뜻
To fail after hard work.
문화적 배경
Butter was historically a form of currency in Sweden. Taxes were sometimes paid in butter, making the loss of butter or its value a very serious matter. The 'Marknad' (Market) was the social and economic highlight of the year. Losing your earnings on the way home from the market was a common folk-tale trope. Swedes value 'leverans' (delivery). This idiom is often used in project management to warn against celebrating before the final delivery is confirmed. Folk idioms like this appear frequently in the works of Astrid Lindgren, helping to preserve the rural linguistic heritage for modern children.
Use it for self-deprecation
If you make a mistake, using this idiom makes you sound humble and culturally integrated.
Don't use it for serious loss
It's too lighthearted for deaths, major illnesses, or serious crimes.
뜻
To fail after hard work.
Use it for self-deprecation
If you make a mistake, using this idiom makes you sound humble and culturally integrated.
Don't use it for serious loss
It's too lighthearted for deaths, major illnesses, or serious crimes.
The 'Butter' connection
Swedes love dairy metaphors. Knowing this one opens the door to others like 'glida in på en räkmacka' (sliding in on a shrimp sandwich).
셀프 테스트
Fill in the missing verbs in the correct past tense.
Vi ____ smöret och ____ pengarna.
In Swedish idioms, we usually use the preterite (past tense) to describe the event.
Which situation best fits the idiom?
When would you say 'Han sålde smöret och tappade pengarna'?
This fits the 'success followed by immediate loss' pattern.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Hur gick det med din nya app? B: Den var färdig, men sen raderade jag koden av misstag. Jag ____.
The speaker is describing a completed work that was lost due to a mistake.
Match the idiom to the correct meaning.
Att sälja smöret och tappa pengarna betyder...
It means to fail right at the goal/finish line.
🎉 점수: /4
시각 학습 자료
연습 문제 은행
4 연습 문제Vi ____ smöret och ____ pengarna.
In Swedish idioms, we usually use the preterite (past tense) to describe the event.
When would you say 'Han sålde smöret och tappade pengarna'?
This fits the 'success followed by immediate loss' pattern.
A: Hur gick det med din nya app? B: Den var färdig, men sen raderade jag koden av misstag. Jag ____.
The speaker is describing a completed work that was lost due to a mistake.
Att sälja smöret och tappa pengarna betyder...
It means to fail right at the goal/finish line.
🎉 점수: /4
자주 묻는 질문
10 질문Yes, very much so! It's a staple of Swedish commentary in sports and business.
Yes, but people will likely think you are being funny or using the idiom figuratively.
The past tense (preteritum): 'sålde... tappade'.
It's neutral. You can use it with your boss or your friends.
Yes, the idiom is fixed. You can't say 'sell the milk'.
Not at all. It's a very safe, classic idiom.
You can say 'Jag höll på att sälja smöret och tappa pengarna'.
There isn't a direct idiomatic opposite, but 'att knyta ihop säcken' (to tie up the sack) means to successfully finish something.
Yes, it's very common to use when complaining about a mistake.
Because butter was one of the most valuable things a farmer could sell in old Sweden.
관련 표현
Gå i stöpet
similarTo fall through / to fail.
Dra det kortaste strået
similarTo get the short end of the stick.
Kamma noll
similarTo come up empty-handed.
Ha rent mjöl i påsen
contrastTo have clean flour in the bag (to be honest).
