Did you Know These Nordic Words

I’m all about Nordic words that describe Scandinavian living. Living your life with less is more approach and about the Nordic simplicity, which is what my podcast is about. So that you can live your life like we Nordic people do with some little more simplicity.

There are few words that you would like to know and their meaning and todays episode is exactly  What these words really mean.

First Nordic Word : The Meaning of Hygge

First Nordic word I want to cover is Hygge.

Hygge = coziness and being comfortable, feeling of contentment.

You could be Hygge just by having a coffee with a friend in a nice coffee shop and just drinking a hot drink and just chatting about life. That’s okay. Or it’s kind of level of comfort like you have a warm drink. You might be at home having food and you’ll be warm. There’s a fire going. And yeah, that’s Hygge as well.

I talked about this Nordic word in my  Episode 68 go and listen to that. That’s about how you can be comfortable and how you can be Hygge in a budget because, hey, it’s a concept. You don’t have to go and buy candles to be hugge. There is no need to buy a Hygge jumper or a blanket. You can be Hygge without anything. It’s a state of mind which what episode 68 is about.

What Is Mysig?

Hygge is a Danish word but Swedes have similar called Mysig.

Mysig=  able to be pleasant, comfortable, agreeable, cozy

The Swedes use this Nordic Word similar way as Danes use Hygge. You can smile with Mysig smile. You can be comfortable like Mysig. Mysig also has different meaning in Swedish slang. Mysa can mean having sex. You know what I mean? There is a different meaning with the same word of being comfortable. Being comfortable underneath of blanket. With someone else, (laughing here about this) as it can be different meaning if it is your boyfriend.

Norway Has Their Own Word Koselig

My friend Ingrid Opstad was on my episode 79 talking about her life and we talked about what is Hygge and how to have it. She introduced me to this word Koselig that is Norweigian.

Koselig=coziness, intimacy, warmth, happiness and just being content

I was explained that this word describes a moment when you are comfortable for example at your friends having a coffee with a blanket. You are ultra-comfortable and cozy just on what moment. So all the Scandi countries have similar words explaining the life as cozyness and being comfortable.

Why Swedes Love to Have a Fika

Fika is a concept of state of mind again. You can ask Fika question and it literally means that let’s share a cup of coffee or tea with little something to eat like a cake or a biscuit.

Fika= Have a coffee with a cake

You can use it as one word question like do you want to have a coffee with me ?  Many Swedes consider that it is almost essential to make time for fika every day. Companies have it part of their schedule to have Fika during the day.

What Word Does Finland Have?

Well be Finns like to be different. We do not have a fancy word describing a comfortable moment with friends. As we are part of the Finno-Ugri language group our Nordic words are slightly different.

Kalsarikännit: Pants drunk

We have a word Kalsarikannit. Yes, it definitely talk about alcohol, not a comfy hot chocolate with a friend. Kalsarikannit is about getting drunk, on our underwear, or pyjama, at home, on the sofa, watching the telly and bitching about your boss or about your week. Finns tend to be different, this is explaining on drinking at home on your own scenario of the Finnish culture.

Sisu does not really have a English translation.

Sisu= resilience, determination do go through no matter what

I talk about this with Joanna Nylund on episode 77 as she has written a book about what is Sisu. Sisu is describing the national character of the Finns. The Hardiness, bravery and fighting against the odds.

You might have a tricky situation and you need to work fast, resilience and you might not call is sisu but that is what it means. Sisu is state of mind as well.

So there you are my definition of the wonderful words of Nordici language. If you are interested to read more here are the pronunciation for each of the words.

Hygge (danish) { hyoo·guh}
Mysig (swdesidh) {myːˌsɪɡ}
Fika (swedish) { fee-ka}
Koselig (norweigian) {koo -sh-lee}
Kalsarikännit (finnish) { cal-sar-y-cuhn-eet}
Sisu  (finnish) { see’-soo }

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