Rom byggdes inte på en dag

Rome wasn't built in a day
Rome wasn't built in a day


ju fler kockar, desto sämre soppa

Literally, the greater the number of cooks, the worse the soup.

too many cooks spoil the broth
too many cooks spoil the broth


lika barn leka bäst

Literally, "alike children play best (with each other)." Leka is a frozen (slightly) archaic present tense plural form. The present tense plural used to be identical to the infinitive for all verbs except vara. Leker would be expected in contemporary Swedish.

birds of a feather flock together
birds of a feather flock together


head

när katten är borta, dansar råttorna på bordet

Literally ‘when the cat is away, the rats dance on the table’.

when the cat's away the mice will play
when the cat's away the mice will play

när katten är borta dansar råttorna på bordet


man kan inte lära gamla hundar sitta

Literally: "one can't teach old dogs to sit".

you can't teach an old dog new tricks
you can't teach an old dog new tricks


vägen till helvetet är kantad av goda föresatser

The road to hell is paved with good intentions


pengar växer inte på träd

money doesn't grow on trees
money doesn't grow on trees


morgonstund har guld i mun

Borrowed from German Morgenstunde hat Gold im Munde. Often misinterpreted to mean "The morning has gold in its mouth" (rather than hand), due to mund being an archaic form of mun.

bor+

the early bird catches the worm
the early bird catches the worm


alla vägar bär till Rom

all roads lead to Rome
all roads lead to Rome


som man bäddar får man ligga

Literally, “as one makes the bed, one gets to lie”.

lit

you made your bed, now sleep in it
you made your bed, now sleep in it

as you make your bed, so you must lie in it, you made your bed, now sleep in it


nära skjuter ingen hare

head

nära skjuter ingen hare (literally: "close shoots no hare")


gräset är alltid grönare på andra sidan

the grass is always greener on the other side


du är vad du äter

you are what you eat
you are what you eat


ingen regel utan undantag

there is an exception to every rule
there is an exception to every rule


gå inte över ån efter vatten

/ɡoː ˈɪntə ˈœːr ˈoːn ˈɛftər ˈvatɛn/

Literally, "don't cross the stream for (as in, in pursuit of) water" – "don't cross the stream to get water."

don't do things in a needlessly complicated way, settle for a simpler solution when one exists


övning ger färdighet

practice makes perfect
practice makes perfect


egen härd är guld värd

egen härd är guld värd (literally: own hearth is gold worth)

Praises the chance to have a place one can call "my own".


bränt barn skyr elden

bränt barn skyr elden ("burnt child shuns the fire")

once bitten, twice shy
once bitten, twice shy

a burnt child dreads the fire
a burnt child dreads the fire

once bitten, twice shy, a burnt child dreads the fire


även en blind höna kan finna ett korn

även en blind höna kan finna ett korn ("even a blind hen can find a corn")

Luck is blind and can affect anybody, even a blind squirrel can find a nut once in a while

även en blind höna kan hitta ett guldkorn

en blind höna finner också stundom ett korn


skrattar bäst som skrattar sist

skrattar (“laughs”) + bäst (“best”) + som (“that”) + skrattar (“laughs”) + sist (“last”), "(he) laughs best who laughs last"

af

he who laughs last laughs best
he who laughs last laughs best

After false allegations subside, the truth will vindicate.


själv är bästa dräng

head

själv är bästa dräng ("self is the best farmhand")

if you want to be certain something gets done, do it yourself


genvägar är senvägar

genvägar (“shortcuts”) + är (“are”) + senvägar (“"late-cuts"”)

af

What appears to be a shortcut may end up taking longer than the standard route (since you might get lost, for example).


pennan är mäktigare än svärdet

head

pennan är mäktigare än svärdet ("The pen is mightier than the sword.")

the pen is mightier than the sword
the pen is mightier than the sword


nöden är uppfinningarnas moder

necessity is the mother of invention
necessity is the mother of invention


borta bra men hemma bäst

borta bra men hemma bäst (literally: away (is) good but home (is) best)

away (is) good but home (is) best (literally)

there's no place like home
there's no place like home


blod är tjockare än vatten

blood is thicker than water
blood is thicker than water


det man inte har i huvudet får man ha i benen

Literally, "What one doesn't have in one's head, one has to have in one's legs."

