Signification
To refuse to say anything at all.
Contexte culturel
Silence is often seen as a sign of strength and reliability in Swedish culture. 'Tiga som muren' can be a compliment to someone's loyalty. This phrase is a staple in Swedish detective novels. It highlights the tension between the law and the 'omerta' of the criminal world. During WWII, Sweden had a famous campaign called 'En svensk tiger.' It was a pun: 'tiger' means both 'tiger' (the animal) and 'is silent.' It encouraged people to keep secrets from spies. In modern Swedish offices, 'tiga som muren' might be used negatively to describe a lack of transparency or 'tystnadskultur.'
Master the Past Tense
Native speakers almost always use 'teg' (past) because they are usually telling a story about when someone didn't talk.
Don't say 'en mur'
Always use 'muren'. Saying 'tiga som en mur' sounds like a non-native translation error.
Signification
To refuse to say anything at all.
Master the Past Tense
Native speakers almost always use 'teg' (past) because they are usually telling a story about when someone didn't talk.
Don't say 'en mur'
Always use 'muren'. Saying 'tiga som en mur' sounds like a non-native translation error.
The 'En Svensk Tiger' Pun
Knowing the history of the 'Swedish Tiger' poster will help you remember the verb 'tiga' forever!
Teste-toi
Fill in the correct past tense form of the verb 'tiga'.
Polisen frågade honom många gånger, men han ______ som muren.
The sentence is in the past tense, and 'teg' is the preterite form of 'tiga'.
Which situation best fits the idiom 'tiga som muren'?
Välj den bästa situationen:
The idiom implies a deliberate refusal to give information.
Match the Swedish phrase with its English equivalent.
Matcha paren:
These are standard translations of common Swedish idioms.
Complete the dialogue with the correct form of the idiom.
A: Har du berättat för chefen? B: Nej, jag har ______ som muren.
After 'har', we use the supine form 'tegat'.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Silence Idioms
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesPolisen frågade honom många gånger, men han ______ som muren.
The sentence is in the past tense, and 'teg' is the preterite form of 'tiga'.
Välj den bästa situationen:
The idiom implies a deliberate refusal to give information.
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
These are standard translations of common Swedish idioms.
A: Har du berättat för chefen? B: Nej, jag har ______ som muren.
After 'har', we use the supine form 'tegat'.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsIt depends on the context. If you say it about someone else, it can imply they are being stubborn. If you say 'Jag tiger som muren,' it's a promise of loyalty.
No, it's better to say 'blyg' (shy). 'Tiga som muren' implies the child is hiding something on purpose.
'Vara tyst' is a state (being quiet). 'Tiga' is an action (choosing not to speak).
Yes, especially regarding trade secrets or confidential negotiations.
In Swedish, we usually say 'tyst som i graven' for places. 'Tiga som muren' is the standard for people.
Not at all. It is still very common in newspapers, books, and daily conversation.
Tiga (present: tiger), teg (past), tegat (perfect).
Yes! 'Jag tiger som muren om att du åt upp sista kakan.' (I'll be silent as a wall about you eating the last cookie.)
No, the idiom is much older than the Berlin Wall, though the Berlin Wall is called 'Berlinmuren' in Swedish.
Not a direct one, but 'hålla käften' (shut up) is the aggressive, slangy way to tell someone to be silent.
Expressions liées
tala är silver, tiga är guld
similarSpeaking is silver, silence is gold.
hålla tyst
synonymTo keep quiet.
tyst som i graven
similarSilent as in the grave.
snacka bredvid mun
contrastTo talk beside the mouth (to leak a secret).
