Idioms About Food and Plenty
Swedish idioms built on food and eating.
Fifty food idioms, sorted by pantry shelf: the cake shelf (grädden på moset, both eat and keep it), the soup pot (röra om i grytan, ju fler kockar, ur askan i elden), the bread counter (tjäna sitt bröd, bröd och skådespel), the fruit bowl (ruttet äpple, äpplen och päron, sura druvor), the salt cellar (nypa, värd sitt salt, salt i såren), the dairy case (spilld mjölk, smöra, en höjdare) — down to the egg basket and the closing thrift proverb: den som spar han har.
- 1
ha viktigare saker för sig
to have bigger fish to fry
Tip: lit. 'have more important things to do'.
- 2
vara en barnlek
to be a piece of cake
Tip: lit. 'be a child's game'.
- 3
ta priset
to take the biscuit
Tip: lit. 'take the prize'.
- 4
grädden på moset
the icing on the cake
Tip: lit. 'the cream on the mash'.
- 5
både äta kakan och ha den kvar
to have your cake and eat it
Tip: lit. the same.
- 6
ligga risigt till
to be in the soup
Tip: lit. 'be in a poor position'.
- 7
röra om i grytan
to stir the pot
Tip: lit. the same.
- 8
ju fler kockar desto sämre soppa
too many cooks
Tip: lit. 'the more cooks, the worse the soup'.
- 9
ur askan i elden
out of the frying pan
Tip: lit. 'from the ashes into the fire'.
- 10
vara full av energi
to be full of beans
Tip: lit. 'be full of energy'.
- 11
skvallra ur skolan
to spill the beans
Tip: lit. 'gossip out of school'.
- 12
veta var skåpet ska stå
to know which side your bread is buttered
Tip: lit. 'know where the cupboard should stand'.
- 13
det bästa som hänt
the best thing since sliced bread
Tip: lit. 'the best thing that has happened'.
- 14
tjäna sitt bröd
to earn your bread
Tip: lit. the same.
- 15
bröd och skådespel
bread and circuses
Tip: lit. the same.
- 16
gå som en dans
to be as easy as pie
Tip: lit. 'go like a dance'.
- 17
gå åt som smör i solsken
to sell like hot cakes
Tip: lit. 'go like butter in sunshine'.
- 18
som natt och dag
as different as chalk and cheese
Tip: lit. 'like night and day'.
- 19
vara ens ögonsten
to be the apple of your eye
Tip: lit. 'be one's eye stone'.
- 20
ett ruttet äpple
a rotten apple
Tip: lit. the same.
- 21
jämföra äpplen och päron
to compare apples and pears
Tip: lit. the same.
- 22
sura druvor
sour grapes
Tip: lit. the same.
- 23
bli helt tokig
to go bananas
Tip: lit. 'go completely mad'.
- 24
en het potatis
a hot potato
Tip: lit. the same.
- 25
en småsak
small potatoes
Tip: lit. 'a small thing'.
- 26
vara i knipa
to be in a pickle
Tip: lit. 'be in a pinch'.
- 27
ta med en nypa salt
to take with a pinch of salt
Tip: lit. the same.
- 28
värd sitt salt
worth its salt
Tip: lit. the same.
- 29
strö salt i såren
to rub salt in the wound
Tip: lit. the same.
- 30
insockrad
sugar-coated
Tip: lit. the same.
- 31
söta avtalet
to sweeten the deal
Tip: lit. the same.
- 32
en bitter pill
a bitter pill
Tip: lit. the same.
- 33
svälja sin stolthet
to swallow your pride
Tip: lit. the same.
- 34
få äta upp sina ord
to eat your words
Tip: lit. the same.
- 35
ta sig vatten över huvudet
to bite off more than you can chew
Tip: lit. 'take water over one's head'.
- 36
tugga på det
to chew it over
Tip: lit. the same.
- 37
något att fundera på
food for thought
Tip: lit. 'something to think about'.
- 38
ha mycket på gång
to have a lot on your plate
Tip: lit. 'have a lot going on'.
- 39
servera på silverfat
to serve someone on a plate
Tip: lit. 'serve on a silver platter'.
- 40
mjölka något
to milk something
Tip: lit. the same.
- 41
gråta över spilld mjölk
to cry over spilt milk
Tip: lit. the same.
- 42
grädden av skörden
the cream of the crop
Tip: lit. the same.
- 43
smöra för någon
to butter someone up
Tip: lit. the same.
- 44
vara sur
to be cheesed off
Tip: lit. 'be sour'.
- 45
ett höjdare
a big cheese
Tip: lit. 'a high-up'.
- 46
egga någon
to egg someone on
Tip: lit. the same.
- 47
gå på äggskal
to walk on eggshells
Tip: lit. the same.
- 48
lägga alla ägg i samma korg
to put all your eggs in one basket
Tip: lit. the same.
- 49
en sparad slant
a nest egg
Tip: lit. 'a saved coin'.
- 50
den som spar han har
waste not, want not
Tip: lit. 'he who saves, has'.