those who do not think (especially those who forget an item) have to make a physical effort to deal with the consequences


det tror jag när jag ser det

seeing is believing; literally: I will believe that when I see it


en bild säger mer än tusen ord

a picture is worth a thousand words
a picture is worth a thousand words


i mörkret är alla katter grå

all cats are grey in the dark
all cats are grey in the dark


kommer tid, kommer råd

kommer (“comes”) + tid (“time”) + kommer (“comes”) + råd (“counsel”) (see råd)


head

bättre en fågel i handen än tio i skogen

Literally, "better a bird in one's hand than ten in the forest."

a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush


när katten är borta dansar råttorna på bordet

när katten är borta, dansar råttorna på bordet#Swedish

Alternative spelling of när katten är borta, dansar råttorna på bordet


både hängslen och livrem

både hängslen och livrem ("both suspenders and belt")

En verklig pessimist är jag, som använder både hängslen och livrem.

A real pessimist is me, who is always on the safe side.

Kärvande skosnören är ett skräckscenario som ingen löpare vill drabbas av. Se därför till att ha både hängslen och livrem – är de redan befintliga skosnörena för korta för att klara en trippelknut kan du behöva ersätta dem.

2013 May 19, Petra Månström, “Maratipsen du inte visste att du behövde [The Marathon Tips You Didn't Know You Needed]”, in Svenska Dagbladet:

Shoelace problems is a horror scenario that no runner wants to experience. Therefore, make sure to take extra precautions – if the already existing shoelaces are too short to handle a triple knot, you may need to replace them.

Det låter kanske som att ha både hängslen och livrem, men Anette förklarar:
– Vi kan få mycket snö från Vänern här och den kommer helt utan förvarning. Det händer kanske vart 25 år, men vi vill vara beredda när det händer.

2017 September 23, Amanda Andersson, “Grönsaksodlarna som inte lämnar något åt slumpen [The vegetable growers who leave nothing to chance]”, in Jordbruksaktuellt:

It might sound like an over-precaution, but Anette explains:
– We can get a lot of snow from Lake Vänern here and it comes without warning. It happens maybe every 25 years, but we want to be prepared when it happens.

Seger har haft en skadefylld vår med lite speltid. […] Det handlar ju inte bara om VM utan att hon ska vara tillgänglig för oss. Vi vill inte gå på för tidigt utan ha både hängslen och livrem.

2023 July 2, “Caroline Seger missade ny match: ”Hängslen och livrem” [Caroline Seger missed new match: "On the safe side'"]”, in SVT Nyheter:

Seger has had an injury-riddled spring with little playing time. […] It's not just about the WC, but that she should be available to us. We don't want to go on too soon but to be on the safe side.

A large amount, or unnecessary amount, of precautions; on the safe side.


ta inte ut segern i förskott

ta inte ut segern i förskott ("Don't assume victory in advance.")

(idiomatic) don't count your chickens before they're hatched.

sälj inte skinnet innan björnen är skjuten


sälj inte skinnet innan björnen är skjuten

From altered versions of Aesop's fable The Bear and the Travelers. Literally, "Don't sell the pelt before the bear is shot."

don't count your chickens before they're hatched

sälj inte skinnet förrän björnen är skjuten


skomakare, bliv vid din läst

cobbler, keep to your last
cobbler, keep to your last


svenskar äro vi inte längre, ryssar vilja vi inte bli, låt oss alltså bli finnar. ("Swedes we are no longer, Russians do we not want to become, let us thus become Finns.")

svenskar äro vi inte längre (canonical)
ryssar vilja vi inte bli (canonical)
låt oss alltså bli finnar. (canonical)

Svenskar äro vi inte längre, ryssar vilja vi inte bli, låt oss alltså bli finnar.

quote attributed to Adolf Ivar Arwidsson (1791–1858)


äpplet faller inte långt från trädet

the apple does not fall far from the tree


mota Olle i grind

mota Olle i grind ("stop the bull at the gate")

(idiomatic) nip in the bud; to stop or prevent something at an early stage, before it gets out of hand


gapa efter mycket

den som gapar efter mycket mister ofta hela stycket#Swedish

short for den som gapar efter mycket mister ofta hela stycket (“grasp all, lose all”, literally “the one who gapes for much often loses the whole piece”).


den som gapar efter mycket mister ofta hela stycket

From Aesop's fable The Dog and Its Reflection.
Literally, “the one who gapes for much often loses the whole piece”.

lit

Den som gapar efter mycket mister ofta hela stycket, är en klassisk sentens som nu kan tillämpas på de styrande i Stockholms stad. Av den stora renovering av Medborgarhuset på Södermalm som skulle göra om hörsalen till bibliotek och biblioteket till restauranger blev tills vidare intet.

