Signification
To decrease consumption.
Contexte culturel
The term 'nedskärningar' is a politically charged word in Sweden, often associated with the 1990s financial crisis when the government had to make deep cuts to the welfare system. In Swedish 'fika' culture, suggesting to 'skära ner på fikat' (cut down on coffee breaks) is often seen as a joke or a very serious sign of a company in crisis. Sweden is a leader in sustainability, and 'skära ner på kött' (cutting down on meat) is a very common topic in schools and media. There is a popular Swedish TV show called 'Lyxfällan' (The Luxury Trap) where experts help people 'skära ner' on their extreme spending.
The Particle Rule
Always stress 'ner'. If you stress 'skära', Swedes will think you are literally cutting something with a knife.
Preposition Pitfall
Don't forget 'på' when talking about what you are consuming less of (sugar, coffee, time).
Signification
To decrease consumption.
The Particle Rule
Always stress 'ner'. If you stress 'skära', Swedes will think you are literally cutting something with a knife.
Preposition Pitfall
Don't forget 'på' when talking about what you are consuming less of (sugar, coffee, time).
Politeness
Be careful when suggesting others 'skära ner' on food; it can be very sensitive.
Teste-toi
Fill in the correct form of 'skära ner' and the preposition if needed.
Förra året ________ företaget ________ 20 tjänster.
We use the past tense 'skar' because it happened 'förra året' (last year). No 'på' is needed for specific 'tjänster' (positions).
Which sentence is grammatically correct for a health context?
I want to eat less sugar.
When reducing consumption of a category, 'skära ner på' is the correct idiomatic structure.
Match the Swedish phrase with its English equivalent.
Match the pairs:
These are the most common collocations for this phrase.
Complete the dialogue with the correct phrase.
A: Varför sparar du pengar? B: Jag måste ________ mina resekostnader för att ha råd med hyran.
'Skära ner på' is used for reducing costs. 'Skära upp' means to cut open, and 'skära till' means to cut to size.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Ner vs. Ned
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesFörra året ________ företaget ________ 20 tjänster.
We use the past tense 'skar' because it happened 'förra året' (last year). No 'på' is needed for specific 'tjänster' (positions).
I want to eat less sugar.
When reducing consumption of a category, 'skära ner på' is the correct idiomatic structure.
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
These are the most common collocations for this phrase.
A: Varför sparar du pengar? B: Jag måste ________ mina resekostnader för att ha råd med hyran.
'Skära ner på' is used for reducing costs. 'Skära upp' means to cut open, and 'skära till' means to cut to size.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsYes, they are identical in meaning. 'Ned' is just more formal and common in writing.
Not directly. You 'skär ner på maten' (cut down on food) to lose weight, but the act of losing weight is 'gå ner i vikt.'
The noun is 'en nedskärning' (a cutback). It's very common in news headlines.
Not necessarily. Cutting down on stress or sugar is seen as very positive!
Yes, 'skära ner på personalen' means to lay off staff.
'Dra ner på' is slightly more casual and common in spoken Swedish.
It's a strong verb: skär (present), skar (past), skurit (supine).
No, you should use 'sänka volymen' (lower the volume).
Yes, it is the standard term for budget cuts and downsizing.
The opposite would be 'öka' (increase) or 'satsa på' (invest in).
Expressions liées
dra ner på
similarto pull down on / reduce
minska
synonymto decrease
banta
specialized formto diet / to slim down a budget
reducera
synonymto reduce
snåla
contrastto be stingy
