Everyday Swedish idioms: cows on the ice and ice in the stomach

Swedish idioms are short, vivid and often rooted in country life: cows, horses, forests and ice. Knowing a few will make your Swedish sound more natural, and it will help you follow a conversation when people use them without thinking. Each entry gives the literal translation, the meaning, the nearest English phrase and an example.

Idioms are fixed, so learn each one as a whole phrase and do not swap words. Most of these are informal, and some are best used with friends rather than in formal writing.

Quick reference

Det är ingen ko på isen

• Literal: "There is no cow on the ice."
• Meaning: There is nothing to worry about, and no immediate danger. The picture is an animal that is not about to fall through the ice.
• English equivalent: No need to panic. There is no rush.
• Example: Vi hinner med tåget, det är ingen ko på isen. (We will catch the train, there is no need to panic.)

Ha is i magen

• Literal: "To have ice in the stomach."
• Meaning: To stay calm and not rush into something, especially under pressure.
• English equivalent: To keep a cool head.
• Example: Ha is i magen och vänta tills de ringer. (Keep a cool head and wait until they call.)

Hålla tummarna

• Literal: "To hold the thumbs."
• Meaning: To wish someone luck. The speaker holds their thumbs inside their fists.
• English equivalent: To keep your fingers crossed.
• Example: Jag håller tummarna för dig på provet. (I am keeping my fingers crossed for you on the exam.)

Dra åt skogen

• Literal: "To pull off to the forest."
• Meaning: To go away, said rudely or in anger. It is not a polite thing to say.
• English equivalent: Get lost! Go and jump in a lake!
• Example: Han sa åt mig att dra åt skogen. (He told me to get lost.)

You will hear this often, but do not use it unless you mean it. It is rude with strangers and unkind with friends.

Det ligger en hund begraven

• Literal: "A dog lies buried there."
• Meaning: There is a hidden problem or catch, and something that is not quite right.
• English equivalent: There is something fishy going on. There is a catch.
• Example: Priset är så lågt att det måste ligga en hund begraven. (The price is so low that there must be a catch.)

Slå två flugor i en smäll

• Literal: "To hit two flies in one blow."
• Meaning: To achieve two things with a single action.
• English equivalent: To kill two birds with one stone.
• Example: Jag handlade på vägen hem och slog två flugor i en smäll. (I did the shopping on the way home and killed two birds with one stone.)

Using these well

• Keep the form. Hålla tummarna is the phrase, but the verb changes with the tense: Jag håller tummarna (I am keeping my fingers crossed), Jag höll tummarna (I kept my fingers crossed).
• Mind the word order. The idioms follow normal Swedish rules, see verb-second word order.
• Know your audience. Dra åt skogen is rude, while hålla tummarna works in any setting.

Practice

For idioms about food and drink, see Swedish food idioms.