Padel & Tennis Expressions
Boka bana, serve, matchboll — Sweden's padel obsession in phrases.
From boka bana to the post-match öl: serve rules, glass-wall tricks, bandejas, line-call diplomacy — and why the best matches are the ones ingen minns resultatet of.
- 1
boka bana
to book a court
Tip: lit. 'book lane' — done in an app, weeks ahead.
- 2
en bana
a court
Tip: lit. 'a lane' — the same word as a lane or track.
- 3
en inomhusbana
an indoor court
Tip: lit. the same — necessary for eight months of the year.
- 4
en dubbelmatch
a doubles match
Tip: lit. the same — padel is always doubles.
- 5
värma upp först
to warm up first
Tip: lit. the same.
- 6
serva
to serve
Tip: lit. the same.
- 7
dubbelfel
a double fault
Tip: lit. the same.
- 8
bollen är ute
the ball is out
Tip: lit. the same.
- 9
var den inne eller ute?
was that in or out?
Tip: lit. the same — the eternal argument.
- 10
döma sina egna bollar
to call your own lines
Tip: lit. 'judge one's own balls' — amateur honour system.
- 11
lika
deuce
Tip: lit. 'equal'.
- 12
fördel
advantage
Tip: lit. the same.
- 13
matchboll
match point
Tip: lit. 'match ball'.
- 14
vinna ett tiebreak
to win a tiebreak
Tip: lit. the same.
- 15
skylla på racketen
to blame the racket
Tip: lit. the same.
- 16
en tursam boll
a lucky shot
Tip: lit. 'a lucky ball'.
- 17
via glaset
off the glass
Tip: lit. 'via the glass' — padel's defining feature.
- 18
en smash
a smash
Tip: lit. the same.
- 19
stå vid nätet
to be at the net
Tip: lit. the same.
- 20
täcka bakåt
to cover the back
Tip: lit. the same.
- 21
snyggt slag!
nice shot!
Tip: lit. the same.
- 22
mitt fel, sorry
my fault, sorry
Tip: lit. the same — 'sorry' is used in Swedish.
- 23
tennisarmbåge
tennis elbow
Tip: lit. the same.
- 24
boka fast tid varje vecka
to book the same slot every week
Tip: lit. 'book fixed time every week' — how Swedish clubs work.
- 25
banan kostar skjortan
the court costs a fortune
Tip: lit. 'the court costs the shirt'.
- 26
en öl efteråt
a beer afterwards
Tip: lit. the same — the real point.
- 27
samma tid nästa vecka?
same time next week?
Tip: lit. the same.
- 28
en underarmsserve
an underarm serve
Tip: lit. the same — the only legal serve in padel.
- 29
under midjan
below the waist
Tip: lit. the same — the rule.
- 30
studsa först
one bounce first
Tip: lit. 'bounce first'.
- 31
en lobb
a lob
Tip: lit. the same — the key padel shot.
- 32
en volley
a volley
Tip: lit. the same.
- 33
en bandeja
a bandeja
Tip: lit. the same — the Spanish name is used.
- 34
via bakglaset
off the back glass
Tip: lit. the same.
- 35
ut genom grinden
through the gate
Tip: lit. the same — a legal, spectacular shot.
- 36
bollen är död
the ball is dead
Tip: lit. the same.
- 37
byta sida
to change ends
Tip: lit. the same.
- 38
varje udda game
every odd game
Tip: lit. the same.
- 39
en gyllene poäng
a golden point
Tip: lit. the same — sudden death at deuce.
- 40
bäst av tre set
a best of three
Tip: lit. the same.
- 41
säga ställningen högt
to call the score aloud
Tip: lit. the same — before every serve.
- 42
en träningsmatch
a friendly match
Tip: lit. the same.
- 43
ett mixpar
a mixed pair
Tip: lit. the same.
- 44
en jämn match
an even game
Tip: lit. the same.
- 45
vara jämnstarka
to be well matched
Tip: lit. 'be equally strong'.
- 46
den bästa sortens match
the best kind of game
Tip: lit. the same.
- 47
ingen minns resultatet
nobody remembers the score
Tip: lit. the same.