Signification
To manage to survive financially
Contexte culturel
Swedes often use this phrase to avoid complaining directly about money. It's a way to acknowledge difficulty while maintaining a sense of 'lagom' (moderation) and control. In Swedish startups, 'hålla sig flytande' is often used during the 'burn rate' phase before profitability is reached. It signals sustainability. Because of the thousands of islands in the Swedish archipelagos, water metaphors are more common in Swedish than in many landlocked cultures. The phrase is often used in political debates about the 'social safety net' (skyddsnätet), discussing whether it's enough to keep people 'afloat'.
Use it for Workload
Don't just use this for money! It's a very natural way to tell a colleague you are busy without sounding like you're complaining too much.
Don't forget 'Sig'
The most common mistake is forgetting the reflexive pronoun. Always say 'hålla MIG/DIG/SIG flytande'.
Signification
To manage to survive financially
Use it for Workload
Don't just use this for money! It's a very natural way to tell a colleague you are busy without sounding like you're complaining too much.
Don't forget 'Sig'
The most common mistake is forgetting the reflexive pronoun. Always say 'hålla MIG/DIG/SIG flytande'.
The 'Lagom' connection
This phrase is the definition of financial 'lagom'—not rich, not poor, just staying afloat.
Teste-toi
Fill in the correct reflexive pronoun.
Vi har haft det tufft ekonomiskt, men vi håller ___ flytande.
The subject is 'Vi' (we), so the reflexive pronoun must be 'oss' (ourselves).
Which sentence uses the idiom correctly to mean 'surviving financially'?
Vilken mening är rätt?
Option B uses the idiom figuratively to describe a company surviving an economic downturn.
Complete the dialogue with the correct form of the idiom.
A: Hur går det med ditt nya företag? B: Det är svårt, men jag lyckas _________.
After 'lyckas' (manage to), we use the infinitive 'hålla'. Since the speaker is talking about themselves, they use 'mig'.
Match the situation to the most appropriate use of 'hålla sig flytande'.
Situation: A student has three exams in one week and is very stressed.
This describes managing a heavy workload/stress, which is a common figurative use of the idiom.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesVi har haft det tufft ekonomiskt, men vi håller ___ flytande.
The subject is 'Vi' (we), so the reflexive pronoun must be 'oss' (ourselves).
Vilken mening är rätt?
Option B uses the idiom figuratively to describe a company surviving an economic downturn.
A: Hur går det med ditt nya företag? B: Det är svårt, men jag lyckas _________.
After 'lyckas' (manage to), we use the infinitive 'hålla'. Since the speaker is talking about themselves, they use 'mig'.
Situation: A student has three exams in one week and is very stressed.
This describes managing a heavy workload/stress, which is a common figurative use of the idiom.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsNot necessarily, but it implies a challenge. It's more 'neutral-striving' than negative.
Yes! If you are just barely passing your classes, you are 'håller dig flytande'.
'Klara sig' is more general. 'Hålla sig flytande' specifically implies you are fighting against 'sinking'.
It's a bit too idiomatic for a CV. Better to use 'resultatorienterad' or 'stresstålig'.
Use the word 'knappt': 'Jag håller mig knappt flytande.'
Literally yes, but 90% of the time in conversation, it's about money or work.
Yes, it's very common in business news to describe companies avoiding bankruptcy.
The past tense is 'höll sig flytande'.
Not a direct one, but 'hålla näsan över vattenytan' is a more informal variation.
Yes, if a relationship is struggling but surviving, you can use it metaphorically.
Expressions liées
Hålla huvudet ovanför vattenytan
similarTo keep one's head above water.
Gå under
contrastTo go under / to fail / to perish.
Flyta med strömmen
similarTo go with the flow.
Klara sig
similarTo manage / to get by.
