Signification
To be acting a bit crazy.
Contexte culturel
Danes use 'at have en skrue løs' as a form of 'social leveling.' It's a way to keep people from getting too 'high and mighty' by pointing out their eccentricities. The mechanical metaphor is common across the Nordics (Swedish: 'ha en skruv lös', Norwegian: 'ha en skrue løs'), reflecting a shared history of industrialization and Lutheran pragmatism. In Danish flat-hierarchy offices, a subordinate might jokingly say this to a boss if the boss suggests something wild. It shows a high level of trust and 'hygge'. Tabloids like Ekstra Bladet often use this phrase in headlines to describe celebrities or politicians who have made controversial statements.
Use with 'da'
Adding 'da' (Du har da en skrue løs!) makes the statement more emphatic and natural in a reaction.
Avoid in hospitals
Never use this phrase when talking to medical professionals about health; it's seen as mocking.
Signification
To be acting a bit crazy.
Use with 'da'
Adding 'da' (Du har da en skrue løs!) makes the statement more emphatic and natural in a reaction.
Avoid in hospitals
Never use this phrase when talking to medical professionals about health; it's seen as mocking.
The 'Top Floor' variation
Use 'i øverste etage' to sound even more like a native speaker when describing someone's eccentricity.
Teste-toi
Udfyld det manglende ord i idiomet.
Han opfører sig mærkeligt; han må have en ______ løs.
Idiomet er 'at have en skrue løs'.
Hvilken sætning er mest naturlig?
Vælg den rigtige måde at bruge idiomet på:
Man bruger altid verbet 'at have' med dette idiom.
Match situationen med den rigtige reaktion.
Din ven vil klatre op i en kran uden sikkerhedsudstyr. Hvad siger du?
Dette er en klassisk reaktion på farlig eller irrationel adfærd.
Færdiggør dialogen.
A: 'Tror du, han mener det seriøst?' B: 'Nej, han ______.'
Dette passer bedst ind i en uformel samtale om en person.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesHan opfører sig mærkeligt; han må have en ______ løs.
Idiomet er 'at have en skrue løs'.
Vælg den rigtige måde at bruge idiomet på:
Man bruger altid verbet 'at have' med dette idiom.
Din ven vil klatre op i en kran uden sikkerhedsudstyr. Hvad siger du?
Dette er en klassisk reaktion på farlig eller irrationel adfærd.
A: 'Tror du, han mener det seriøst?' B: 'Nej, han ______.'
Dette passer bedst ind i en uformel samtale om en person.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsIt can be. Between friends, it's a joke. To a stranger, it's an insult. To someone with mental illness, it's very offensive.
Yes! It's very common to use it self-deprecatingly when you've done something silly. 'Jeg må have en skrue løs.'
'Skør' is a simple adjective (crazy). 'En skrue løs' is more idiomatic and often implies a specific lack of logic or a 'malfunction'.
No, it is strictly informal/slang. You won't find it in a legal document or a formal speech.
Yes, the idiom is fixed. You can't say 'a nail loose' or 'a bolt loose'.
You can say 'Han har flere skruer løse,' but the singular 'en skrue løs' is much more common even for 'very' crazy people.
You could say 'Han er lidt sær' (He is a bit odd) or 'Han har en utraditionel tankegang' (He has an untraditional way of thinking).
Yes, though in Jutland you might also hear 'at have en brik til selv'.
Yes, but it will be taken as a pun. 'Min vaskemaskine har bogstaveligt talt en skrue løs.'
It literally means 'the top floor' and is a common metaphor for the head or brain.
Expressions liées
at have rotter på loftet
synonymTo have rats in the attic.
at mangle en brik
similarTo be missing a piece (of a puzzle).
at være rablende gal
specialized formTo be raving mad.
at have en brik til selv
similarTo have an extra piece to spare.
