Meaning
to introduce changes
Cultural Background
Danes value 'medbestemmelse' (co-determination). When a boss says they want to 'ryste posen', they often invite employees to help decide how the new 'shake-up' should look. Sports journalists in Denmark use this phrase constantly. It is the standard way to describe a coach making tactical substitutions. In Danish schools, teachers often 'ryste posen' by changing the 'bordplan' (seating chart) every month to ensure social cohesion. A 'ministerrokade' (cabinet reshuffle) is the ultimate political version of 'at ryste posen'.
Use it in Job Interviews
Saying you are 'god til at ryste posen' shows you are an innovative problem-solver.
Don't over-shake
Danes also say 'man skal ikke ryste posen bare for at ryste den'—don't change things just for the sake of change.
Meaning
to introduce changes
Use it in Job Interviews
Saying you are 'god til at ryste posen' shows you are an innovative problem-solver.
Don't over-shake
Danes also say 'man skal ikke ryste posen bare for at ryste den'—don't change things just for the sake of change.
The 'Passive' version
Use 'Vi trænger til at få rystet posen' to sound more natural and less like you are blaming someone.
Pair with 'friske øjne'
Often used together: 'Vi skal have rystet posen og set på det med friske øjne' (We need to shake the bag and look at it with fresh eyes).
Test Yourself
Hvilken sætning bruger idiomet korrekt?
Vores salgstal er faldet, så vi bliver nødt til at...
Idiomet bruges her til at beskrive behovet for en ny tilgang til en udfordring.
Udfyld det manglende ord i idiomet.
Efter fem år i den samme afdeling trængte jeg til at få rystet _______.
Det korrekte ord i dette faste udtryk er 'posen'.
Match situationen med den bedste brug af idiomet.
En fodboldtræner har tabt tre kampe i træk.
I sport betyder det at ændre på holdet for at få bedre resultater.
Færdiggør dialogen.
A: 'Vi laver altid det samme til julefrokosten.' B: 'Ja, skal vi ikke _______ i år?'
'Ryste posen' passer bedst her, da det handler om at ændre en fast tradition.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Change Idioms
Practice Bank
4 exercisesVores salgstal er faldet, så vi bliver nødt til at...
Idiomet bruges her til at beskrive behovet for en ny tilgang til en udfordring.
Efter fem år i den samme afdeling trængte jeg til at få rystet _______.
Det korrekte ord i dette faste udtryk er 'posen'.
En fodboldtræner har tabt tre kampe i træk.
I sport betyder det at ændre på holdet for at få bedre resultater.
A: 'Vi laver altid det samme til julefrokosten.' B: 'Ja, skal vi ikke _______ i år?'
'Ryste posen' passer bedst her, da det handler om at ændre en fast tradition.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsIt is neutral. You can use it in a business meeting or with friends, but avoid it in very formal legal documents.
No, the idiom is almost always 'ryste posen' (the bag). Using 'min' makes it literal.
Not necessarily. It usually means moving people to new roles or changing methods, but it can be a euphemism for layoffs in some corporate contexts.
'Nye boller på suppen' implies new rules or a new style of leadership. 'Ryste posen' is more about reorganization.
Yes! You can 'ryste posen' by changing your diet, your hobbies, or your daily routine.
Yes, it is very common in Danish media, especially in sports and politics.
It sounds like 'roo-steh' with a very short 'oo' sound and a soft 'd' sound for the 't'.
Yes, a boss might say 'Kom så, lad os ryst posen!' to encourage a team to be creative.
It's the passive form: 'to have the bag shaken', meaning to undergo a reorganization.
Yes, Swedish has 'skaka om i påsen', but it's much more common in Danish.
Related Phrases
Nye boller på suppen
similarNew ways of doing things, often stricter.
At vende bøtten
similarTo turn things around completely.
At starte på en frisk
builds onTo start over from scratch.
At luge ud
contrastTo weed out/remove unwanted elements.
At tænke ud af boksen
similarTo think outside the box.
