Beach Holiday Expressions
Ligga och stekas, solbränd, charterresa — a Swede abroad in July.
The Swedish charter holiday, chapter by chapter: the transfer that stops at four hotels first, the sea view (if you lean out), sunbed towel-law, the burn-on-day-one arc, the art of doing absolutely nothing — and the exact moment it starts feeling like semester: when the restaurant staff recognize you on Wednesday. Charter irony is its own register; here it is.
- 1
en charterresa
a package holiday
Tip: lit. 'a charter trip' — a Swedish institution since the 1960s.
- 2
all inclusive
all inclusive
Tip: lit. the same — English, used as is.
- 3
en transfer till hotellet
a transfer to the hotel
Tip: lit. the same.
- 4
med stopp vid fyra hotell först
stopping at four hotels first
Tip: lit. the same — always yours last.
- 5
havsutsikt, påstås det
a sea view, allegedly
Tip: lit. the same.
- 6
om man lutar sig ut
if you lean out
Tip: lit. the same.
- 7
en reseledare
a charter company rep
Tip: lit. 'a travel leader' — on hand at the hotel.
- 8
ett välkomstmöte
a welcome meeting
Tip: lit. the same — a sales pitch, mostly.
- 9
en utflykt
an excursion
Tip: lit. the same.
- 10
bokad via reseledaren
booked through the rep
Tip: lit. the same — safer, and pricier.
- 11
eller lokalt, billigare
or locally, cheaper
Tip: lit. the same.
- 12
ligga i solen
to lie in the sun
Tip: lit. the same.
- 13
ligga och stekas
to roast yourself
Tip: lit. 'lie and be fried'.
- 14
lägga beslag på en solstol med handduk
to reserve a sunbed with a towel
Tip: lit. 'lay claim to a sun chair with a towel' — at six in the morning.
- 15
skuggan under parasollet
the shade under the parasol
Tip: lit. the same.
- 16
bli brun
to get a tan
Tip: lit. 'become brown'.
- 17
bli bränd
to get sunburnt
Tip: lit. 'become burnt' — the pale Swede's fate.
- 18
faktor femtio
factor fifty
Tip: lit. the same.
- 19
smörja om sig
to reapply the sun cream
Tip: lit. 'grease oneself again'.
- 20
bränna sig första dagen
to burn on the first day
Tip: lit. the same — the pale Swede's classic error.
- 21
och gömma sig i skuggan i tre
and hide in the shade for three
Tip: lit. the same.
- 22
aloe vera efteråt
aloe vera afterwards
Tip: lit. the same.
- 23
fjälla
to peel
Tip: lit. 'to flake' — the week after.
- 24
vattnet är badvarmt
the water is bath-warm
Tip: lit. the same — a revelation for Swedes.
- 25
det är gropigt i vattnet
the sea is rough today
Tip: lit. 'it's bumpy in the water'.
- 26
maneter i vattnet
to have jellyfish in the water
Tip: lit. the same.
- 27
ett morgondopp
a quick dip before breakfast
Tip: lit. 'a morning dip'.
- 28
sand överallt
sand everywhere
Tip: lit. the same.
- 29
en glass på stranden
an ice cream on the beach
Tip: lit. the same.
- 30
något kallt i skuggan
a cold drink in the shade
Tip: lit. 'something cold in the shade'.
- 31
en poolbar
a swim-up bar
Tip: lit. the same.
- 32
buffé tre gånger om dagen
a buffet three times a day
Tip: lit. the same.
- 33
och att äta för mycket av den
and to eat too much of it
Tip: lit. the same.
- 34
göra absolut ingenting
to do absolutely nothing
Tip: lit. the same — the entire point.
- 35
läsa ut en bok på tre dagar
to read a whole book in three days
Tip: lit. the same.
- 36
koppla bort allt
to switch off completely
Tip: lit. the same.
- 37
somna vid poolen
to fall asleep by the pool
Tip: lit. the same — and burn.
- 38
kvällsbrisen
the evening breeze
Tip: lit. the same — the best part of the day.
- 39
en promenad längs strandpromenaden
a walk along the promenade
Tip: lit. the same.
- 40
hitta tillbaka till samma restaurang
to find the same restaurant twice
Tip: lit. the same.
- 41
och gå dit varje kväll
and go there every night
Tip: lit. the same.
- 42
personalen känner igen en på onsdagen
the staff remember you by Wednesday
Tip: lit. the same.
- 43
då känns det som semester
that's when it feels like a holiday
Tip: lit. the same.
- 44
färgen försvinner till september
the tan fades by September
Tip: lit. 'the colour disappears by September'.
- 45
men minnet finns kvar
but the memory stays
Tip: lit. the same.
- 46
tillbaka till verkligheten
back to reality
Tip: lit. the same.
- 47
planerar redan nästa år
already planning next year
Tip: lit. the same.