Quick Swedish Reactions
Short spoken reactions to news, prices and bad luck — the one- to three-word replies Swedes actually use.
The Swedish reaction repertoire — the noises and two-word verdicts that carry every conversation — arranged by emotional weather: surprise (from oj då to jösses), delight, dismay, scepticism (jaså, tveksamt, aldrig i livet), relief, and the philosophical closers (det kunde varit värre, sånt är livet). Learn ten of these and you can react to anything Sweden throws at you.
- 1
Oj då!
Oh dear!
- 2
Oj oj oj.
Oh dear.
- 3
Va?!
What?!
- 4
Nämen!
You don't say!
- 5
Det var som tusan!
Well I never!
- 6
Kära nån!
Goodness!
- 7
Jösses.
Blimey.
- 8
Menar du allvar?
Are you serious?
- 9
För tusan.
For heaven's sake.
- 10
Alltså!
Honestly!
- 11
Typiskt!
Typical!
- 12
Usch.
Ugh.
- 13
Aj då.
Ouch.
- 14
Vad tråkigt!
What a shame!
- 15
Så synd.
Such a pity.
- 16
Vad tråkigt då.
How annoying.
- 17
Vad bra!
That's brilliant!
- 18
Vad skönt!
What a relief!
- 19
Åh, vad fint.
Oh, lovely.
- 20
Toppen!
Brilliant!
- 21
Utmärkt.
Excellent.
- 22
Perfekt.
Perfect.
- 23
Puh!
Phew!
- 24
Äntligen!
Finally!
- 25
Det kunde varit värre.
Could be worse.
- 26
Så klart.
Of course.
- 27
Precis!
Exactly!
- 28
Absolut.
Absolutely.
- 29
Sant.
Fair point.
- 30
Logiskt.
Makes sense.
- 31
Det säger sig självt.
That figures.
- 32
Okej, det köper jag.
Fair enough.
- 33
Låter bra.
Sounds good.
- 34
Passar mig.
Suits me.
- 35
Jaså?
Oh really?
- 36
Knappast.
Hardly.
- 37
Tveksamt.
I doubt it.
- 38
Om du säger det.
If you say so.
- 39
Jaha ja.
Well, well.
- 40
Inte en chans.
Not a chance.
- 41
Aldrig i livet.
No way.
- 42
Absolut inte.
Definitely not.
- 43
Det låter dyrt.
That sounds expensive.
- 44
Det var billigt.
That was cheap.
- 45
Äsch.
Whatever.
- 46
Strunt samma.
Never mind.
- 47
Sånt är livet.
That's life.