2017 June 13, Mats Wickman, “Det är som om politikerna vill jävlas med oss medborgare [It's as if the politicians want to mess with us citizens.]”, in Svenska Dagbladet:

Grasp all, lose all; a classic sentiment that can now be applied to the authorities in the city of Stockholm. The extensive renovation of the Civic House in Södermalm, intended to transform the auditorium into a library and the library into restaurants, has, for the time being, come to nothing.

den som gapar efter mycket tappar ofta hela stycket


head

den som gapar efter mycket tappar ofta hela stycket

From Aesop's fable The Dog and Its Reflection.
Literally, "The one who gape for much often drop the whole piece".

Alternative form of den som gapar efter mycket mister ofta hela stycket


små grytor har också öron

Literally, "small pots also have ears". Compare Danish små gryder har også ører.

little pitchers have big ears
little pitchers have big ears


det som inte dödar härdar

Literally "that which doesn't kill hardens". Based on an aphorism from Friedrich Nietzsche's Twilight of the Idols.

what doesn't kill you makes you stronger

Friedrich Nietzsche
Twilight of the Idols


många bäckar små

många bäckar små gör en stor å
många bäckar små gör en stor å#Swedish

Ellipsis of många bäckar små gör en stor å.


många bäckar små gör en stor å

Literally, “many small streams make a big river”. Confer French les petits ruisseaux font les grandes rivières.

cog

Till Gyllenpalmska Famillen hafva sedan sista redovisning influtit: En skärf från 2:ne Enkor till den fattiga famillen. Många bäckar små göra en stor å, 2 R:dr R:gd d. 17 Juli 1815.

1815 August 9, N. S. Colliander, “Allmän Kungörelse [Publick Notice]”, in Wexiö Tidning, number 61, page 4:

Unto the Family of Gyllenpalm hath since the last account been received: A small gift from two widows to the poor family. Many a little makes a mickle, 2 Rixdollars, the 17th of July, 1815.

Fem tusen riksgäldsettor, svarade gumman, det är hvad jag lagt tillsamans efter tretti års stultande vid tiggarstafven, ty många bäckar små gör en stor å... också är det i dag jämt tretti år sedan jag blef öfverkörd på gatan och lytt för hela mitt lif.

1900 June 16, August Blanche, “Bilder ur verkligheten [Pictures from Life]”, in Stockholms-Tidningen, number 3200 A, page 3:

Five thousand rixdollars, replied the old woman, that's what I’ve gathered after thirty years of hobbling with the beggar's staff, for many a little makes a mickle... and it is today just thirty years since I was run over in the street and crippled for life.

Och de har också haft det svårt på sistone. Men många bäckar små gör en stor å som den gamla kvinnan sa när hon kissade i havet.

2022, 35:59 from the start, in Ulrika Lindfors-Davis, transl., The Sandman, season 1, episode 11 (overall work in English), spoken by Fate Crone (Souad Faress):

And indeed have they have had a difficult time of late. Still, every litte bit helps as the old woman said when she pissed in the sea.

En fru sa till mig att hon bara kan lägga in en liten summa på ett presentkort, jag svarade henne att av många bäckar små gör en stor å. Alla måste prioritera sin egen jul, men om det blir över kan man dela med sig åt andra. Även små donationer är viktiga.

2023 December 22, Anne Teir-Siltanen, “Lyckade julklappsinsamlingar i Vasa: ”Vartenda år blir man lika förbluffad” [Successful Christmas gift collections in Vasa: "Every year, one is equally astonished"]”, in Yle:

A woman told me she could only contribute a small amount to a gift card. I responded that many small contributions can lead to something great. Everyone needs to prioritise their own Christmas, but if there's anything left over, it's wonderful to share with others. Even small donations matter.

many a mickle makes a muckle
many a mickle makes a muckle


golare har inga polare

snitches get stitches
snitches get stitches


liten tuva stjälper ofta stort lass

liten (“small”) + tuva (“tuft”) + stjälper (“overturns”) + ofta (“often”) + stort (“large”) + lass (“load”), "(a) small tuft often overturns (a) large load"

af

(idiomatic) seemingly insignificant things can have major negative consequences


det som göms i snö kommer upp i tö

det (“that”) + som (“which”) + göms (“is hidden”) + i (“in”) + snö (“snow”) + kommer (“comes”) + upp (“up”) + i (“in”) + tö (“thaw”), approx. "What's hidden in snow comes forth at thaw."

