Dela notan
Splitting the bill · a free Swedish immersion capsule
Useful sentences · 10
Phrases you'll actually use today. Tap Explain for the why behind each one.
Ska vi dela notan lika mellan oss?
Shall we split the bill evenly between us?
Literal Shall we split the bill equally between us?
A natural way to propose splitting the bill equally. 'Ska vi' forms a first-person plural suggestion or question in Swedish.
- 'Ska vi' + infinitive = shall we / let's (suggestion form)
- 'dela' = to split or divide
- 'lika' = equally or evenly
- 'mellan oss' = between us
Det blir ungefär trehundra kronor per person.
It comes to about three hundred kronor per person.
Literal It becomes approximately three hundred kronor per person.
'Det blir' is the standard Swedish phrase for 'it comes to' when stating totals. 'Ungefär' softens the figure to an estimate.
- 'Det blir' = it comes to / it will be (used for prices and totals)
- 'ungefär' = approximately, about
- 'trehundra' = 300; Swedish numbers compound into one word
- 'per person' functions identically to English
Vem ska betala för dricksen den här gången?
Who is going to pay for the tip this time?
Literal Who shall pay for the tip this time?
'Dricksen' is the colloquial definite form of 'dricks' (tip). Tipping in Sweden is optional and usually modest. 'Den här gången' means 'this time'.
- 'Vem' = who (subject position)
- 'ska' expresses future intent or mild obligation
- 'gången' = the time / the occasion (definite form of 'gång')
- 'den här' = this (for common-gender nouns)
Låt oss Swisha varandra direkt efter maten.
Let's Swish each other right after the meal.
Literal Let us Swish each other directly after the food.
'Swisha' is a verb derived from Swish, Sweden's dominant mobile payment app. 'Varandra' means 'each other'. 'Låt oss' is the standard Swedish equivalent of 'let's'.
- 'Låt oss' + infinitive = let's (imperative suggestion)
- 'Swisha' is a loanword verb conjugated as a regular -a verb
- 'varandra' = each other (reciprocal pronoun)
- 'direkt' = right away, immediately
Kan du lägga ut pengarna, så betalar jag dig tillbaka?
Can you cover it, and I'll pay you back?
Literal Can you lay out the money, so I pay you back?
'Lägga ut' means to advance money on someone else's behalf. 'Betala tillbaka' means to pay back. The 'så' links the request to the promise of repayment.
- 'lägga ut' = to advance or front money for someone
- 'betala tillbaka' = to pay back (repay)
- 'Kan du...?' = polite request form
- 'så' here means 'and then' or 'so that'
Vi kan dela kostnaden för hyran på tre.
We can split the rent cost three ways.
Literal We can split the cost for the rent on three.
'Dela på tre' is the natural Swedish way to say 'split three ways'. 'Kostnaden' and 'hyran' are both definite singular nouns, a typical Swedish pattern.
- 'dela på' + number = to split among that many people
- 'kostnaden' = the cost (definite singular of 'kostnad')
- 'hyran' = the rent (definite singular of 'hyra')
- Definite nouns use suffix -n or -en rather than an article before them
Har du Swish, eller föredrar du kontanter?
Do you have Swish, or do you prefer cash?
Literal Have you Swish, or do you prefer cash?
Swish is so widespread in Sweden that this question comes up constantly. 'Föredrar' is the present tense of 'föredra' (to prefer). 'Kontanter' is always plural in Swedish.
- 'Har du' = do you have (present tense, inverted for question)
- 'föredrar' = present tense of 'föredra' (group 4 irregular verb)
- 'kontanter' is always used in the plural form
- 'eller' = or (coordinating conjunction)
Var och en betalar för det de beställt.
Everyone pays for what they ordered.
Literal Each and one pays for what they have ordered.
'Var och en' is a formal way to say 'each person' or 'everyone individually'. 'Beställt' is the past participle of 'beställa' (to order); the auxiliary 'har' is dropped in colloquial use.
- 'Var och en' = each one, every person individually
- 'beställt' = past participle of 'beställa' (to order)
- In colloquial Swedish, 'har' before a past participle is often dropped
- 'det de beställt' = what they ordered (relative clause)
Jag är skyldig dig femtio kronor från igår.
I owe you fifty kronor from yesterday.
Literal I am indebted to you fifty kronor from yesterday.
'Skyldig' normally means 'guilty' but in this construction 'vara skyldig' + person + amount means 'to owe'. 'Igår' means yesterday and needs no preposition.
- 'vara skyldig' + person + amount = to owe someone
- 'femtio' = 50 (pronunciation: FEM-tee-oh)
- 'igår' = yesterday (adverb requiring no preposition)
- Amount follows directly after the person owed
Det är enklast om vi delar lika.
It is easiest if we split evenly.
Literal It is easiest if we divide equally.
'Enklast' is the superlative of 'enkel' (simple/easy). This is a very common, practical closing argument when negotiating how to divide a bill.
- 'enklast' = superlative of 'enkel': enkel → enklare → enklast
- 'om' = if (conditional conjunction)
- 'delar lika' = split evenly; 'lika' as adverb means equally
New words · 10
Themed vocabulary, each with an example you can borrow.
nota
bill / check (restaurant)
Kan vi få notan, tack?
Can we get the bill, please?
