First Day Expressions
Starting somewhere new in Sweden — komma in i gänget, känna sig som en fisk på land, fikarasten.
The Swedish onboarding, phase by phase: the disorientation idioms (fisk på land, kastas in i hetluften, brant inlärningskurva), the permissions (ställ de dumma frågorna nu — det finns inga dumma frågor, fråga två gånger), the workplace culture notes (platt organisation, dua alla, fikavagnen klockan tre — alla tar fikapaus), the HR arc (provanställning → avstämningssamtal → tillsvidareanställd) — landing at känna sig som en av dem. Första månaden går fort.
- 1
introduktionen
the induction
Tip: lit. 'the introduction' — usually a whole week.
- 2
onboardingen
the onboarding
Tip: lit. the same — English loan, used in every Swedish HR department.
- 3
komma in i det
to find your feet
Tip: lit. 'come into it'.
- 4
komma in i gänget
to become one of the gang
Tip: lit. 'come into the gang'.
- 5
känna sig som en fisk på land
to feel like a fish out of water
Tip: lit. 'feel like a fish on land'.
- 6
kastas in i hetluften
to be thrown in at the deep end
Tip: lit. 'be thrown into the hot air' — straight into the pressure.
- 7
suga åt sig allt
to take it all in
Tip: lit. 'suck to oneself everything'.
- 8
inlärningskurvan är brant
the learning curve is steep
Tip: lit. the same.
- 9
det är mycket att ta in
there's a lot to take in
Tip: lit. the same.
- 10
ställa de dumma frågorna nu
to ask stupid questions now
Tip: lit. the same — the standard advice to new starters.
- 11
det finns inga dumma frågor
there are no stupid questions
Tip: lit. the same.
- 12
fråga två gånger, det är okej
to ask twice, it's fine
Tip: lit. the same.
- 13
fikarasten
the coffee break
Tip: lit. 'the fika break' — where you actually learn how things work.
- 14
få en rundtur
to be shown around
Tip: lit. 'get a round-tour'.
- 15
få en fadder
to be given a buddy
Tip: lit. 'get a godparent' — the colleague assigned to you.
- 16
provanställningen
the trial period
Tip: lit. 'the trial employment' — up to six months in Sweden.
- 17
göra ett bra första intryck
to make a good first impression
Tip: lit. the same.
- 18
hålla en låg profil i början
to keep a low profile at first
Tip: lit. the same — very Swedish advice.
- 19
lära sig rutinerna
to learn the ropes
Tip: lit. 'learn the routines'.
- 20
hitta i systemen
to find your way around the systems
Tip: lit. 'find one's way in the systems'.
- 21
ha platt organisation
to be flat-structured
Tip: lit. 'have a flat organisation' — everyone on first-name terms.
- 22
dua alla
to be on first-name terms with everyone
Tip: lit. 'du-address everyone' — including the CEO.
- 23
komma igång direkt
to hit the ground running
Tip: lit. 'get going straight away'.
- 24
ta en sak i taget
to take one thing at a time
Tip: lit. the same.
- 25
ingen förväntar sig att du kan allt
nobody expects you to know everything
Tip: lit. the same.
- 26
bli mottagen med öppna armar
to be welcomed with open arms
Tip: lit. the same.
- 27
känna sig hemma snabbt
to feel at home quickly
Tip: lit. the same.
- 28
vara helt slut efter första veckan
to be shattered after the first week
Tip: lit. 'be completely finished after the first week'.
- 29
välkommen ombord!
welcome aboard!
Tip: lit. the same — the standard greeting on day one.
- 30
välkomstpaketet
the welcome pack
Tip: lit. the same.
- 31
personalhandboken
the staff handbook
Tip: lit. the same.
- 32
intranätet
the intranet
Tip: lit. the same.
- 33
ett passerkort
an access card
Tip: lit. the same.
- 34
få en dator
to be given a laptop
Tip: lit. the same.
- 35
IT fixar det
the IT department sorts it
Tip: lit. the same.
- 36
bli presenterad för alla
to be introduced to everyone
Tip: lit. the same — and remember nothing.
- 37
glömma alla namn
to forget every name
Tip: lit. the same.
- 38
det är fria platser
the seating is unassigned
Tip: lit. 'there are free places' — activity-based offices are common.
- 39
boka skrivbord i appen
to book a desk in the app
Tip: lit. the same.
- 40
tysta zonen
the quiet zone
Tip: lit. the same — and it is enforced.
- 41
fikavagnen klockan tre
the fika trolley at three
Tip: lit. the same — some workplaces still have one.
- 42
alla tar fikapaus
everybody stops for fika
Tip: lit. the same — join in, it's not optional socially.
- 43
bli bjuden på lunch första veckan
to be invited to lunch the first week
Tip: lit. the same.
- 44
ett avstämningssamtal
a probation review
Tip: lit. 'a check-in conversation' — around month three.
- 45
bli tillsvidareanställd
to be made permanent
Tip: lit. 'be employed until further notice' — the Swedish term for permanent.
- 46
känna sig som en av dem
to feel like part of it
Tip: lit. 'feel like one of them'.
- 47
första månaden går fort
the first month goes fast
Tip: lit. the same.