things concealed are eventually revealed


den som nämnde det, han klämde det

den (“the one”) + som (“that”) + nämnde (“mentioned”) + det (“it”) + han (“he”) + klämde (“squeezed”) + det (“it”), "The one who mentioned it squeezed it."

he who smelt it dealt it
he who smelt it dealt it


när fan blir gammal blir han religiös

när (“when”) + fan (“the Devil”) + blir (“becomes”) + gammal (“old”) + blir (“becomes”) + han (“he”) + religiös (“religious”), "When the Devil grows old, he becomes religious."

(idiomatic) Said when someone changes for the better, especially in a dramatic and unexpected way.

(idiomatic) More literally: People often become more religious as they get closer to death


kärt barn har många namn

Literally, "Dear child has many names." Compare Finnish rakkaalla lapsella on monta nimeä.

m+

someone or something well-liked gets many (endearing) epithets


man tager vad man haver

From man (“one”) + tager (“takes (dated form of tar)”) + vad (“what”) + man (“one”) + haver (“has (dated form of har)”), "You use whatever you have." Often attributed to cookbook author Cajsa Warg (1703 – 1769), though there is no account of her using the expression.

af

takes (dated form of <i class="Latn mention" lang="sv">tar</i>)

has (dated form of <i class="Latn mention" lang="sv">har</i>)

Jag hade i pinjenötter istället för solroskärnor. Man tager vad man haver.

I added pine nuts instead of sunflower seeds. You use whatever you have.

Det blev en "man tager vad man haver"-måltid idag

I did an improvised meal with what I had available today

you use what you have on hand (if something else is not available)


omväxling förnöjer

omväxling (“variety”) + förnöjer (“delights”)

variety is the spice of life
variety is the spice of life

(idiomatic) variety is the spice of life


bara döda fiskar följer strömmen

Literally, "Only dead fish follow the stream."

think for yourself, do not be overly influenced by others


head

i de lugnaste vatten simmar de fulaste fiskarna

Literally, "In the calmest waters swim the ugliest fish," with ful fisk (“ugly fish”) being an idiom for a criminal or deceitful person.

bad people sometimes turn up in unexpected places


sent skall syndaren vakna

sent (“late”) + skall (“shall (dated)”) + syndaren (“the sinner”) + vakna (“awaken”)

af

sent ska syndaren vakna
sent ska syndaren vakna#Swedish

Alternative form of sent ska syndaren vakna


sent ska syndaren vakna

sent (“late”) + ska (“shall”) + syndaren (“the sinner”) + vakna (“awaken”)

Det tog fyrtio år innan de erkände sina misstag och ersatte offren. Sent ska syndaren vakna.

It took forty years before they admitted their mistakes and compensated the victims. Late shall the sinner awaken.

Jag var med i det kriminella gänget i tio år. Sent ska syndaren vakna.

I was in the criminal gang for ten years. Late shall the sinner awaken.

It takes a long time for a wrongdoer to repent.


bättre fly än illa fäkta

Originally and literally, "better flee than fight poorly," though intuitively "better flee than fence poorly" with the modern meaning of fäkta.

it's better to back out of a fight than to risk a likely defeat


hungern är den bästa kryddan

hungern är bästa kryddan
hungern är bästa kryddan#Swedish

Alternative form of hungern är bästa kryddan


hungern är bästa kryddan

Literally, "(one's) hunger is the best spice."

hunger is the best sauce
hunger is the best sauce

food tastes best when you're hungry, hunger is the best sauce


skåda inte given häst i munnen

skåda (“look”) + inte (“not”) + given (“gifted”) + häst (“horse”) + i (“in”) + munnen (“the mouth”)

don't look a gift horse in the mouth
don't look a gift horse in the mouth


otack är världens lön

Roughly, "Ingratitude is the reward of the world." See otack.

people often don't receive the gratitude (or reward) they deserve


den dagen, den sorgen

den (“that”) + dagen (“day”) + den (“that”) + sorgen (“sorrow”)

there's no point in worrying today about something bad that might or will happen in the future, (roughly) we'll cross that bridge when we get to it


sök och du skall finna

Literally, "seek and you shall find." Likely directly or indirectly from Matthew 7:7.

seek and ye shall find
seek and ye shall find


head

finns det hjärterum så finns det stjärterum

Roughly, "If there's room in the heart, there's room for the butt," or, "If there's heart-room, there's butt-room," with an ad-hoc compound stjärterum (stjärtrum would be expected) to match hjärterum. Compare Danish hvor der er hjerterum, er der husrum.

cog

where there's a will there's a way#English

(humorous) Said when making an effort to accommodate guests or the like (despite lack of space or the like); where there's a will there's a way


vill man vara fin får man lida pin

Literally, "If one wants to be pretty, one has to suffer torment." Pin is a form of pina that mostly only appears in this phrase/proverb (for the rhyme).