Use 'nota' for a restaurant bill; 'räkning' is used for formal invoices
dela
to split / to share / to divide
Vi delar notan lika.
We split the bill evenly.
'Dela på' + number = split among X people
betala
to pay
Vem ska betala den här gången?
Who is going to pay this time?
Regular -a verb: betalar (present), betalade (past), betalat (past participle)
kronor
kronor (Swedish currency)
Det kostar tvåhundra kronor totalt.
It costs two hundred kronor in total.
Singular: 'en krona'; plural: 'kronor'. Abbreviated as kr or SEK
Swisha
to pay via Swish (mobile payment app)
Jag Swishar dig direkt.
I'll Swish you right away.
Swish is Sweden's dominant mobile payment system; 'Swisha' is used as a regular -a verb
skyldig
owing / indebted (also: guilty)
Jag är skyldig dig hundra kronor.
I owe you a hundred kronor.
'Vara skyldig' + person + amount is the standard way to say you owe money
kontanter
cash
Tar ni kontanter eller kort?
Do you accept cash or card?
Always used in the plural form in Swedish
kostnad
cost / expense
Vi delar kostnaden för hyran.
We split the cost for the rent.
More formal than 'pris' (price); used for ongoing or shared expenses
lika
equally / evenly
Vi delar lika, det är rättvist.
We split evenly, that is fair.
Also an adjective meaning 'equal/same'; 'lika mycket' = just as much
tillbaka
back (as in paying back)
Jag betalar dig tillbaka imorgon.
I'll pay you back tomorrow.
'Betala tillbaka' = to repay; 'tillbaka' literally means 'back' in direction or return
Short reading
A tiny story stitched from today's words. Translation is hidden, tap to peek.
Emma och hennes tre vänner har just ätit lunch på ett café i Stockholm. När servitören tar med notan börjar alla titta på varandra med ett leende. 'Låt oss dela lika,' säger Emma, 'det är enklast.' De räknar snabbt ut att det blir etthundraåttio kronor per person. Alla Swishar Emma på en gång, och snart är skulden kvittad.
Sentence by sentence
Emma och hennes tre vänner har just ätit lunch
Emma and her three friends have just had lunch
'Har just ätit' is the present perfect in Swedish, indicating a recently completed action. 'Vänner' is the plural of 'vän' (friend).
När servitören tar med notan
When the waiter brings the bill
'Tar med' means 'brings along'. 'Notan' is the definite form of 'nota' (bill). 'Servitören' is the definite form of 'servitör' (waiter).
börjar alla titta på varandra med ett leende
everyone starts looking at each other with a smile
'Börjar' = starts; 'titta på varandra' = look at each other; 'leende' is a noun meaning smile, from the verb 'le' (to smile).
Låt oss dela lika, det är enklast
Let's split it evenly, it's easiest
'Låt oss' + infinitive = let's (imperative suggestion). 'Dela lika' = split evenly. 'Enklast' is the superlative of 'enkel' (easy/simple).
De räknar snabbt ut att det blir etthundraåttio kronor per person
They quickly calculate that it comes to one hundred and eighty kronor per person
'Räknar ut' = work out/calculate. 'Det blir' is the standard phrase for totals. 'Etthundraåttio' = 180; Swedish compounds large numbers into one word.
Alla Swishar Emma på en gång, och snart är skulden kvittad
Everyone Swishes Emma at once, and soon the debt is settled
'Swishar' is present tense of 'Swisha'. 'På en gång' = at once. 'Skulden kvittad' = the debt settled; 'kvittad' is a past participle used as a predicate adjective.
Pattern of the day
One grammar move, explained once, that unlocks dozens of sentences.
Dela på + number: splitting costs among a group
To express dividing something among a specific number of people in Swedish, use 'dela' followed by 'på' and the number. This construction clearly states how many ways the cost is split. It can stand alone or be extended with 'per person' for emphasis. The noun being split typically appears in its definite form between 'dela' and 'på'.
dela [noun-definite] på [number] (per person)
Vi delar notan på fyra.
We split the bill four ways.
Låt oss dela kostnaden på tre.
Let's divide the cost three ways.
Det blir billigare om vi delar hyran på fem.
It will be cheaper if we split the rent five ways.
Vi delade matkostnaden på två, en krona var.
We split the food cost two ways, one krona each.
Mini practice · 5
Low-pressure, never graded. Just enough to make it stick.
Translate to Swedish: 'Should we split the bill equally between us?'
Hint Use 'dela' for split and 'lika' for equally.
What does this mean in English? 'Jag är skyldig dig femtio kronor från igår.'
Hint 'Skyldig' here means owing someone something.
Complete the sentence: 'Kan du lägga ut pengarna, så betalar jag dig ___?'
Hint The missing word means 'back' as in returning something.
You want to tell your friends you can split the rent three ways. Which sentence is most natural?
Rewrite using 'Swisha': 'Let's pay each other right after the meal.' (Keep it natural in Swedish.)
Hint 'Swisha' is used as a verb meaning to send money via the Swish app.
That’s today’s phraseberry.
Nice work, you understood something real today. Come back tomorrow for a fresh one.
Make one about your own world
This is a ready-made capsule from our library. Sign up free to generate a daily Swedish capsule about any theme you choose, hear it spoken, and save the bits you want to keep.