VAB Expressions
The most Swedish of verbs — vabba, vabruari, förskolesjukan and gå på reservtanken.
Vab in full: vabruari's siege, the whose-turn negotiation, 48 symptom-free hours — barnprogram och gos, man får igen tiden sen.
- 1
vabba
to stay home with a sick child
Tip: lit. from VAB, 'vård av barn' — a verb only Swedish has.
- 2
en vabbdag
a day off with a sick child
Tip: lit. 'a VAB day' — paid by Försäkringskassan.
- 3
vabruari
peak sick-child season
Tip: lit. 'VAB-ruary' — February, when every child is ill at once.
- 4
anmäla vab
to report a VAB day
Tip: lit. 'report VAB' — you do it in the app the same morning.
- 5
jobba hemifrån med barn i knäet
to work from home with a child on your lap
Tip: lit. the same — the reality of a vabbdag.
- 6
få det att gå ihop
to make it all work somehow
Tip: lit. 'make it go together'.
- 7
inte veta ut eller in
to not know which way to turn
Tip: lit. 'not know out or in'.
- 8
hela familjen har fått det
the whole family caught it
Tip: lit. the same — the inevitable second week.
- 9
förskolesjukan
the nursery bug
Tip: lit. 'the preschool illness' — the endless winter cycle.
- 10
vara hemma sjuk igen
to be off sick again
Tip: lit. the same.
- 11
få ställa in allt
to have to cancel everything
Tip: lit. 'have to cancel everything'.
- 12
ta smällen
to take the hit
Tip: lit. 'take the blow' — the parent who cancels their day.
- 13
vara förstående
to be understanding about it
Tip: lit. the same — what you hope your boss is.
- 14
ta igen det senare
to make up for it later
Tip: lit. 'take it back later'.
- 15
en feber som inte vill släppa
a fever that won't break
Tip: lit. 'a fever that doesn't want to let go'.
- 16
vara uppe hela natten
to be up all night
Tip: lit. the same.
- 17
gå på reservtanken
to be running on empty
Tip: lit. 'run on the reserve tank'.
- 18
vara på benen igen
to be back on your feet
Tip: lit. 'be on the legs again'.
- 19
ett dygn utan symtom
twenty-four hours symptom free
Tip: lit. 'one day-and-night without symptoms' — the rule for going back.
- 20
bli hemskickad från förskolan
to be sent home from nursery
Tip: lit. the same — the phone call every parent dreads.
- 21
få allt som går
to catch everything going
Tip: lit. 'get everything that goes around'.
- 22
immunförsvaret får sig en törn
the immune system takes a beating
Tip: lit. 'the immune defence takes a knock'.
- 23
vara en vandrande bakteriehärd
to be a walking germ factory
Tip: lit. 'be a walking bacteria hotbed' — said fondly about toddlers.
- 24
vara tacksam för systemet
to be grateful for the system
Tip: lit. the same — most parents genuinely are.
- 25
det är bara en period
it's just a phase
Tip: lit. 'it's just a period'.
- 26
det här går också över
this will pass too
Tip: lit. the same.
- 27
hålla näsan över vattenytan
to keep your head above water
Tip: lit. 'keep the nose above the water surface'.
- 28
anmäla samma dag
to report it the same day
Tip: lit. the same — do it before you forget.
- 29
ansöka i efterhand
to apply afterwards
Tip: lit. the same — within 90 days.
- 30
åttio procent av lönen
eighty percent of your pay
Tip: lit. the same — roughly what VAB pays.
- 31
hundratjugo dagar om året
a hundred and twenty days a year
Tip: lit. the same — per child, in theory.
- 32
läkarintyg efter en vecka
a doctor's note after a week
Tip: lit. the same.
- 33
dela dagarna mellan er
to split the days between you
Tip: lit. the same.
- 34
vems tur är det idag?
whose turn is it today?
Tip: lit. the same — the morning negotiation.
- 35
jag har ett möte jag inte kan flytta
I've got a meeting I can't move
Tip: lit. the same.
- 36
det har inte jag heller
neither can I
Tip: lit. the same.
- 37
ta en halvdag var
to take half a day each
Tip: lit. the same — the usual compromise.
- 38
far- och morföräldrar får också vabba
the grandparents can VAB too
Tip: lit. the same — they can claim it as well.
- 39
magsjuka på förskolan
stomach flu going round the nursery
Tip: lit. the same — the dreaded message.
- 40
fyrtioåtta timmar utan symtom
forty-eight hours symptom free
Tip: lit. the same — the rule after vomiting.
- 41
desinficera allt
to disinfect everything
Tip: lit. the same.
- 42
tvätta händerna hela tiden
to wash your hands constantly
Tip: lit. the same.
- 43
och få det ändå
and get it anyway
Tip: lit. the same.
- 44
en hel vecka borta
a whole week gone
Tip: lit. the same.
- 45
mejlen hopar sig
the emails pile up
Tip: lit. the same.
- 46
barnprogram och gos hela dagen
cartoons and cuddles all day
Tip: lit. the same — the good part.
- 47
man får igen tiden sen
you get the time back later
Tip: lit. the same.