Korsetten var skitobekväm, men vill man vara fin får man lida pin

The corset was bloody uncomfortable, but if you want to be pretty, you have to suffer

Said when someone endures something (moderately) unpleasant in order to look good.


allt utan blöja går att töja

Literally, “Everything without a diaper can be stretched”.

lit

(vulgar, potentially offensive) if there's grass on the field, play ball


var och en är sin egen lyckas smed

Literally, "each person is the smith of his own happiness / fortune."

vara sin egen lyckas smed
vara sin egen lyckas smed#Swedish

every man is the architect of his own fortune (or happiness – see vara sin egen lyckas smed.)


högmod går före fall

högmod (“pride, arrogance”) + går (“goes”) + före (“before”) + fall (“fall”)

af

pride goes before a fall
pride goes before a fall


nöden har ingen lag

nöden (“the distress (definite is often idiomatic when referring to concepts)”) + har (“has”) + ingen (“no”) + lag (“law”)

necessity knows no law
necessity knows no law

necessity knows no law, desperate times call for desperate measures


head

när det regnar på prästen så skvätter det på klockaren

/nɛr dɛt ˈrɛŋnar poː ˈprɛsːtɛn soː ²skvɛtːɛr dɛt poː ²klɔkːarɛn/

Literally ‘when it rains on the priest it [also] splashes on the sexton’.

a rising tide lifts all boats
a rising tide lifts all boats


den som ger sig in i leken får leken tåla

Literally, "The one who enters into the game/play may (must) endure the game/play" – "He who enters into the game must endure the game."

den som sig i leken ger, får leken tåla#Swedish

Alternative form of den som sig i leken ger, får leken tåla


den som sig i leken ger, får leken tåla

From den (“the one”) + som (“that”) + sig (“themselves”) + i (“in”) + leken (“the game/play”) + ger (“gives”) + får (“may”) + leken (“the game/play”) + tåla (“(be able to) stand”). Roughly, "He who enters into the game must endure the game," with literary/old-fashioned phrasing.

af

Somliga avfärdade kritiken att roasten av kändisen gått för långt med "Den som sig i leken ger, får leken tåla"

Some people dismissed the criticism that the roasting of the celebrity had gone too far with "He who enters into the game must endure the game"

a person who willingly enters into an activity or circumstance that involves risk or unpleasant things should be prepared to deal with any negative consequences


alla goda ting är tre

good things come in threes
good things come in threes


är huvudet dumt får kroppen lida

Literally, "If the head is stupid, the body gets to suffer."

Jag borde haft knäskydd. Är huvudet dumt får kroppen lida.

I should have worn knee pads. If the head is stupid, the body suffers.

play stupid games, win stupid prizes
play stupid games, win stupid prizes

a stupid decision or the like can lead to physical harm to oneself, play stupid games, win stupid prizes


inget nytt under solen

inget (“nothing”) + nytt (“new”) + under (“under”) + solen (“the sun”)

nothing new under the sun
nothing new under the sun


intet nytt under solen

intet (“nothing”) + nytt (“new”) + under (“under”) + solen (“the sun”)


head

sälj inte skinnet förrän björnen är skjuten

sälj inte skinnet innan björnen är skjuten#Swedish

Alternative form of sälj inte skinnet innan björnen är skjuten


genvägar är ofta senvägar

genvägar (“shortcuts”) + är (“are”) + ofta (“often”) + senvägar (“"late-cuts"”)

af

genvägar är senvägar
genvägar är senvägar#Swedish

Alternative form of genvägar är senvägar


i nöden prövas vännen

i (“in”) + nöden (“the need (distress)”) + prövas (“is tested”) + vännen (“the friend”), "In distress the friend is tested"

a friend in need is a friend indeed
a friend in need is a friend indeed


många bäckar små blir en stor å

Literally, “many small streams become a big river”.

lit

many a mickle makes a muckle
many a mickle makes a muckle