Toasts & Table Talk Expressions
Skål, tal till värdinnan, snapsvisa — the choreography of a Swedish dinner table.
Toast protocol in full: eye contact before and after, the host toasts first, snapsvisa liturgy, plate-passing law — och tacka alla på vägen ut.
- 1
skål!
cheers!
Tip: lit. 'bowl' — from the drinking vessel.
- 2
utbringa en skål
to propose a toast
Tip: lit. 'bring out a toast'.
- 3
en skål för värdinnan
a toast to the hostess
Tip: lit. the same — traditionally proposed by a male guest.
- 4
hålla ögonkontakt
to make eye contact
Tip: lit. the same — around the whole table, then again after drinking.
- 5
en snapsvisa
a schnapps song
Tip: lit. the same — sung before each shot, badly.
- 6
talet till värden
the speech to the host
Tip: lit. the same.
- 7
knacka i glaset
to tap your glass
Tip: lit. 'knock in the glass' — the signal for silence.
- 8
säga några ord
to say a few words
Tip: lit. the same — always more than a few.
- 9
en placering
a table plan
Tip: lit. 'a placing' — worked out weeks in advance.
- 10
hedersgästen
the guest of honour
Tip: lit. the same — seated to the left of the host.
- 11
sitta varannan damernas
to be seated boy-girl
Tip: lit. 'sit every-other ladies' — alternating men and women.
- 12
toastmastern
the master of ceremonies
Tip: lit. the same — an English loan with a Swedish job.
- 13
tack för maten
thank you for the food
Tip: lit. the same — said by every guest, and by children especially.
- 14
klinga med glasen
to clink glasses
Tip: lit. 'ring with the glasses'.
- 15
hålla samtalet igång
to keep the conversation going
Tip: lit. the same.
- 16
prata i mun på varandra
to talk over each other
Tip: lit. 'talk in each other's mouths'.
- 17
byta samtalsämne
to change the subject
Tip: lit. 'change conversation topic'.
- 18
undvika politik vid bordet
to avoid politics at the table
Tip: lit. the same — good advice everywhere.
- 19
berätta bra
to tell a story well
Tip: lit. 'tell well'.
- 20
samtalet flyter
the conversation flows
Tip: lit. 'the conversation floats'.
- 21
en tystnad som lägger sig
an awkward pause
Tip: lit. 'a silence that settles'.
- 22
vara festens mittpunkt
to be the life of the party
Tip: lit. 'be the party's centre point'.
- 23
få en skål att falla platt
to make a toast fall flat
Tip: lit. the same.
- 24
skratta på rätt ställen
to laugh in the right places
Tip: lit. the same.
- 25
resa sig från bordet
to leave the table
Tip: lit. 'rise from the table' — wait for the host.
- 26
kaffe i vardagsrummet
coffee in the sitting room
Tip: lit. the same — the second half of the evening.
- 27
tack för en trevlig kväll
thank you for a lovely evening
Tip: lit. the same.
- 28
titta i glaset innan man dricker
to look into the glass before drinking
Tip: lit. the same — part of the ritual.
- 29
ögonkontakt igen efteråt
eye contact again after
Tip: lit. the same — before you put the glass down.
- 30
värden skålar först
the host toasts first
Tip: lit. the same — wait for it.
- 31
skåla aldrig med värden själv
never toast the host yourself
Tip: lit. the same — an old rule, loosely kept.
- 32
en skål för de som inte är här
a toast to absent friends
Tip: lit. the same.
- 33
resa sig för talet
to stand up for the speech
Tip: lit. the same.
- 34
knacka försiktigt i glaset
to tap the glass gently
Tip: lit. the same — not with a fork, not hard.
- 35
ett tal ska vara kort
a speech should be short
Tip: lit. the same — three minutes, ideally.
- 36
ingen minns ett långt tal
nobody remembers a long one
Tip: lit. the same.
- 37
utom av fel anledning
except for the wrong reasons
Tip: lit. the same.
- 38
sjunga före snapsen
to sing before the schnapps
Tip: lit. the same — the song comes first.
- 39
alla kan texten
everyone knows the words
Tip: lit. the same — Helan går, at minimum.
- 40
sångbladet på bordet
the song sheet on the table
Tip: lit. the same.
- 41
skicka fatet åt vänster
to pass the dish to the left
Tip: lit. the same.
- 42
ta lite av allt
to take a little of everything
Tip: lit. the same.
- 43
ta om
to go back for seconds
Tip: lit. 'take again'.
- 44
prata med båda bordsgrannarna
to talk to both neighbours
Tip: lit. the same — an actual social duty.
- 45
inte bara med sin partner
not only to your partner
Tip: lit. the same.
- 46
tacka kocken personligen
to thank the cook personally
Tip: lit. the same.
- 47
och alla andra på vägen ut
and everyone else on the way out
Tip: lit. the same.