Ten strangest Swedish insults and put-downs
When it comes to putting a fellow Swede down, the Swedish language provides a number of colourful opportunities. From banishments to the forest to boots full of excrement - we've gathered the strangest ten.
Nothing softens a good Swedish insult more than translating it to English. Calling someone a "damn eel head" just doesn't have the same burn to it as "ditt jävla ålahuvud". But we did it anyway.
Click here for the top ten list of Swedish insults
Strange-sounding or not, experts themselves aren't sure how Sweden's insults compare to those in English in quality or number.
"I don't think Swedes have more insults than other people from other countries, but it's notoriously hard to know," Sofia Malmgård, language advisor at Språkrådet (Swedish Language Council), told The Local.
"And if you ask someone what insults they use, they tend to tell you that they don't usually swear," she added with a laugh.
But it's always interesting to have a little look, isn't it?
Oliver Gee
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Nothing softens a good Swedish insult more than translating it to English. Calling someone a "damn eel head" just doesn't have the same burn to it as "ditt jävla ålahuvud". But we did it anyway.
Click here for the top ten list of Swedish insults
Strange-sounding or not, experts themselves aren't sure how Sweden's insults compare to those in English in quality or number.
"I don't think Swedes have more insults than other people from other countries, but it's notoriously hard to know," Sofia Malmgård, language advisor at Språkrådet (Swedish Language Council), told The Local.
"And if you ask someone what insults they use, they tend to tell you that they don't usually swear," she added with a laugh.
But it's always interesting to have a little look, isn't it?
Oliver Gee
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