Punctuality Expressions
Prick nio, akademisk kvart, komma i sista sekund — time in a country that means it.
Swedish punctuality decoded: prick nio and the akademisk kvart, the 07:42 precision, party lateness rules — ett meddelande kostar inget.
- 1
prick nio
nine o'clock sharp
Tip: lit. 'dot nine' — and it means nine.
- 2
vara i tid
to be on time
Tip: lit. the same — a genuine Swedish virtue.
- 3
vara fem minuter före
to be five minutes early
Tip: lit. the same — the actual expectation.
- 4
akademisk kvart
the academic quarter
Tip: lit. the same — lectures start 15 minutes after the stated time.
- 5
vara sen
to be running late
Tip: lit. 'be late'.
- 6
bli uppehållen
to be held up
Tip: lit. the same.
- 7
komma i sista sekund
to arrive at the last second
Tip: lit. the same.
- 8
hinna precis
to make it just in time
Tip: lit. 'manage exactly'.
- 9
missa med en minut
to miss it by a minute
Tip: lit. the same.
- 10
tappa tidsuppfattningen
to lose track of time
Tip: lit. 'lose the sense of time'.
- 11
tiden bara försvann
time flew by
Tip: lit. 'the time just disappeared'.
- 12
vara kroniskt sen
to be chronically late
Tip: lit. the same.
- 13
ställa klockan tio minuter före
to set the clock ten minutes fast
Tip: lit. the same — the standard hack.
- 14
tåget var försenat
the train was delayed
Tip: lit. the same.
- 15
ersättningsbuss
replacement bus service
Tip: lit. the same — the two worst words in Swedish.
- 16
ett signalfel
a signal fault
Tip: lit. the same.
- 17
löv på spåret
leaves on the line
Tip: lit. the same — and snow, and heat, and everything else.
- 18
åka i god tid
to leave in good time
Tip: lit. the same.
- 19
ta höjd för förseningar
to build in a margin
Tip: lit. 'take height for delays'.
- 20
hellre tidig än sen
better early than late
Tip: lit. the same.
- 21
låta någon vänta
to keep someone waiting
Tip: lit. the same — a genuine offence here.
- 22
en kvart är länge i Sverige
fifteen minutes is a long time in Sweden
Tip: lit. the same.
- 23
skicka ett meddelande om du blir sen
to text ahead if you're late
Tip: lit. the same — the minimum requirement.
- 24
om en kvart
in a quarter of an hour
Tip: lit. the same.
- 25
plus minus
give or take
Tip: lit. the same.
- 26
det är ingen brådska
there's no rush
Tip: lit. the same.
- 27
ta den tid du behöver
take your time
Tip: lit. 'take the time you need'.
- 28
komma på avtalad tid
to arrive at the agreed time
Tip: lit. the same.
- 29
varken före eller efter
not before, not after
Tip: lit. the same — arriving early is also rude.
- 30
vänta utanför till hel timme
to wait outside until the hour
Tip: lit. the same — genuinely done.
- 31
mötet börjar på slaget
the meeting starts on the dot
Tip: lit. the same.
- 32
ingen väntar på efterblivna
nobody waits for latecomers
Tip: lit. 'nobody waits for those left behind'.
- 33
smyga in
to join quietly
Tip: lit. 'sneak in' — the only option.
- 34
tåget går klockan sju och fyrtiotvå
the train leaves at 07:42
Tip: lit. the same — and it means 07:42.
- 35
dörrarna stänger innan dess
the doors close before that
Tip: lit. the same.
- 36
en minut före är en minut borta
a minute early is a minute gone
Tip: lit. the same.
- 37
lägga in marginal
to build in a margin
Tip: lit. the same.
- 38
kolla appen innan man går
to check the app before leaving
Tip: lit. the same.
- 39
sex minuters försening
a delay of six minutes
Tip: lit. the same — and it's announced.
- 40
punktlighetsstatistik publiceras
punctuality statistics are published
Tip: lit. the same — monthly.
- 41
och kritiseras
and complained about
Tip: lit. the same.
- 42
att komma sent till en fest går bra
to be late to a party is fine
Tip: lit. the same — the one exception.
- 43
en kvart är artigt
fifteen minutes is polite
Tip: lit. the same.
- 44
men inte till middag
but not to dinner
Tip: lit. the same — food is timed.
- 45
höra av sig om man blir sen
to warn if you'll be late
Tip: lit. the same — the minimum courtesy.
- 46
ett meddelande kostar inget
a message costs nothing
Tip: lit. the same.
- 47
och gör hela skillnaden
and changes everything
Tip: lit. the same.