Meaning
To continue as planned.
Cultural Background
Swedes value 'konsensus' (consensus). Once a group has agreed on a path, it is socially expected that everyone 'håller kursen' to avoid unnecessary conflict or delays. The Swedish coast is famous for its 'skärgård' (archipelago). Navigating these thousands of islands requires constant focus on 'kursen', which is why nautical metaphors are so common in the language. Swedish companies like Ericsson or Scania often use 'hålla kursen' in their annual reports to signal to shareholders that they are not reacting impulsively to market changes. In Swedish cross-country skiing (längdskidor), 'hålla kursen' can also refer to staying in the prepared tracks (spåren) to maintain speed.
Use it in Business
If you want to sound like a leader in a Swedish workplace, use this phrase when things get chaotic. It shows you have 'is i magen'.
The 'RS' sound
Remember that 'rs' in 'kursen' sounds like 'sh'. If you pronounce the 'r' and 's' separately, you will sound very foreign.
Meaning
To continue as planned.
Use it in Business
If you want to sound like a leader in a Swedish workplace, use this phrase when things get chaotic. It shows you have 'is i magen'.
The 'RS' sound
Remember that 'rs' in 'kursen' sounds like 'sh'. If you pronounce the 'r' and 's' separately, you will sound very foreign.
Stubbornness vs. Persistence
In Sweden, 'hålla kursen' is positive (persistence), while 'att vara envis' can be negative (stubbornness). Use the idiom to sound more professional.
Test Yourself
Fyll i rätt form av verbet 'hålla'.
Igår ___ vi kursen trots att det var svårt.
The word 'Igår' (yesterday) indicates the past tense, which is 'höll'.
Vilket alternativ betyder 'hålla kursen'?
Vad gör man om man 'håller kursen'?
The idiom means to stick to the original plan.
Välj det svar som passar bäst i dialogen.
A: Jag är trött på det här projektet. Ska vi göra något annat? B: Nej, vi har lovat chefen att ___.
The correct idiom is 'hålla kursen' in the definite form.
Matcha situationen med rätt uttryck.
En politiker säger att de inte ska ändra sina skatteförslag.
When a politician sticks to their proposal, they are 'holding the course'.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesIgår ___ vi kursen trots att det var svårt.
The word 'Igår' (yesterday) indicates the past tense, which is 'höll'.
Vad gör man om man 'håller kursen'?
The idiom means to stick to the original plan.
A: Jag är trött på det här projektet. Ska vi göra något annat? B: Nej, vi har lovat chefen att ___.
The correct idiom is 'hålla kursen' in the definite form.
En politiker säger att de inte ska ändra sina skatteförslag.
When a politician sticks to their proposal, they are 'holding the course'.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsTechnically yes, but it sounds very formal. Usually, you'd say 'följa vägen' or 'köra rakt fram'.
It is neutral to formal. You can use it with friends, but it's very common in newspapers and business.
The most common opposite is 'att komma ur kurs' (to get off course) or 'att byta kurs' (to change course).
Yes, it almost always implies that a direction or plan was decided beforehand.
It's possible, but 'hålla kursen' (the course) is much more common as a fixed idiom.
Yes, especially in sailing, rowing, and skiing to describe staying in the right lane or direction.
The past tense is 'höll'. Example: 'Vi höll kursen igår.'
Yes! 'Jag försöker hålla kursen med min diet' is a great way to say you're sticking to it.
Yes, 'en kurs' is a class, but in this idiom, it refers to a nautical heading.
Because idioms often use the definite form to refer to a specific, understood concept (the course we agreed on).
Related Phrases
följa planen
similarTo follow the plan
hålla ut
similarTo endure / hang in there
vika av
contrastTo turn off / deviate
byta spår
contrastTo change tracks
is i magen
builds onIce in the stomach (staying cool)
hålla rak kurs
specialized formTo hold a straight course
