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A2Swedish·20 cards

Mealtime with a Toddler

Coaxing, conceding and closing at the table — from matdags to tack för maten.

Swedish mealtimes with small children run on low pressure: smaka lite rather than eat it, du behöver inte äta upp rather than finish your plate. The ritual close, tack för maten, is said by children to whoever cooked — including at förskola.

A father shares a meal with his young child in the kitchen, capturing a tender family moment.
Photo: Vanessa Loring on Pexels
  1. 1

    Matdags!

    Time to eat!

    Tip: mat + dags — the -dags ending makes any noun into 'time for X': läggdags, badtags

  2. 2

    Kom och sätt dig.

    Come and sit down.

    Tip: sätta sig — to seat yourself

  3. 3

    Smaka lite.

    Just have a taste.

    Tip: the standard Swedish ask — taste it, not eat it

  4. 4

    Bara en tugga.

    Just one bite.

    Tip: en tugga = a mouthful

  5. 5

    Är du mätt?

    Are you full?

    Tip: mätt is the opposite of hungrig — English has no single word for it

  6. 6

    Vill du ha mer?

    Do you want more?

    Tip: vill ha = want (to have); vill alone means 'want to' + verb

  7. 7

    Du behöver inte äta upp.

    You don't have to finish it.

    Tip: äta upp = eat it all up; the low-pressure norm at Swedish tables

  8. 8

    Använd gaffeln.

    Use your fork.

    Tip: gaffel, kniv, sked — fork, knife, spoon

  9. 9

    Försiktigt, spill inte.

    Careful, don't spill.

    Tip: försiktigt is the all-purpose 'careful' — said constantly

  10. 10

    Sitt kvar.

    Stay in your seat.

    Tip: kvar = remaining in place; sitt kvar is 'stay seated'

  11. 11

    Drick lite vatten.

    Have a drink of water.

    Tip: lite softens an instruction into a suggestion

  12. 12

    Är det för varmt?

    Is it too hot?

    Tip: varm covers both warm and hot for food

  13. 13

    Jag blåser på det.

    I'll blow on it.

    Tip: present tense for what you're doing right now

  14. 14

    Det är gott, va?

    That's tasty, isn't it?

    Tip: gott for taste; va? is the spoken tag question

  15. 15

    Ta det lugnt.

    Take it slowly.

    Tip: also means 'calm down' and 'take it easy' in every other context

  16. 16

    Torka munnen.

    Wipe your mouth.

    Tip: torka = wipe, dry

  17. 17

    Är du klar?

    Are you done?

    Tip: klar again — finished

  18. 18

    Tack för maten.

    Thanks for the food.

    Tip: said by the child to whoever cooked, at home and at förskola — learn it early

  19. 19

    Vi dukar av tillsammans.

    Let's clear the table together.

    Tip: duka av = clear the table; duka = lay it

  20. 20

    Du får frukt sen.

    You can have fruit afterwards.

    Tip: får = may, is allowed to