Significado
To be honest.
Contexto cultural
Swedes value 'saklighet' (objectivity). Sticking to the truth is seen as being professional and reliable. In Swedish courts, witnesses take an oath to tell the truth. The phrase is central to the legal concept of 'mened' (perjury). Swedish public service media (SVT/SR) has a strict mandate to 'hålla sig till sanningen' to maintain public trust. While honesty is valued, 'white lies' to avoid hurting feelings are common, but 'hålla sig till sanningen' is used when the stakes are higher than just politeness.
The 'Sig' Rule
Always double-check your reflexive pronoun. If you say 'Vi håller sig', Swedes will understand, but it sounds very 'broken'.
Don't be too dramatic
Using this for small things (like if you liked a dinner) can make you sound like you're in a crime movie. Use 'vara ärlig' for social niceties.
Significado
To be honest.
The 'Sig' Rule
Always double-check your reflexive pronoun. If you say 'Vi håller sig', Swedes will understand, but it sounds very 'broken'.
Don't be too dramatic
Using this for small things (like if you liked a dinner) can make you sound like you're in a crime movie. Use 'vara ärlig' for social niceties.
The Swedish 'Lagom' Truth
Swedes value truth, but also harmony. Sometimes 'hålla sig till sanningen' means being factual but not necessarily brutal.
Use with 'strikt'
Adding the word 'strikt' (hålla sig strikt till sanningen) makes you sound very advanced and precise.
Ponte a prueba
Fill in the correct reflexive pronoun.
Vi måste hålla ___ till sanningen.
Since the subject is 'Vi' (We), the reflexive pronoun must be 'oss'.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Choose the right version:
It requires the reflexive 'sig', the preposition 'till', and the definite noun 'sanningen'.
Complete the dialogue with the correct form of the phrase.
A: Varför ljög du? B: Förlåt, nästa gång ska jag _______.
The speaker (B) is talking about themselves, so 'hålla mig' is correct.
In which situation is this phrase MOST appropriate?
Match the phrase 'Hålla sig till sanningen' to a situation:
Scientific reports require strict adherence to facts and truth.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Ayudas visuales
Banco de ejercicios
4 ejerciciosVi måste hålla ___ till sanningen.
Since the subject is 'Vi' (We), the reflexive pronoun must be 'oss'.
Choose the right version:
It requires the reflexive 'sig', the preposition 'till', and the definite noun 'sanningen'.
A: Varför ljög du? B: Förlåt, nästa gång ska jag _______.
The speaker (B) is talking about themselves, so 'hålla mig' is correct.
Match the phrase 'Hålla sig till sanningen' to a situation:
Scientific reports require strict adherence to facts and truth.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Preguntas frecuentes
12 preguntasNo, it must be 'sanningen'. The definite form is required here.
It's neutral-to-formal. You can use it with friends or in a courtroom.
'Tala sanning' is the act of speaking. 'Hålla sig till sanningen' is the act of remaining accurate.
Use 'höll': 'Jag höll mig till sanningen'.
No, for that use 'hålla sig till planen'.
In speech, yes. In very formal reading (like in church), it might be 'sig'.
Not necessarily, but it often implies there is a temptation to lie.
Yes, that is a very common and slightly more modern variation.
Yes, very! You will hear it in almost every police interrogation scene.
The opposite would be 'att ljuga' (to lie) or 'att fara med osanning'.
Yes, to emphasize your integrity.
Prepositions are idiomatic. 'Till' indicates the direction/limit you are staying within.
Frases relacionadas
Tala sanning
synonymTo tell the truth
Skarva
contrastTo exaggerate or 'stretch' the truth
Vara ärlig
similarTo be honest
Hålla sig till saken
builds onTo stick to the point
Far med osanning
contrastTo deal in untruths (to lie)
