Talking to a Dog
Commands, praise and nonsense — the Swedish you use on a walk and in the hallway.
Dog Swedish is short, and it is the same register as baby Swedish: imperatives, duktig, and a lot of vem är en duktig hund. Worth learning early because dog owners in Sweden will talk to you through the dog.
- 1
Sitt!
Sit!
Tip: bare imperative, no pronoun
- 2
Ligg!
Lie down!
Tip: from ligga, to lie
- 3
Stanna!
Stay!
Tip: also what you say to a person at a door
- 4
Kom hit!
Come here!
Tip: hit = to here (motion); här = here (position)
- 5
Duktig hund!
Good dog!
Tip: duktig again — the same praise as for children
- 6
Vem är en duktig vovve då?
Who's a good boy then?
Tip: vovve is the baby word for dog, used affectionately by adults too
- 7
Släpp!
Drop it!
Tip: släppa = to let go
- 8
Lämna det.
Leave it.
Tip: said low and flat
- 9
Nej! Fy!
No! Bad!
Tip: fy is the reprimand noise — used for dogs and, jokingly, people
- 10
Vänta.
Wait.
Tip: at the kerb, before crossing
- 11
Ska vi gå ut och gå?
Shall we go for a walk?
Tip: literally 'go out and go' — the standard phrase for walkies
- 12
Var är kopplet?
Where's your lead?
Tip: koppel = lead, leash; koppla = to attach
- 13
Han är snäll, oroa dig inte.
He's friendly, don't worry.
Tip: what you say to the nervous person coming the other way
- 14
Går det bra om de hälsar?
Is it alright if they say hello?
Tip: hälsa = to greet; the standard dog-meeting question
- 15
Han är fortfarande valp.
He's still a puppy.
Tip: valp = puppy; article dropped in this register
- 16
Är du hungrig, va?
Hungry, are you?
Tip: va? again — the spoken tag
- 17
Ner från soffan.
Off the sofa.
Tip: ner från = down off
- 18
Vad smutsig du är!
You're filthy!
Tip: vad + adjective + du är = what a ... you are
- 19
Kom igen då.
Come on then.
Tip: the sigh version, when they won't move
- 20
Duktig. Bra jobbat.
Good boy. Well done.
Tip: bra jobbat works on dogs, children and colleagues alike