홈
학습
Swedish
표현
Hur dags?

A1 Expression 비격식체

Hur dags?

At what time?

Phrase in 30 Seconds

A short, punchy way to ask for the time or schedule an event in casual Swedish.

Means: 'At what time?' or 'When?'
Used in: Casual plans, checking the clock, or confirming meeting times.
Don't confuse: It is not used to ask 'How many days' (hur många dagar).

Clock icon + Question mark = Casual time inquiry

Explanation at your level:

This is a simple way to ask 'What time?'. You use it when you want to know when something happens, like a meeting or a bus.

An idiomatic expression used to inquire about specific clock times. It is common in spoken Swedish and serves as a direct, informal alternative to 'Vilken tid'.

This phrase functions as an adverbial interrogative. It is highly frequent in casual registers and demonstrates an understanding of Swedish ellipsis, where the verb 'är' is omitted for conversational flow.

The expression 'Hur dags' illustrates the Swedish tendency toward pragmatic economy. It is a fixed phrase that bypasses standard syntactic requirements for full interrogative sentences, marking the speaker as comfortable with colloquial Swedish.

From a sociolinguistic perspective, 'Hur dags' represents the 'consultative' register shift toward 'casual'. It is a lexicalized interrogative that has undergone grammaticalization, functioning as a standalone time-marker in spoken discourse, reflecting the Swedish cultural emphasis on efficient, low-context communication.

The phrase 'Hur dags' is a prime example of conversational ellipsis in North Germanic languages. By reducing the interrogative structure to a phrasal unit, Swedish speakers optimize communicative efficiency. Its usage is constrained by register; it is a marker of social proximity, indicating that the interlocutors share a common understanding of time-based social norms within the Swedish cultural framework.

뜻

Asking about the specific time.

🌍

문화적 배경

Swedes value efficiency. 'Hur dags' is a perfect example of how the language is stripped down to be as fast as possible. Swedish-speaking Finns use this phrase exactly like Swedes, maintaining the same casual register. Norwegians use 'Når' more often, but 'Hvor dags' is understood, though less common than in Sweden.

💡

Keep it short

Don't add extra words. 'Hur dags?' is a complete question in casual Swedish.

⚠️

Not for dates

Never use 'Hur dags' for days of the week or dates. Use 'Vilken dag' instead.

뜻

Asking about the specific time.

💡

Keep it short

Don't add extra words. 'Hur dags?' is a complete question in casual Swedish.

⚠️

Not for dates

Never use 'Hur dags' for days of the week or dates. Use 'Vilken dag' instead.

셀프 테스트

Complete the question: '___ dags börjar filmen?'

Hur

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: Hur

The phrase is 'Hur dags'.

Which is the most casual way to ask for time?

Hur dags? vs Vid vilken tidpunkt?

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: Hur dags?

'Hur dags' is the standard casual form.

Complete the response: 'Hur dags ses vi?' -> '___ klockan fem.'