Sorry, what? Words for not understanding
The small words that rescue a conversation: sorry, again, slowly, word, mean, spell and explain.
Not understanding is a normal part of learning, and Swedes are usually happy to help if you know how to ask. These words are the building blocks.
- 1
förlåt
sorry
Tip: The everyday apology. With a rising tone it also means 'pardon?'.
- 2
ursäkta
excuse me
Tip: The polite way to interrupt or get someone's attention.
- 3
va?
what? (casual)
Tip: Quick and casual; a bit blunt on its own, softer after 'sorry'.
- 4
igen
again
Tip: Goes at the end: say it again.
- 5
en gång till
one more time
Tip: lit. 'one time more'.
- 6
långsamt
slowly
Tip: Add -are for 'more slowly'.
- 7
högre
louder
Tip: Also 'higher'. The base form means both high and loud.
- 8
att förstå
to understand
Tip: The present tense ends in -r.
- 9
att höra
to hear
Tip: Not hearing is not the same as not understanding.
- 10
att säga
to say
Tip: Past tense: sa, or more formally sade.
- 11
att upprepa
to repeat
Tip: More formal. In speech people usually ask you to 'say it again'.
- 12
ett ord
a word
Tip: Same form in the plural.
- 13
en mening
a sentence
Tip: Also means 'meaning' or 'point'.
- 14
en bokstav
a letter (of the alphabet)
Tip: A letter you post is a different word.
- 15
att stava
to spell
Tip: Swedes spell out names, streets and emails all the time.
- 16
att betyda
to mean (of a word)
Tip: For a word's meaning. What a person means takes a different verb.
- 17
att mena
to mean (of a person)
Tip: What someone intends to say.
- 18
att förklara
to explain
Tip: lit. 'make clear'.
- 19
att översätta
to translate
Tip: lit. 'over-set'.
- 20
att skriva
to write
Tip: Past tense: skrev.
- 21
en fråga
a question
Tip: The verb 'to ask (a question)' looks the same with att in front.
- 22
en ordbok
a dictionary
Tip: lit. 'word book'.
- 23
att prata
to speak
Tip: Everyday. The more formal verb is tala.
- 24
att lära sig
to learn
Tip: Reflexive: you 'teach yourself'.
- 25
en nybörjare
a beginner
Tip: lit. 'new beginner'.
- 26
lite
a little
Tip: As in 'I speak a little'.
- 27
ett uttal
pronunciation
Tip: An ett-word.
- 28
en brytning
a foreign accent
Tip: lit. 'a breaking'. A regional accent is a different word.
- 29
en dialekt
a dialect
Tip: Sweden has many, from Skåne in the south to Norrland in the north.
- 30
svår
difficult
Tip: Add -t after det: it's hard.
- 31
lätt
easy
Tip: Also means 'light' (not heavy).
- 32
ett fel
a mistake
Tip: Also an adjective: wrong.
- 33
rätt
right, correct
Tip: The opposite of wrong.