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Calling in Sick: What to Say

What you say to your manager and colleagues when you're ill, still off, and back at work.

Mattias works shifts at a busy café and wakes up with a fever. Follow him as he calls his manager, finds someone to cover his shift, checks the rules on sick pay and comes back — with the phrases Swedes actually use.

Digital and mercury thermometers on blue background for medical concept.
Photo: Maksim Goncharenok on Pexels
  1. 1

    Förlåt att jag ringer så tidigt.

    Sorry for calling so early.

    Tip: Sorry + that-clause: Swedish says 'sorry that I call'.

  2. 2

    Ingen fara. Vad har hänt?

    No worries. What's happened?

    Tip: Word for word: 'no danger'. A very common reassurance.

  3. 3

    Jag är tyvärr sjuk och kan inte komma in i dag.

    I'm afraid I'm sick and can't come in today.

    Tip: 'Come in' to work uses the particle, like English.

  4. 4

    Jag har legat med feber hela natten.

    I've been in bed with a fever all night.

    Tip: Word for word: 'I have lain with fever'. The standard way to say it.

  5. 5

    Krya på dig!

    Get well soon!

    Tip: A reflexive idiom only used for this wish.

  6. 6

    Glöm inte att sjukanmäla dig i appen också.

    Don't forget to report sick in the app too.

    Tip: The reflexive pronoun follows the verb: report yourself sick.

  7. 7

    Jag gör det direkt.

    I'll do it straight away.

    Tip: Present tense for the near future.

  8. 8

    Vet du hur länge du blir borta?

    Do you know how long you'll be off?

    Tip: 'Become away' = be off, be absent.

  9. 9

    Svårt att säga, jag hör av mig i morgon.

    Hard to say, I'll let you know tomorrow.

    Tip: The reflexive idiom 'hear off myself' means get in touch.

  10. 10

    Kan du kolla om någon kan hoppa in?

    Can you check if someone can step in?

    Tip: 'Jump in' = cover a shift.

  11. 11

    Jag frågar Petra om hon kan byta med mig.

    I'll ask Petra if she can swap with me.

    Tip: 'If' and 'whether' are the same word.

  12. 12

    Skulle du kunna ta mitt pass i dag?

    Could you take my shift today?

    Tip: Shift is an ett-word, so 'my' takes -tt.

  13. 13

    Är det magsjukan som går?

    Is it the stomach bug that's going around?

    Tip: An illness that 'goes' is going around.

  14. 14

    Nej, bara en rejäl förkylning.

    No, just a nasty cold.

    Tip: The adjective means proper, hefty — here, a heavy one.

  15. 15

    Stanna hemma tills du är frisk, så du inte smittar någon.

    Stay home until you're well, so you don't infect anyone.

    Tip: 'Not' comes before the verb in the so-that clause.

  16. 16

    Tack, jag är skyldig dig en tjänst.

    Thanks, I owe you one.

    Tip: Word for word: 'I am owing you a service'.

  17. 17

    Jag är fortfarande sjuk, så jag stannar hemma resten av veckan.

    I'm still sick, so I'll stay home the rest of the week.

    Tip: Present tense for a plan. No preposition before 'the remainder of the week'.

  18. 18

    Jag har ringt vårdcentralen och fått en tid på torsdag.

    I've called the health centre and got an appointment on Thursday.

    Tip: The helper verb isn't repeated before the second past participle.

  19. 19

    Om du är borta mer än sju dagar behöver vi ett läkarintyg.

    If you're off more than seven days, we need a doctor's note.

    Tip: The verb comes before 'we' after the if-clause.

  20. 20

    Får jag lön för första dagen?

    Do I get paid for the first day?

    Tip: No article before 'first day'.

  21. 21

    Du får sjuklön, men det blir ett karensavdrag.

    You get sick pay, but there'll be a deduction.

    Tip: 'It becomes' = there will be.

  22. 22

    Kan jag jobba hemifrån några timmar om jag orkar?

    Can I work from home a few hours if I'm up to it?

    Tip: The verb means to have the energy for something. No English equivalent.

  23. 23

    Är du sjuk så ska du vila.

    If you're sick, you rest.

    Tip: Starting with the verb makes an if-clause without 'if'.

  24. 24

    Jag mår mycket bättre nu.

    I'm feeling much better now.

    Tip: The verb for how you feel. 'Much' = a lot here.

  25. 25

    Vad skönt!

    That's great to hear!

    Tip: Word for word: 'how lovely!' Relief and happiness for someone.

  26. 26

    Lite trött fortfarande, men det går bra.

    Still a bit tired, but I'm OK.

    Tip: 'It goes well' = it's fine, I'm managing.

  27. 27

    Ta det lugnt de första dagarna.

    Take it easy the first few days.

    Tip: Word for word: 'take it calm'.

  28. 28

    Har du friskanmält dig?

    Have you reported back?

    Tip: The opposite of reporting sick, also reflexive.

  29. 29

    Har jag missat något viktigt?

    Have I missed anything important?

    Tip: The adjective takes -t after 'something'.

  30. 30

    Inget som inte kan vänta.

    Nothing that can't wait.

    Tip: The double negative is fine here, as in English.

  31. 31

    Tack för att ni täckte upp för mig.

    Thanks for covering for me.

    Tip: Thanks for that + clause. 'You' is plural: the whole team.