Significado
Something seems suspicious.
Contexto cultural
The idiom reflects the historical landscape of Denmark, which was once dominated by wetlands. These areas were often seen as places where things could be hidden. The linguistic shift from 'ulve' to 'ugler' is specifically attributed to Jutlandic dialects where the words sounded nearly identical. This idiom is a staple of Danish crime fiction. It sets the mood for investigations where the truth is obscured by 'mist' or secrets. Danes use this phrase frequently on social media to call out scams or 'clickbait' articles.
Use 'Vist'
Adding 'vist' (Der er vist ugler i mosen) makes you sound much more natural and less accusatory.
Don't translate literally
If you say 'There are owls in the bog' in English, no one will understand you. Stick to 'Something is fishy' in English.
Significado
Something seems suspicious.
Use 'Vist'
Adding 'vist' (Der er vist ugler i mosen) makes you sound much more natural and less accusatory.
Don't translate literally
If you say 'There are owls in the bog' in English, no one will understand you. Stick to 'Something is fishy' in English.
Humor
Danes often use this with a slight smile. It's a way to point out a problem without creating a big conflict.
Ponte a prueba
Fill in the missing words to complete the idiom.
Jeg stoler ikke på ham. Der er ______ i ______.
The standard idiom is 'ugler i mosen'.
What does 'Der er ugler i mosen' mean?
Vælg den rigtige betydning:
The idiom is used to express suspicion.
Match the situation to the phrase.
En mand sælger en ny bil for kun 1000 kroner. Hvad siger du?
A suspiciously low price is a classic 'ugler i mosen' situation.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Hvorfor gemmer han sin telefon? B: Det ved jeg ikke, men ______.
Hiding a phone suggests a secret or suspicion.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Ayudas visuales
Banco de ejercicios
4 ejerciciosJeg stoler ikke på ham. Der er ______ i ______.
The standard idiom is 'ugler i mosen'.
Vælg den rigtige betydning:
The idiom is used to express suspicion.
En mand sælger en ny bil for kun 1000 kroner. Hvad siger du?
A suspiciously low price is a classic 'ugler i mosen' situation.
A: Hvorfor gemmer han sin telefon? B: Det ved jeg ikke, men ______.
Hiding a phone suggests a secret or suspicion.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Preguntas frecuentes
10 preguntasYes, it is a timeless idiom. While young people might use more English-inspired slang, everyone understands and uses this phrase.
It's better to use it in a meeting or a call. In a formal email, it might be a bit too casual. Try 'Jeg har visse betænkeligheder' instead.
Historically, bogs (moser) were more dangerous and mysterious than forests in the Danish landscape.
Always plural: 'ugler'.
Almost exactly the same, though 'I smell a rat' is often more certain, while 'ugler i mosen' can be a vague feeling.
No, that would mean there are actual owls in your personal bog. The idiom is fixed.
Not at all. It's a very polite way to say you are suspicious.
Then you would probably say 'Se, der sidder nogle rigtige ugler derude!' to avoid confusion.
People sometimes just say 'Ugler i mosen!' as an exclamation.
It sounds like 'MO-sen' with a soft 'n' at the end.
Frases relacionadas
At have rent mel i posen
contrastTo have clean flour in the bag (to be honest).
At stikke noget under stolen
similarTo sweep something under the chair (to hide something).
Luskedet
synonymSneaky or fishy.
Der er noget i gære
similarSomething is brewing.
