How much is it? Paying in Sweden
Order at a café, haggle at a flea market and pay by card or Swish, with prices said out loud.
In Sweden almost everyone pays by card or Swish, the mobile payment app, and many places don't take cash at all. Sam spends a Saturday buying coffee and haggling at a loppis (flea market), and hears a lot of numbers.
- 1
Vad får det vara?
What can I get you?
Tip: lit. 'What may it be?' — what you hear at every counter.
- 2
Två kanelbullar, tack.
Two cinnamon buns, please.
Tip: Ordering is just the thing plus 'thanks'.
- 3
Hur mycket kostar en kaffe?
How much is a coffee?
Tip: lit. 'How much costs a coffee?'
- 4
Trettiofem kronor.
Thirty-five kronor.
Tip: Tens first, then units, as one word.
- 5
Då tar jag en kaffe också.
Then I'll have a coffee too.
Tip: lit. 'Then take I a coffee too' — verb second after 'then'.
- 6
Något mer?
Anything else?
Tip: lit. 'Something more?'
- 7
Nej, det var allt.
No, that's all.
Tip: lit. 'No, it was all' — past tense, as so often in Swedish shop talk.
- 8
Det blir nittiofem kronor.
That'll be ninety-five kronor.
Tip: lit. 'It becomes…' — how totals are always said.
- 9
Tar ni kontanter?
Do you take cash?
Tip: Use the plural 'you' for a business.
- 10
Nej tyvärr, bara kort eller Swish.
No, sorry, only card or Swish.
Tip: A very common answer in Swedish cafés.
- 11
Jag betalar med kort.
I'll pay by card.
Tip: Present tense for what you're about to do.
- 12
Vill du ha kvittot?
Do you want the receipt?
Tip: The -t ending means 'the'.
- 13
Nej tack, det behövs inte.
No thanks, no need.
Tip: lit. 'It isn't needed.'
- 14
Vad kostar lampan?
How much is the lamp?
Tip: lit. 'What costs the…?' — the shortest way to ask a price.
- 15
Den kostar hundrafemtio.
It's a hundred and fifty.
Tip: Prices drop the word for crowns when it's obvious.
- 16
Oj, det var dyrt!
Oh, that's expensive!
Tip: Reactions often use the past tense: lit. 'that was expensive'.
- 17
Hundratjugo då.
A hundred and twenty, then.
Tip: The little word at the end means 'then', as a concession.
- 18
Hur mycket blir det för båda?
How much for both?
Tip: lit. 'How much does it become for both?'
- 19
Du får båda för tvåhundra.
You can have both for two hundred.
Tip: lit. 'You get both for…'
- 20
Kan du tänka dig hundrafemtio?
Would you take a hundred and fifty?
Tip: lit. 'Can you imagine…?' — the polite way to make an offer.
- 21
Hundrasjuttio, sista bud.
A hundred and seventy, final offer.
Tip: lit. 'last bid'.
- 22
Okej, då tar jag dem!
Okay, I'll take them!
Tip: The word for 'them' is pronounced 'dom'.
- 23
Kan jag betala med kort?
Can I pay by card?
Tip: Questions start with the verb.
- 24
Då swishar jag.
Then I'll Swish you.
Tip: The app's name works as a verb: to pay someone by phone.
- 25
Vad har du för nummer?
What's your number?
Tip: lit. 'What do you have for number?'
- 26
Det står här på lappen.
It's here on the note.
Tip: Written things 'stand' in Swedish.
- 27
Är det en sjua eller en etta?
Is that a seven or a one?
Tip: Digits as nouns are en-words ending in -a: a seven, a one.
- 28
En sjua.
A seven.
Tip: Swedes cross their sevens, which helps.
- 29
Så, nu har jag skickat.
There, I've sent it.
Tip: The first word here means 'there' or 'right', marking something done.
- 30
Tack, jag har fått det.
Thanks, I've got it.
Tip: Past participle of 'get'.