Signification
Expressing that something is unsatisfactory.
Contexte culturel
The 'Swedish Shrug': Often accompanied by a slight shrug and a downward turn of the mouth, 'inte så bra' is the peak of Swedish emotional expression in public. In Finland-Swedish, the phrase is used similarly but can sometimes be even more direct. However, the 'så' still serves as a vital social buffer. In a Swedish office, if a manager says your proposal is 'inte så bra,' it usually means you need to rewrite the whole thing. It's a serious critique disguised as a mild one. On Swedish Instagram or TikTok, 'inte så bra' is often used ironically with a photo of a total disaster (like a fallen cake).
The 'Nja' Prefix
Start your sentence with 'Nja...' (a mix of yes and no) before saying 'inte så bra' to sound 100% Swedish.
Don't over-apologize
If you say 'inte så bra' about your health, you don't need to apologize for it. It's a neutral fact.
Signification
Expressing that something is unsatisfactory.
The 'Nja' Prefix
Start your sentence with 'Nja...' (a mix of yes and no) before saying 'inte så bra' to sound 100% Swedish.
Don't over-apologize
If you say 'inte så bra' about your health, you don't need to apologize for it. It's a neutral fact.
Reading the Room
If a Swede says something is 'inte så bra,' check their facial expression. If they look serious, it might actually be a disaster.
Adverbial use
Remember that 'bra' also means 'well'. So 'Det fungerar inte så bra' means 'It doesn't work so well.'
Teste-toi
Fill in the missing word to say 'I don't feel so good.'
Jag mår ___ så bra.
'Inte' is the standard negation for verbs in Swedish.
Which sentence is the most polite way to say the food was bad?
Maten var...
'Inte så bra' is a polite understatement, whereas the others are very direct and potentially rude.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Hur mår du? B: ________, jag har feber.
If you have a fever (feber), you don't feel good.
Match the situation to the phrase.
You just watched a boring movie.
You use 'inte så bra' to describe a disappointing experience.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Intensity Scale of Negative Opinions
Where to use 'Inte så bra'
Health
- • Mår inte så bra
- • Känner mig inte så bra
Quality
- • Bilen är inte så bra
- • Filmen var inte så bra
Results
- • Det gick inte så bra
- • Provet var inte så bra
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesJag mår ___ så bra.
'Inte' is the standard negation for verbs in Swedish.
Maten var...
'Inte så bra' is a polite understatement, whereas the others are very direct and potentially rude.
A: Hur mår du? B: ________, jag har feber.
If you have a fever (feber), you don't feel good.
You just watched a boring movie.
You use 'inte så bra' to describe a disappointing experience.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
12 questionsYes, but be careful. 'Han är inte så bra' means he isn't good at a specific task. If you mean he is a bad person, you'd use 'elak' or 'dålig'.
It is the least rude way to complain. It's much better than saying 'Maten är dålig'.
'Inte så bra' is softer and more natural. 'Inte bra' is very direct and can sound a bit aggressive or like 'broken' Swedish.
You can use 'inte särskilt bra' or 'inte jättebra'.
Yes: 'Det var inte så bra.'
Yes, it never changes to 'brat' or 'braa'. It's always 'bra'.
Because of the cultural value of understatement and avoiding conflict.
Only if you are talking specifically about the taste of food.
Yes, it's neutral enough for most business emails.
The opposite is 'bra' or 'jättebra'.
In this context, it means 'so' (as an intensifier).
Yes, 'Jag är inte så bra på svenska än' (I'm not so good at Swedish yet).
Expressions liées
dåligt
contrastbad
inte särskilt bra
similarnot particularly good
inte jättebra
similarnot super good
ganska bra
contrastquite good
inget vidare
synonymnothing special / not great
