Bedeutung
to be the one who gets the worst task
Kultureller Hintergrund
In Swedish workplace culture, decisions are often made by consensus. If consensus fails, 'drawing straws' (literally or figuratively) is seen as a fair, democratic way to resolve a conflict. Swedish sports commentators use this phrase to avoid sounding too harsh on a losing team, suggesting that luck played a role. Casting lots (dra lott) was a legal method in ancient Norse society to settle disputes that couldn't be solved by the Thing (assembly). On Swedish social media, people use the hashtag #drogdetkortastestrået when posting about minor daily fails, like missing the bus.
Use it for sports
This is the most natural way to describe a close loss in Swedish. It makes you sound very native.
Check the gender
Always use 'det' (neuter) because 'strå' is a neuter noun. 'Den kortaste strået' is a common learner error.
Bedeutung
to be the one who gets the worst task
Use it for sports
This is the most natural way to describe a close loss in Swedish. It makes you sound very native.
Check the gender
Always use 'det' (neuter) because 'strå' is a neuter noun. 'Den kortaste strået' is a common learner error.
The opposite exists
You can say 'dra det längsta strået' (draw the longest straw) to mean you won or got the best deal.
Fairness
Using this phrase often implies that the loss wasn't necessarily your fault, but rather a result of bad luck.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the correct form of the verb 'dra'.
Igår ___ vi det kortaste strået och förlorade matchen.
The sentence starts with 'Igår' (yesterday), so we need the preterite form 'drog'.
Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?
Välj rätt mening:
This correctly uses the idiom to describe getting an unpleasant task.
Match the situation to the idiom.
Du och din vän tävlar om en biljett. Din vän vinner. Vad säger du?
'Dra det kortaste strået' means you lost the competition/chance.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Vem ska jobba på julafton? B: Det blev jag som ___.
Working on Christmas is an unpleasant task, fitting the idiom perfectly.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Straw Idioms Comparison
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenIgår ___ vi det kortaste strået och förlorade matchen.
The sentence starts with 'Igår' (yesterday), so we need the preterite form 'drog'.
Välj rätt mening:
This correctly uses the idiom to describe getting an unpleasant task.
Du och din vän tävlar om en biljett. Din vän vinner. Vad säger du?
'Dra det kortaste strået' means you lost the competition/chance.
A: Vem ska jobba på julafton? B: Det blev jag som ___.
Working on Christmas is an unpleasant task, fitting the idiom perfectly.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenNo, 'dra det kortaste strået' is always negative. To talk about winning, use 'dra det längsta strået'.
It's neutral. You can use it in a newspaper or when talking to your grandmother.
The past tense (preterite) is 'drog'. For example: 'Vi drog det kortaste strået igår.'
'Strå' is a single blade or stalk, while 'halm' (straw) refers to the material in bulk.
Yes, it's a common variation, but 'kortaste' (shortest) is more idiomatic.
No, nowadays it's mostly figurative. It just means you were the one who ended up with the bad result.
No, that would be too lighthearted. Use it for losses, chores, or bad luck instead.
They are almost identical. 'Nitlotten' refers to a lottery, 'strået' refers to drawing straws. Both mean you lost.
It's pronounced STROH-et. The 'å' is like the 'o' in 'more'.
Yes, it's one of the most common idioms in the Swedish language.
Verwandte Redewendungen
Dra lott
similarTo draw lots
Dra sitt strå till stacken
contrastTo contribute one's bit
Dra det längsta strået
contrastTo win / get the best deal
Sitta med Svarte Petter
similarTo be left with the blame/loss
Dra nitlotten
synonymTo draw the blank lot (to lose)
