Signification
Wiping dishes after washing.
Contexte culturel
The 'diskställ' (dish rack) is ubiquitous. Many Swedes prefer to let dishes air-dry in the rack rather than using a towel, as it is considered more hygienic. Finland is famous for the 'astiankuivauskaappi' (dish drying cabinet), a cupboard above the sink with wire shelves. This makes 'torka disken' almost unnecessary in Finnish-Swedish households. Similar to Sweden, but the term 'tørke opp' is more common in some Norwegian dialects for the same action. In these cultures, drying dishes immediately is more common due to lack of built-in drying cabinets, making the phrase 'dry the dishes' a more frequent part of the daily routine.
The 'Jag diskar, du torkar' rule
This is the most useful phrase for any shared living situation in Sweden. It's the ultimate fair trade.
Guest Etiquette
If you want to impress a Swedish host, don't just ask 'Can I help?'. Ask 'Ska jag torka disken?'. It shows you know exactly what needs to be done.
Signification
Wiping dishes after washing.
The 'Jag diskar, du torkar' rule
This is the most useful phrase for any shared living situation in Sweden. It's the ultimate fair trade.
Guest Etiquette
If you want to impress a Swedish host, don't just ask 'Can I help?'. Ask 'Ska jag torka disken?'. It shows you know exactly what needs to be done.
Teste-toi
Fill in the missing verb in the correct form (present tense).
Jag diskar och min bror _______ disken.
The sentence is in the present tense ('diskar'), so we need the present tense 'torkar'.
Which sentence is the most natural way to say 'I dried the dishes'?
Choose the best option:
Swedish uses the definite form 'disken' for this chore.
Match the Swedish phrase with its English meaning.
Match the following:
These are the core vocabulary items for the kitchen.
🎉 Score : /3
Aides visuelles
Kitchen Chores
Washing
- • diska
- • skölja
- • skrubba
Drying
- • torka disken
- • självtorka
- • diskhandduk
Banque d exercices
3 exercicesJag diskar och min bror _______ disken.
The sentence is in the present tense ('diskar'), so we need the present tense 'torkar'.
Choose the best option:
Swedish uses the definite form 'disken' for this chore.
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
These are the core vocabulary items for the kitchen.
🎉 Score : /3
Questions fréquentes
3 questionsYes, but it sounds a bit literal. 'Torka disken' is the idiomatic way to refer to the whole task.
No, it's neutral and can be used in any setting, from home to a casual workplace.
It's called a 'diskhandduk'.
Expressions liées
diska
similarTo wash the dishes
plocka in i diskmaskinen
builds onTo load the dishwasher
duka av
similarTo clear the table
