oss' makes it a joint project
- 2
Röda eller blåa?
Red ones or blue ones?
Tip: the false choice — two options you're happy with
- 3
Vilken mössa vill du ha?
Which hat do you want?
Tip: mössa is the knitted hat, not a cap
- 4
Armen här.
Arm in here.
Tip: said while guiding, not explaining
- 5
Andra foten.
The other foot.
Tip: you will say this every single time
- 6
Det är kallt ute, du behöver jacka.
It's cold out, you need a jacket.
Tip: dropping the article — jacka, not en jacka — is normal in this register
- 7
Sitt still en stund.
Sit still a moment.
Tip: en stund = a little while
- 8
Jag hjälper dig.
I'll help you.
Tip: present tense for something happening right now
- 9
Kan du själv?
Can you do it yourself?
Tip: the full form is kan du göra det själv, but nobody says that here
- 10
Du gör det själv, vad duktig!
You're doing it yourself, how clever!
Tip: the praise that buys you another two minutes
- 11
Nästan klar.
Almost done.
Tip: klar = finished, ready
- 12
På med stövlarna.
Boots on.
Tip: på med X — the standard 'get X on' construction
- 13
Nej, stövlarna sist.
No, the boots go on last.
Tip: sist = last, in order
- 14
Vi hinner inte nu.
We haven't got time now.
Tip: hinna = to have enough time; there is no clean English verb for it
- 15
Sista gången, sen går vi.
One last time, then we're going.
Tip: the closing move — set the limit, then enforce it
- 16
Så, nu går vi!
Right, off we go!
Tip: said while already opening the door
- 17
Vill du gå eller sitta i vagnen?
Do you want to walk or sit in the buggy?
Tip: vagn covers pram, buggy and pushchair
- 18
Du får bära den själv.
You can carry it yourself.
Tip: få here is 'you may / you get to', not 'must'
- 19
Det ordnar sig, jag lovar.
It'll be fine, I promise.
Tip: det ordnar sig — it'll sort itself out; very Swedish
- 20
Vi gör det igen i eftermiddag.
We'll do it again this afternoon.
Tip: deferring the fight to later