Payslip and Tax: What People Say
Real phrases for understanding a payslip, querying your pay with payroll and talking about your tax return.
Viktor has just started his first job in Sweden. His friend Johanna helps him read his payslip, he calls payroll about missing overtime, and in spring they compare tax returns — the questions and answers you'll actually need.
- 1
Kan du hjälpa mig att förstå min lönespecifikation?
Can you help me understand my payslip?
Tip: Help + someone + to-infinitive, like English.
- 2
Varför är det så mycket mindre än vi kom överens om?
Why is it so much less than we agreed?
Tip: 'Come agreed about' = agree on. The preposition goes last.
- 3
Det du får ut är nettolönen.
What you actually get is the net salary.
Tip: 'Get out' = receive in cash, take home.
- 4
Skatten dras direkt av arbetsgivaren.
The tax is taken off directly by the employer.
Tip: An -s passive: 'is drawn'. 'By' is the preposition 'off'.
- 5
Hur vet de hur mycket skatt de ska dra?
How do they know how much tax to take?
Tip: Swedish needs a full clause: 'how much tax they shall draw'.
- 6
Det beror på vilken kommun du bor i.
It depends on which municipality you live in.
Tip: 'Rests on' = depends on. The preposition goes last.
- 7
Vad är det här för avdrag?
What's this deduction?
Tip: Word for word: 'what is this for deduction?' — the Swedish way to ask what kind of thing something is.
- 8
Ingen aning, fråga löneavdelningen.
No idea, ask payroll.
Tip: Payroll is 'the salary department'.
- 9
När kommer lönen varje månad?
When does the salary come in each month?
Tip: Salary 'comes' in Swedish.
- 10
Oftast den tjugofemte.
Usually on the 25th.
Tip: Dates use the ordinal with the article: 'the twenty-fifth'.
- 11
Jag tror att det har blivit fel på min lön.
I think there's been a mistake with my salary.
Tip: Word for word: 'it has become wrong on my salary'.
- 12
Vad är det som inte stämmer?
What's not right?
Tip: The verb means to add up, to be correct.
- 13
Min övertid från förra månaden är inte med.
My overtime from last month isn't included.
Tip: 'Is not with' = isn't included.
- 14
Har du rapporterat in den i tidssystemet?
Have you reported it in the time system?
Tip: The particle 'in' adds 'into the system'.
- 15
Ja, och min chef har godkänt den.
Yes, and my manager has approved it.
Tip: Word for word: 'good-known' = approved.
- 16
Den kommer med på nästa lön.
It'll be included in your next pay.
Tip: 'Comes with' = gets included.
- 17
OB-tillägget för helgerna ser också lågt ut.
The weekend supplement looks low too.
Tip: 'Looks low out': the particle goes at the end. Adjective takes -t for the ett-word.
- 18
Jag kollar på det och återkommer.
I'll look into it and get back to you.
Tip: The second verb means 'come back with an answer' — very common at work.
- 19
Hur många semesterdagar har jag kvar?
How many days of holiday do I have left?
Tip: 'Have left' uses a separate word at the end.
- 20
Det står längst ner på lönespecen.
It says at the bottom of your payslip.
Tip: Word for word: 'it stands' — Swedish text 'stands' somewhere.
- 21
Har du deklarerat än?
Have you done your tax return yet?
Tip: In questions, the small word at the end means 'yet'.
- 22
Nej, jag har inte ens öppnat den.
No, I haven't even opened it.
Tip: 'Not even' — the two words come in that order.
- 23
Det tar fem minuter i appen om allt stämmer.
It takes five minutes in the app if everything's right.
Tip: 'Everything adds up' = everything's correct.
- 24
Vad ska jag kolla extra noga?
What should I check extra carefully?
Tip: The adverb means carefully, thoroughly.
- 25
Kolla om du kan göra reseavdrag.
Check whether you can claim a travel deduction.
Tip: You 'make' a deduction in Swedish. No article.
- 26
Jag har godkänt min deklaration.
I've approved my tax return.
Tip: If nothing needs changing, you just approve it.
- 27
Blir det pengar tillbaka?
Are you getting money back?
Tip: Word for word: 'becomes it money back?'
- 28
Min kompis fick betala in flera tusen.
My friend had to pay in several thousand.
Tip: 'Got to pay' = had to pay. The particle 'in' = pay to an authority.
- 29
Då har han nog betalat för lite skatt under året.
Then he's probably paid too little tax during the year.
Tip: The little word for 'probably' sits after the subject.
- 30
Han kan be sin arbetsgivare dra mer skatt.
He can ask his employer to take more tax.
Tip: His own employer = the reflexive possessive, because 'he' is the subject.