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B1Swedish·34 cards

Losing your job: the conversations

What you say and hear when your manager breaks the news, when you ask the union rep about your rights, and when you tell a friend.

Losing a job in Sweden comes with three conversations: the meeting with your manager, the talk with the union rep about turordning and notice periods, and the honest chat with a friend afterwards. Follow Daniel through all three.

Back view of crop anonymous female remote employee typing on portable computer while watching website on screen and sitting at plastic table with cup of hot drink in apartment
Photo: KATRIN BOLOVTSOVA on Pexels
  1. 1

    Har du en minut?

    Do you have a minute?

    Tip: The polite opener before something serious.

  2. 2

    Är det något som har hänt?

    Has something happened?

    Tip: Swedish likes the 'is it something that...' frame for open questions.

  3. 3

    Jag ska vara ärlig med dig.

    I'll be honest with you.

    Tip: Honest WITH someone: Swedish uses the preposition 'med'.

  4. 4

    Företaget har lagt ett varsel.

    The company has issued a redundancy notice.

    Tip: You 'lay' (lägga) a notice in Swedish.

  5. 5

    Betyder det att jag blir uppsagd?

    Does that mean I'm being laid off?

    Tip: Present tense with 'bli' can point to the near future.

  6. 6

    Inget är bestämt än.

    Nothing has been decided yet.

    Tip: 'Än' at the end = yet.

  7. 7

    Hur många är det som berörs?

    How many people are affected?

    Tip: The verb at the end is passive (-s ending): 'be affected'.

  8. 8

    Jag förstår att det här är jobbigt att höra.

    I understand this is hard to hear.

    Tip: The adjective for 'tough, a hassle' is one of the most common words in spoken Swedish.

  9. 9

    Det kom som en chock.

    It came as a shock.

    Tip: Same construction as in English.

  10. 10

    Hör av dig om du har frågor.

    Get in touch if you have questions.

    Tip: 'Höra av sig' = to get in touch, reflexive.

  11. 11

    Hur funkar det med turordningen?

    How does the order of selection work?

    Tip: Literally 'how does it work with X?'. Casual and very useful.

  12. 12

    Den som har varit anställd kortast tid får gå först.

    Whoever has been employed the shortest time has to go first.

    Tip: 'Få gå' here means to be let go, not 'be allowed to go'.

  13. 13

    Det finns undantag.

    There are exceptions.

    Tip: 'There is/there are' in Swedish is literally 'it is found'.

  14. 14

    Hur lång uppsägningstid har jag?

    How long is my notice period?

    Tip: Literally 'how long notice period do I have'.

  15. 15

    Det beror på hur länge du har varit anställd.

    It depends on how long you've been employed.

    Tip: Depend ON: the preposition is 'på'.

  16. 16

    Måste jag jobba under uppsägningstiden?

    Do I have to work during my notice period?

    Tip: With a time period, the preposition here means 'during'.

  17. 17

    Är du med i a-kassan?

    Are you in an unemployment fund?

    Tip: 'Vara med i' = be a member of.

  18. 18

    Kan du tänka dig att vara referens för mig?

    Would you be willing to be a reference for me?

    Tip: Literally 'can you imagine yourself to...'. A soft, polite way to ask a favour.

  19. 19

    Det ställer jag gärna upp på.

    I'd be happy to do that.

    Tip: Particle verb meaning 'agree to help with'. The object comes first for emphasis.

  20. 20

    Jag behöver också ett arbetsgivarintyg till a-kassan.

    I also need an employer's certificate for the unemployment fund.

    Tip: FOR the fund: Swedish uses 'to' when a document is meant for someone.

  21. 21

    Vad händer med min semester?

    What happens to my holiday?

    Tip: A false friend: the Swedish word means holiday/vacation, not a school term.

  22. 22

    Semesterdagar som du inte har tagit ut får du betalt för.

    You'll be paid for holiday days you haven't taken.

    Tip: Object first, then verb before subject (V2). 'Ta ut semester' = take holiday.

  23. 23

    Tack för att du var rak med mig.

    Thanks for being straight with me.

    Tip: Straight = direct, honest. 'Thanks for that you were...' is the Swedish pattern.

  24. 24

    Du har gjort ett jättebra jobb här.

    You've done a great job here.

    Tip: 'Jätte-' = giant, used as 'really'.

  25. 25

    Hur mår du egentligen?

    How are you really doing?

    Tip: The last word means 'actually, really' and signals you want a real answer.

  26. 26

    Jag har blivit av med jobbet.

    I've lost my job.

    Tip: 'Bli av med' = get rid of / lose. The everyday way to say it.

  27. 27

    Ärligt talat känns det ganska tungt.

    Honestly, it feels pretty heavy.

    Tip: After the opening 'honestly speaking', the verb comes before the subject (V2).

  28. 28

    Det är inte ditt fel.

    It's not your fault.

    Tip: 'Fault' is an ett-word in Swedish, so the possessive takes -tt.

  29. 29

    Det handlar om arbetsbrist, inte om dig.

    It's about shortage of work, not about you.

    Tip: 'Be about' in Swedish is literally 'trade about'.

  30. 30

    Jag oroar mig för pengarna.

    I'm worried about money.

    Tip: Reflexive verb: 'worry myself for'. Swedish says 'the money'.

  31. 31

    Skriv in dig på Arbetsförmedlingen direkt.

    Register with the Employment Service right away.

    Tip: Imperative of a reflexive particle verb: literally 'write yourself in'.

  32. 32

    Sen söker jag ersättning från a-kassan.

    Then I'll apply for benefit from the unemployment fund.

    Tip: After 'then', the verb comes second (V2). 'Apply for' uses the same verb as 'search'.

  33. 33

    Du hittar nåt nytt, det är jag säker på.

    You'll find something new, I'm sure of it.

    Tip: 'Nåt' = spoken 'något'. Present tense for the future.

  34. 34

    Jag behöver tänka på något annat.

    I need to think about something else.

    Tip: Think ABOUT: the preposition is 'på'.