Swedish Easter Expressions
Påskkärring, påskägg, påskris — and why children knock on doors dressed as witches.
Swedish Easter decoded: the påskkärring institution (children as witches, flying to Blåkulla on broomsticks with coffee pots, trading påskbrev for candy), the feathered påskris, the holy-week calendar, the egg olympics (måla, hårdkoka, färga med lökskal, äggpickning), the påskbord that is nästan samma mat som till jul — and what the whole holiday is really about: äntligen vårljus.
- 1
påskkärringen
the Easter witch
Tip: lit. 'the Easter hag' — children dress up and go door to door.
- 2
gå påskkärring
to go Easter-witching
Tip: lit. 'go Easter hag' — the Swedish trick-or-treat, in April.
- 3
påskbrevet
the Easter card
Tip: lit. 'the Easter letter' — drawn by the child and left at the door.
- 4
flyga till Blåkulla
to fly to Blåkulla
Tip: lit. the same — where the Easter witches go.
- 5
på kvast med kaffepanna
on a broomstick with a coffee pot
Tip: lit. the same — the traditional costume.
- 6
schalett och röda kinder
a headscarf and rosy cheeks
Tip: lit. the same.
- 7
ge godis vid dörren
to give sweets at the door
Tip: lit. the same.
- 8
påskägget
the Easter egg
Tip: lit. the same — cardboard, filled with sweets.
- 9
ett pappägg fullt med godis
a cardboard egg full of sweets
Tip: lit. the same.
- 10
påskriset
the Easter twigs
Tip: lit. 'the Easter twigs' — birch branches with feathers.
- 11
färgade fjädrar
coloured feathers
Tip: lit. the same — bright pink and yellow, on every twig.
- 12
ett påskträd
an Easter tree
Tip: lit. the same — birch twigs with feathers indoors.
- 13
hänga ägg i riset
to hang eggs on the twigs
Tip: lit. the same — small painted ones.
- 14
en påskhöna av halm
a chicken made of straw
Tip: lit. the same.
- 15
gult och grönt pynt
yellow and green decorations
Tip: lit. the same — the Easter colours here.
- 16
påskliljor
daffodils
Tip: lit. 'Easter lilies'.
- 17
skärtorsdagen
Maundy Thursday
Tip: lit. 'clean Thursday' — when the witches fly.
- 18
långfredagen
Good Friday
Tip: lit. 'the long Friday' — historically, nothing was allowed.
- 19
påskafton
Easter Eve
Tip: lit. 'Easter evening' — the Saturday, when Swedes celebrate.
- 20
långhelgen
the long weekend
Tip: lit. the same — four days off, guaranteed.
- 21
vara ledig till tisdag
to be off until Tuesday
Tip: lit. the same.
- 22
en riktig ledighet
a proper break
Tip: lit. the same.
- 23
påskbordet
the Easter buffet
Tip: lit. 'the Easter table' — herring again, and eggs.
- 24
inlagd sill
pickled herring
Tip: lit. the same — the constant of every Swedish holiday.
- 25
ägg i alla former
eggs in every form
Tip: lit. the same.
- 26
snaps till påskbordet
schnapps at the Easter table
Tip: lit. the same — herring demands it.
- 27
nästan samma mat som till jul
the same food as Christmas
Tip: lit. the same — and nobody complains.
- 28
måla ägg
to decorate eggs
Tip: lit. 'paint eggs'.
- 29
hårdkoka ett dussin
to hard-boil a dozen
Tip: lit. the same.
- 30
färga dem med lökskal
to dye them with onion skins
Tip: lit. the same — the old method.
- 31
äggpickning
an egg-cracking contest
Tip: lit. 'egg pecking' — knock two eggs together, last intact wins.
- 32
äggpickningsmästaren
the egg-cracking champion
Tip: lit. the same — a household title.
- 33
gömma dem i trädgården
to hide them in the garden
Tip: lit. the same.
- 34
en äggjakt
an Easter egg hunt
Tip: lit. the same.
- 35
påskharen är inte svensk
the Easter bunny is not Swedish
Tip: lit. the same — the witch came first.
- 36
men barnen bryr sig inte
but the children don't mind
Tip: lit. the same.
- 37
åka upp till stugan
to go up to the cabin
Tip: lit. the same — Easter is the season opener.
- 38
första varma helgen
the first warm weekend
Tip: lit. the same — sometimes.
- 39
fortfarande snö kvar
still snow on the ground
Tip: lit. 'still snow left' — often, too.
- 40
öppna sommarstugan
to open the summer house
Tip: lit. the same — turning the water back on.
- 41
äta alldeles för mycket choklad
to eat far too much chocolate
Tip: lit. the same.
- 42
sockerkraschen
the sugar crash
Tip: lit. the same.
- 43
våren är på väg
spring is on the way
Tip: lit. the same.
- 44
ljuset kommer tillbaka
the light is coming back
Tip: lit. the same — the real Swedish Easter feeling.
- 45
Glad påsk!
Happy Easter!
Tip: lit. the same.
- 46
vi ses efter helgerna
see you after the holidays
Tip: lit. the same.
- 47
äntligen vårljus
spring light at last
Tip: lit. the same.