Significado
to have bad luck in competitions
Contexto cultural
Swedes love board games (sällskapsspel), especially during the dark winter months. This phrase is a staple of Swedish social life. The phrase is equally common among Swedish-speakers in Finland, often used during traditional card games. In the context of professional E-sports (where Sweden is a world leader), this phrase is sometimes used ironically to describe technical failures. The second half of the phrase ('tur i kärlek') is often used as a lighthearted 'icebreaker' on dating apps like Tinder.
Use it to be a good sport
If you lose, saying this phrase immediately makes you look like a 'good loser' in Swedish culture.
Don't use 'dålig tur'
English speakers often say 'dålig tur' (bad luck), but this is a 'Swenglish' error. Always use 'otur'.
Significado
to have bad luck in competitions
Use it to be a good sport
If you lose, saying this phrase immediately makes you look like a 'good loser' in Swedish culture.
Don't use 'dålig tur'
English speakers often say 'dålig tur' (bad luck), but this is a 'Swenglish' error. Always use 'otur'.
The 'Kärlek' connection
Always be ready for someone to respond with 'tur i kärlek' if you say you have bad luck in a game.
Ponte a prueba
Fill in the missing word to complete the Swedish expression.
Jag förlorade igen! Jag har verkligen ____ i spelet.
The phrase for bad luck in a game is 'ha otur i spelet'.
Which sentence is the most natural way to console a friend who just lost a card game?
Din vän förlorade i poker. Vad säger du?
This is the standard Swedish proverbial consolation for losing a game.
Match the Swedish phrase with its English equivalent.
Match the pairs:
These are the core components of the proverb.
Complete the dialogue with the correct form of the phrase.
Sven: 'Jag har förlorat alla mina pengar på hästar.' Erik: 'Oj då, du har verkligen ____.'
Since Sven has already lost the money, the present perfect 'haft' is the most natural choice.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Ayudas visuales
Banco de ejercicios
4 ejerciciosJag förlorade igen! Jag har verkligen ____ i spelet.
The phrase for bad luck in a game is 'ha otur i spelet'.
Din vän förlorade i poker. Vad säger du?
This is the standard Swedish proverbial consolation for losing a game.
Empareja cada elemento de la izquierda con su par de la derecha:
These are the core components of the proverb.
Sven: 'Jag har förlorat alla mina pengar på hästar.' Erik: 'Oj då, du har verkligen ____.'
Since Sven has already lost the money, the present perfect 'haft' is the most natural choice.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Preguntas frecuentes
10 preguntasNo, it can be used for any game, from Ludo (Fia med knuff) to professional football.
No, you must use the verb 'ha' (to have). You 'have' luck or bad luck in Swedish.
The opposite is 'ha tur i spelet' (to have luck in the game).
Probably not. It's too casual and implies that success is just about luck rather than skill.
'Spelet' refers to the specific game you are playing. 'Spel' is used in the general proverb.
Yes, it is a universal Swedish expression used from Malmö to Kiruna.
Yes, it's very common in the Swedish gaming community.
Yes, 'o-' is a prefix meaning 'un-' or 'not', so 'o-tur' is 'un-luck'.
Yes, 'ha oflyt' is the most common slang alternative.
No, for a missed bus you would just say 'Jag hade otur'. 'I spelet' is only for games/competitions.
Frases relacionadas
tur i kärlek
contrastluck in love
ha oflyt
synonymto have a streak of bad luck
dra en nitlott
similarto draw a blank/lose
ha turen på sin sida
contrastto have luck on one's side
