Bedeutung
To remain composed in a tense situation.
Kultureller Hintergrund
Danes value 'overskud' and emotional stability. Losing your temper in public is often seen as embarrassing. This idiom is a polite way to remind others of this social norm. The 'cool' temperament is a shared Nordic trait. Similar idioms exist in Swedish and Norwegian, reflecting a shared cultural history of stoicism. In Danish companies, flat hierarchy means anyone can tell anyone (even the boss) to 'slå koldt vand i blodet' if things get too emotional. The phrase is a linguistic fossil of the humoral theory of medicine which dominated Europe for 2000 years.
Use it as an imperative
Simply saying 'Slå nu koldt vand i blodet!' is a very native way to stop an argument before it starts.
Don't use 'hælde'
Even though 'hælde' means pour, saying 'hæld koldt vand i blodet' sounds like a translation error and will mark you as a beginner.
Bedeutung
To remain composed in a tense situation.
Use it as an imperative
Simply saying 'Slå nu koldt vand i blodet!' is a very native way to stop an argument before it starts.
Don't use 'hælde'
Even though 'hælde' means pour, saying 'hæld koldt vand i blodet' sounds like a translation error and will mark you as a beginner.
The 'Nu' factor
Adding the word 'nu' (now) makes the phrase sound more encouraging and less like a command: 'Slå nu koldt vand i blodet'.
Teste dich selbst
Fyld det manglende ord ind i sætningen.
Når du bliver vred, skal du slå koldt vand i _______.
Idiomet er 'at slå koldt vand i blodet'.
Hvilken sætning er korrekt i datid?
I går var der en krise, men han...
'Slog' er datid af 'at slå'.
Hvad ville være det mest naturlige svar?
Person A: 'Jeg er så bange for at dumpe min eksamen!' Person B: '_______'
Dette er den korrekte form og en passende kontekst.
🎉 Ergebnis: /3
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Aufgabensammlung
3 AufgabenNår du bliver vred, skal du slå koldt vand i _______.
Idiomet er 'at slå koldt vand i blodet'.
I går var der en krise, men han...
'Slog' er datid af 'at slå'.
Person A: 'Jeg er så bange for at dumpe min eksamen!' Person B: '_______'
Dette er den korrekte form og en passende kontekst.
🎉 Ergebnis: /3
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenIn Denmark, no. Because of the flat hierarchy, it is seen as a constructive piece of advice, provided your tone is helpful and not mocking.
Not really. It is better for anger or panic. For crying, use 'Tag det roligt' or 'Det skal nok gå'.
'Slå' is the infinitive/present, 'slog' is the past. 'Han slog koldt vand i blodet' means he already calmed down.
No, that is not an idiom. It would just sound confusing.
Yes, it is common in journalism and opinion pieces, though less so in academic papers.
Using the wrong verb (hælde) or forgetting the 't' in 'koldt'.
Yes, almost exactly. The only difference is the physical metaphor used.
Yes, it's very common. You can even just text 'Koldt vand i blodet! 🧊'
The origin is old, but the usage is very modern and frequent.
The 'd' is a soft Danish 'd'. Try to say 'the' but with your tongue behind your lower teeth.
Verwandte Redewendungen
at have is i maven
similarTo stay cool under pressure
at bevare roen
synonymTo maintain the calm
at tage det roligt
synonymTo take it easy
at se tiden an
builds onTo wait and see
at fare i flint
contrastTo fly into a rage
