Bedeutung
Experiencing misfortune.
Kultureller Hintergrund
Swedes often use 'otur' to avoid blaming individuals, which helps maintain social harmony (the 'consensus' culture). The phrase 'peppar, peppar, ta i trä' is used to ward off 'otur' after saying something positive. There is a shared cultural stoicism where 'otur' is accepted as a part of life, often met with a shrug and the phrase 'det är smällar man får ta' (those are the hits you have to take). Commentators frequently use 'stolpe ut' (post out) as a synonym for 'otur' when a ball hits the goal post and goes out.
Don't be the bad luck
Remember: 'Jag är otur' means you ARE the concept of bad luck. Always use 'Jag har otur'.
The Empathy Tool
Use 'Vilken otur!' whenever someone tells you something slightly negative. It makes you sound very fluent and kind.
Bedeutung
Experiencing misfortune.
Don't be the bad luck
Remember: 'Jag är otur' means you ARE the concept of bad luck. Always use 'Jag har otur'.
The Empathy Tool
Use 'Vilken otur!' whenever someone tells you something slightly negative. It makes you sound very fluent and kind.
Knock on wood
If you talk about NOT having bad luck, remember to say 'ta i trä' (touch wood).
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the correct form of the verb 'att ha'.
Jag ______ otur igår när jag tappade min nyckel.
'Igår' (yesterday) requires the past tense 'hade'.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Choose the right way to say 'I am unlucky'.
In Swedish, you 'have' bad luck, and no article is used.
Match the Swedish phrase with its English meaning.
Match the pairs:
These are common collocations using 'otur'.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Jag missade tåget med en minut! B: ________!
'Vilken otur' is the natural empathetic response to someone missing a train.
In which situation would you say 'Vi hade otur med tekniken'?
Select the best situation.
Technical failure is a classic 'otur' situation.
🎉 Ergebnis: /5
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Aufgabensammlung
5 AufgabenJag ______ otur igår när jag tappade min nyckel.
'Igår' (yesterday) requires the past tense 'hade'.
Choose the right way to say 'I am unlucky'.
In Swedish, you 'have' bad luck, and no article is used.
Ordne jedem Element links seinen Partner rechts zu:
These are common collocations using 'otur'.
A: Jag missade tåget med en minut! B: ________!
'Vilken otur' is the natural empathetic response to someone missing a train.
Select the best situation.
Technical failure is a classic 'otur' situation.
🎉 Ergebnis: /5
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenNo, that is a common mistake. You must say 'Jag har otur'.
'Otur' is for minor bad luck (missing a bus), while 'olycka' is for serious accidents or tragedies.
Yes, but 'oflyt' is more informal and often refers to a series of unlucky events.
You say 'Vilken otur!'
Yes, 'Jag har otur med min nya chef' means things aren't going well with your new boss.
Yes, it is one of the most common words used in daily Swedish conversation.
In modern Swedish, yes. Originally it meant 'turn', but now it almost always means 'good luck'.
Yes, 'Jag har mycket otur' is a common way to say you have a lot of bad luck.
No, 'otur' is uncountable. You don't say 'oturer'.
The opposite is 'ha tur' (to be lucky).
Verwandte Redewendungen
ha tur
contrastTo be lucky
ha oflyt
similarTo have a run of bad luck
vilken otur
specialized formWhat bad luck!
otur i spel, tur i kärlek
builds onUnlucky in gambling, lucky in love
en olycka
similarAn accident or tragedy
