Getting the Jab: Expressions
Needles, nerves and side effects — ta en för laget, gilla läget, peppa sig själv, bli kallad.
The jab, complete: needle fear handled kindly, the programme from BVC to TBE, vilken arm — en sak mindre att oroa sig för.
- 1
ta sprutan
to get the jab
Tip: lit. 'take the syringe'.
- 2
en vitamininjektion
a shot in the arm (a boost)
Tip: lit. 'a vitamin injection' — figurative, about morale or an economy.
- 3
vara spruträdd
to be scared of needles
Tip: lit. 'be syringe-afraid'.
- 4
titta bort bara
just look away
Tip: lit. 'look away just' — the standard reassurance.
- 5
det är över på en sekund
it's over in a second
Tip: lit. the same.
- 6
du kommer inte känna något
you won't feel a thing
Tip: lit. the same — famously untrue.
- 7
ett litet stick
a little prick
Tip: lit. 'a small prick'.
- 8
vara öm efteråt
to be sore afterwards
Tip: lit. 'be tender afterwards'.
- 9
biverkningar
side effects
Tip: lit. 'by-effects'.
- 10
vara sådär dagen efter
to feel rough the next day
Tip: lit. 'be so-there the day after' — Swedish understatement.
- 11
bygga upp immunitet
to build up immunity
Tip: lit. the same.
- 12
flockimmunitet
herd immunity
Tip: lit. 'flock immunity' — a very public phrase since 2020.
- 13
en påfyllnadsdos
a booster dose
Tip: lit. 'a refill dose'.
- 14
vara i fas med vaccinationerna
to be up to date with your jabs
Tip: lit. 'be in phase with the vaccinations'.
- 15
ta en för laget
to take one for the team
Tip: lit. the same — very common in Swedish workplaces.
- 16
man får ta det onda med det goda
you take the rough with the smooth
Tip: lit. 'one has to take the bad with the good'.
- 17
gilla läget
to accept the situation
Tip: lit. 'like the situation' — grin and get on with it.
- 18
att bäva inför det
to be dreading it
Tip: lit. 'to tremble before it'.
- 19
peppa sig själv
to psych yourself up
Tip: lit. 'pep oneself'.
- 20
göra väsen av sig
to make a fuss
Tip: lit. 'make noise of oneself'.
- 21
hålla masken
to keep a straight face
Tip: lit. 'hold the mask'.
- 22
svimma vid åsynen av blod
to faint at the sight of blood
Tip: lit. the same.
- 23
väntrummet
the waiting room
Tip: lit. the same.
- 24
sitta kvar i femton minuter
to stay for fifteen minutes afterwards
Tip: lit. 'sit remaining for fifteen minutes' — the observation rule.
- 25
bli kallad
to be called in for an appointment
Tip: lit. 'be called' — the letter from the region.
- 26
missa sin tid
to miss your slot
Tip: lit. 'miss one's time'.
- 27
vara en riktig mes
to be a big baby about it
Tip: lit. 'be a real wimp' — teasing, said between friends.
- 28
vaccinationsprogrammet
the vaccination programme
Tip: lit. the same — the childhood schedule.
- 29
BVC
the child health centre
Tip: lit. 'barnavårdscentralen' — where Swedish children get theirs.
- 30
skolsköterskan tar det
the school nurse does it
Tip: lit. the same.
- 31
en stelkrampsspruta
a tetanus booster
Tip: lit. 'a tetanus jab' — every twenty years.
- 32
TBE-spruta
a tick-borne encephalitis jab
Tip: lit. the same — near-universal on the east coast.
- 33
tre doser första året
three doses the first year
Tip: lit. the same.
- 34
en resevaccination
a travel vaccination
Tip: lit. the same.
- 35
boka på en vaccinationsmottagning
to book at a travel clinic
Tip: lit. the same.
- 36
vilken arm?
which arm?
Tip: lit. the same — take the one you don't sleep on.
- 37
vända bort huvudet
to look the other way
Tip: lit. 'turn the head away'.
- 38
räkna till tre
to count to three
Tip: lit. the same.
- 39
det är redan klart
it's done already
Tip: lit. the same.
- 40
ett plåster på
a plaster on top
Tip: lit. the same.
- 41
öm arm imorgon
a sore arm tomorrow
Tip: lit. the same.
- 42
röra på armen så hjälper det
to move the arm to help
Tip: lit. the same.
- 43
lite feber är normalt
a slight temperature is normal
Tip: lit. the same.
- 44
ringa om utslaget sprider sig
to call if the rash spreads
Tip: lit. the same.
- 45
vaccinationskortet
the vaccination record
Tip: lit. 'the vaccination card' — keep it forever.
- 46
allt finns i appen nu
it's all in the app now
Tip: lit. the same.
- 47
en sak mindre att oroa sig för
one less thing to worry about
Tip: lit. the same.