LÄR DIG SVENSKA
By Åsa Bouck A Swedish teacher, living in Canada. Swedish2go.com.
Fikadags – Semlatid
Prepositioner medan vi fikar
Träna svenska
Fettisdagen is March 5th. Fettisdagsbulle (‘Fat Tuesday Bun’ or Semla) is a sweet wheat bun with almond paste inside and lots of whipped cream underneath the lid sprinkled with powder sugar. It could, because of the Semla-day, be a good time to start practicing words and phrases that we need for our many fikastunder (“coffee with treat-moments”). As most of you Swedish Press readers know by now, coffee is very important to us Swedes and fika is a verb or a noun that always comes handy. In this edition you will learn more about påtår, kaffe på maten and many other coffee-terms.
When learning the phrases about coffee, we will inevitably get into the use of prepositions, and how terribly hard it can be to learn prepositions in a different language – not only Swedish. At a very basic level, we can translate most of the prepositions from English to Swedish, or vice versa. However, as soon as our language is a tiny bit more advanced (like yours will be after this lesson!), you will understand that prepositions must be learned dependent on the situation – and there are many different situations…
Make sure you visit the Swedish Press’ Swedish2go blog and watch the videos about “Semla” (you will automatically learn about adjectives too) and about prepositions when talking about time (Tidsprepositioner). For a more advanced challenge, search up a Swedish recipe for “Semlor” and try and bake these delicious treats for any day of the week, not only for March 5th. Don’t wait too long though, because a true Swede would never eat a Semla after Easter. If you miss the chance this year you will have to wait until next January.
Words and phrases of the month Prepositioner: I = In På = On Under = Under Över = Over Hos = At someone’s place Bakom = Behind Framför = In front of Före = Before Efter = After Bredvid = Next to Vid = By Med = With Utan = Without Kaffefraser: Svart kaffe = Black coffee Kaffe med mjölk = Coffee with milk Utan socker = Without sugar Ett kafferep = A coffee party Får det lov att vara… = May I serve… … lite påtår? = another cup of coffee? Kaffe på maten ingår = Coffee after your meal is included Jag är kaffesugen = I am craving coffee. Spetsat kaffe – Coffee with alcohol in it Kaffe och bulle – Coffee with a cinnamon bun (the most traditional combination) Kaffe och fralla – coffee with a roll (not sweet, usually with cheese) Kaffepaus – Coffee break (a legal right in Sweden) Fikadags – Time for coffee with treat
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March 2014 22
Coffee with the meal or coffee on the meal? The above phrases are straight translations from English to Swedish of: Kaffe till maten? Kaffe på maten? Swedish is not unique in using prepositions to give fine differences in meaning. English and many other languages do the same. However, the Swedish language, is unique in its own way, meaning that you must study hard to learn the right preposition for that specific situation. With enough coffee, however, anything is possible, so keep practicing!
Words for the baking challenge: Tsk = Tesked = Teaspoon Msk = Matsked = Tablespoon Dl = Deciliter = 100 ml En halv = half Ett hekto = 100 g Jäst = Yeast Rumsvarmt = Room temperature Mandelmassa = Almond paste Vispgrädde = Whipping cream Florsocker = Powder sugar
Match the Swedish phrase with the correct English translation: • Jag är hemma hos Karin på kaffe. • Har ni semlor utan mandelmassa? • Vill du ha kaffe på maten? • Vi serverar kaffe och fralla i pausen. • Kom på kafferep på lördag! • Jag är så sugen på kaffe. • Kaffe till maten? Nej tack! • Vill du ha påtår? • Ingår påtår? • Ja, några droppar till kan jag ta.
A. Come for a coffee party on Saturday! B. Well, I guess I can take a little bit more coffee. C. Would you like the coffee to be refilled? D. Coffee with the meal? No thank you! E. I am at Karin’s place for a coffee. F. Do you want coffee after your meal? G. Is a coffee refill included? H. I am really craving a coffee. I. We are serving coffee and a bun in the intermission. J. Do you have semlor without almond paste?
• Now: Underline the Swedish prepositions in the sentences above! (Not all sentences have a preposition) • Next: Give each preposition a translation that is correct for that situation!
