मतलब
Attempting to bypass rules.
सांस्कृतिक पृष्ठभूमि
In Norway, 'å ta en spansk en' is often viewed with a mix of annoyance and secret admiration. It reflects the tension between the strict 'Janteloven' (don't think you're better than us) and the need for individual pragmatism. In Norwegian startups, 'å ta en spansk en' is sometimes used as a badge of honor for 'hacking' a solution with limited resources, though in large corporations like Equinor, it might be frowned upon. This is the most common place to see a 'spansk en.' Norwegians are generally very polite drivers, so 'taking a Spanish one' (like an illegal U-turn) is seen as quite daring. The phrase is a linguistic relic of a time when Spain was seen as a distant, exotic, and 'less organized' place by Northern Europeans. Today, it's just a dead metaphor.
Use it for small things
Keep this idiom for minor infractions. Using it for major crimes makes you sound like you don't understand the gravity of the situation.
The 'en' is vital
Never forget the second 'en'. 'Ta en spansk' sounds like you are kidnapping a Spaniard.
मतलब
Attempting to bypass rules.
Use it for small things
Keep this idiom for minor infractions. Using it for major crimes makes you sound like you don't understand the gravity of the situation.
The 'en' is vital
Never forget the second 'en'. 'Ta en spansk' sounds like you are kidnapping a Spaniard.
Kjøre vs Ta
Use 'kjøre' if the action involves movement or a process, and 'ta' for a single decision.
Not offensive
Don't worry about being offensive to Spanish people; in Norway, this is a very standard, non-political idiom.
खुद को परखो
Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?
Du har dårlig tid og vil parkere ulovlig. Hva sier du?
The full idiom is 'å ta en spansk en.'
Fill in the missing verb.
Han ___ en spansk en og snek i køen i går.
The sentence is in the past tense ('i går'), so we use 'tok'.
Match the situation to the 'spansk en'.
Situation: You don't have a screwdriver, so you use a coin.
Using a coin as a tool is a creative 'spansk en' (shortcut/improvised fix).
Complete the dialogue.
A: Hvordan ble du ferdig så fort? B: Jeg ____.
B is explaining that they took a shortcut to finish quickly.
🎉 स्कोर: /4
विज़ुअल लर्निंग टूल्स
Common 'Spansk en' Arenas
Traffic
- • Illegal U-turns
- • Parking
- • Shortcuts
Work
- • Copy-paste
- • Skipping meetings
- • Quick fixes
अभ्यास बैंक
4 अभ्यासDu har dårlig tid og vil parkere ulovlig. Hva sier du?
The full idiom is 'å ta en spansk en.'
Han ___ en spansk en og snek i køen i går.
The sentence is in the past tense ('i går'), so we use 'tok'.
Situation: You don't have a screwdriver, so you use a coin.
Using a coin as a tool is a creative 'spansk en' (shortcut/improvised fix).
A: Hvordan ble du ferdig så fort? B: Jeg ____.
B is explaining that they took a shortcut to finish quickly.
🎉 स्कोर: /4
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल
12 सवालSort of, but it's 'cheating-lite.' It implies a clever shortcut rather than malicious deception.
Only if you have a very relaxed relationship. Otherwise, it sounds like you are admitting to being lazy or dishonest.
It is always 'en spansk en' because the implied noun (like 'variant' or 'løsning') is masculine.
It's a historical maritime reference to 'unconventional' methods seen on Spanish ships.
No, but there is 'Svenskeknappen' (The Swedish Button), which refers to restarting a computer by pulling the plug.
No, the idiom is fixed in the singular form.
Yes, it is understood and used from Oslo to Tromsø.
'To pull a fast one' or 'to take a shortcut' are the closest matches.
You can, but it implies you cheated. Be careful who you say it to!
It's more of an informal idiom than pure slang. Most adults use it.
Usually yes, but you could say a company 'tok en spansk en' with their taxes.
Yes, if the shortcut was clever and saved the day, it can be a compliment.
संबंधित मुहावरे
å snike i køen
similarTo skip the line
å jukse
similarTo cheat
å gå snarveien
synonymTo take the shortcut
å ro i land
builds onTo row to shore (to save a situation)
å ha rent mel i posen
contrastTo have clean flour in the bag (to be honest)
