Meaning
To start working on a problem.
Cultural Background
In Swedish workplaces, 'att ta itu med saker' is seen as a sign of a 'självgående' (self-starting) employee. It is highly valued in the flat hierarchy of Swedish business. The phrase is equally common in Finland-Swedish and carries the same weight of pragmatism and 'sisu' (determination). There is a shared cultural trope of the 'handy' person who doesn't talk much but 'tar itu med' physical repairs or difficult tasks. On Swedish social media, you might see 'ta itu med' used in 'life hack' or productivity contexts, often with a sense of irony about how hard it is to start tasks.
The Procrastination Killer
Use this phrase when you want to sound like a person of action. It's very positive in a work context.
Don't forget 'med'
Without 'med', the sentence feels like it's hanging off a cliff. Always include it if you mention what you are dealing with.
Meaning
To start working on a problem.
The Procrastination Killer
Use this phrase when you want to sound like a person of action. It's very positive in a work context.
Don't forget 'med'
Without 'med', the sentence feels like it's hanging off a cliff. Always include it if you mention what you are dealing with.
Stress is key
If you don't stress the 'u' in 'itu', Swedes might not understand you. It's a particle verb, and particles love the spotlight!
Test Yourself
Fill in the missing words to complete the phrase.
Jag kan inte vänta längre, jag måste ta ___ ___ min ekonomi.
The full phrase is 'ta itu med'.
Which sentence uses the phrase correctly?
Select the natural Swedish sentence:
'Ta itu med' is used for problems or tasks, not eating ice cream or meeting friends.
Complete the dialogue with the correct form of the verb.
A: Har du städat garaget än? B: Nej, men jag ___ itu med det igår om jag hade haft tid.
This uses the conditional 'would have taken' to match the context of 'if I had had time'.
Match the situation to the most likely use of 'ta itu med'.
Situation: A politician speaking about rising crime rates.
Politicians use this phrase to show they are taking action against social issues.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Ta itu med vs. Hantera
Practice Bank
4 exercisesJag kan inte vänta längre, jag måste ta ___ ___ min ekonomi.
The full phrase is 'ta itu med'.
Select the natural Swedish sentence:
'Ta itu med' is used for problems or tasks, not eating ice cream or meeting friends.
A: Har du städat garaget än? B: Nej, men jag ___ itu med det igår om jag hade haft tid.
This uses the conditional 'would have taken' to match the context of 'if I had had time'.
Situation: A politician speaking about rising crime rates.
Politicians use this phrase to show they are taking action against social issues.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsYes, but it implies you are dealing with their behavior or a conflict. It's not for a friendly chat.
Both are fine! 'Ta itu med' is slightly more common for abstract problems, while 'ta tag i' is more common for physical tasks.
The verb 'ta' changes to 'tog'. So: 'Jag tog itu med det igår'.
Only if your lunch is a problem (like it's huge or you're late). Otherwise, just say 'äta lunch'.
Not really. It only exists in a few set phrases in modern Swedish.
'Ta itu med' is about starting to solve something. 'Hantera' is about the process of managing it.
It's neutral. You can use it with your boss or your best friend.
Usually no. It's for tasks, problems, or challenges.
It's an old way of saying 'in two'.
Usually not in spoken Swedish. It sounds like 'meh'.
Related Phrases
ta tag i
synonymTo grab hold of / tackle
hugga i
similarTo pitch in / start working hard
skjuta upp
contrastTo postpone / procrastinate
hantera
specialized formTo handle / manage
åtgärda
specialized formTo fix / rectify
