Sproken
B1Swedish·20 cards

Elevator Small Talk

The thirty seconds of neighbour chat between the ground floor and yours.

The residential lift's small-talk canon: the neighbor discovery (är det du som har flyttat in på trean? vi är faktiskt grannar), the weather trilogy (vilket väder — äntligen lite vår — iskallt), the commute check-ins, the compliments (lillen, the adorable dog), the house intel (lappen om tvättstugan, boendemöte på torsdag) — and the honest morning confession: förlåt, jag är knappt vaken än.

Two professionals using smartphones inside a modern elevator.
Photo: Thirdman on Pexels
  1. 1

    Hej, ska du upp?

    Hi, going up?

    Tip: Standard opener as you step in

  2. 2

    Har du bott här länge?

    Have you lived here long?

    Tip: Getting to know a neighbour

  3. 3

    Är det du som har flyttat in på trean?

    Are you the one who moved in on the third floor?

    Tip: Placing a new face; floors take -an/-en forms: trean, fyran

  4. 4

    Hur trivs ni?

    How are you settling in?

    Tip: To a household, so ni; trivas is the standard verb for feeling at home

  5. 5

    Vi är faktiskt grannar.

    We're neighbours, actually.

    Tip: Introducing yourself

  6. 6

    Vad roligt att äntligen träffas.

    Nice to finally meet you.

    Tip: Warm first meeting

  7. 7

    Vilket väder, va?

    Some weather, huh?

    Tip: The classic filler line

  8. 8

    Äntligen lite vår.

    Finally a bit of spring.

    Tip: Seasonal small talk, very common in March

  9. 9

    Det är iskallt ute idag.

    It's freezing out there today.

    Tip: Winter filler

  10. 10

    Ska du till jobbet?

    Off to work?

    Tip: Morning chat

  11. 11

    Lång dag?

    Long day?

    Tip: Evening chat, said with a nod

  12. 12

    Snart helg.

    Almost the weekend.

    Tip: Friday filler

  13. 13

    Hur mår lillen?

    How's the little one?

    Tip: Asking about a neighbour's baby; lillan for a girl

  14. 14

    Vilken gullig hund du har.

    Your dog is adorable.

    Tip: Complimenting a pet

  15. 15

    Såg du lappen om tvättstugan?

    Did you see the notice about the laundry room?

    Tip: Building news; lappen = the note in the stairwell

  16. 16

    Det är boendemöte på torsdag.

    There's a residents' meeting on Thursday.

    Tip: Passing on building information

  17. 17

    Jag hörde att de ska renovera trapphuset.

    I heard they're renovating the stairwell.

    Tip: Building gossip

  18. 18

    Förlåt, jag är knappt vaken än.

    Sorry, I'm barely awake yet.

    Tip: Excusing yourself for being quiet

  19. 19

    Ja, här ska jag av.

    Well, this is me.

    Tip: Ending the chat at your floor

  20. 20

    Ha det så bra!

    Have a good one!

    Tip: Friendly sign-off as the doors open