Strul, Krångel and Things Going Wrong

To play up, be awkward

Tip: Machines, systems and people all krånglar

Hassle, faff

Tip: Mycket krångel = a lot of pointless difficulty

To go wrong, get messy

Tip: Also means a casual romantic fling

A mess, a hassle

Tip: Det blev strul med bokningen = the booking went sideways

To ruin, wreck

Tip: Casual. Du sabbade det = you blew it

To spoil, destroy

Tip: Stronger and more neutral than sabba

To break (stop working)

Tip: Things go sönder rather than being broken by someone

Broken

Tip: Of an object; a person is not trasig unless you mean it darkly

Out of order

Tip: The wording on the printed sign

To fumble it, botch it

Tip: Jag klantade mig = that was clumsy of me

Clumsy, botched

Tip: Describing the mistake, not the person

To fail, not succeed

Tip: lyckas = to succeed; miss- flips it

It all went to hell

Tip: Literally 'went to the forest'

To derail, go off the rails

Tip: Of plans, evenings and arguments

To come to nothing

Tip: Slightly literary but common in news

Damn

Tip: The everyday swear word; stronger than English 'damn'

Damn it

Tip: Muttered at yourself

Oh no, blast

Tip: Milder, usable in front of colleagues

Now we're in trouble

Tip: Literally 'now we sit nicely' — said when you're stuck

What a shambles

Tip: Or vilket strul for the smaller kind