Alright, this has been addressed in a number of places on the internet, but we need to talk about these words right here and now. They are perfectly normal in Swedish but might make you burst into laughter, or at the very least dra på smilbanden. You might even have a hard time saying them, because they are just too much for you. I’m talking about words, that sound naughty to English speakers but aren’t to Swedes.
Bra
Not super naughty but one of the classic. Bra just means good in Swedish, but obviously, in English it’s a piece of underwear. To some, a taboo topic.
Fart
You’ll see this word in a number of place, especially on signs saying something like Sänk farten which means that you should lower your speed. Even the word farthinder is a classic among these words because it looks like it would be something getting in the way of your farts. It’s not, it means speed bump. So what does fart mean? It just means speed.
Sex
This word might be a little tiny bit taboo, but not to Swedes, and I’m not talking about the misconception (created by the 70’s Swedish movie industry) that Swedes would be particularly salacious. We just wouldn’t be able to count properly. Don’t get me wrong, the sex you’re thinking about is the same as in Sweden, but also the number six is pronounced and written the same: sex.
Slut
All aboard the train to the slutstation. Woah, wait what? Another classic funny naughty word is slut (and slutstation). The word itself means end and, well, that station is the end of the line – the terminus.
Fack
Alright, now we’re getting to the juicy parts. However, this has nothing to do with fornication or coitus. This just means compartment, subject, or workers’ union.
Kock
I guess this is the real juicy part, not because of what you’re thinking right now (sorry for the mental image), but because the Swedish kock is the one making the juice and the sauce. Yes, literally, because a kock is a chef. By the way, the Swedish word chef means boss.
Puss
You want to give it a little kiss, don’t you? Since puss means kiss in Swedish, that’s perfectly normal. You might see this at the end of messages in Swedish puss och kram meaning kiss and hug. Kiss however means pee in Swedish.
Kant
If you’re sitting on the edge of a quay in Stockholm, looking out over the Baltic sea and the old steam boats going to the archipelago. Then you’re sitting on a kant. Don’t fall off.
Prick
Now, if you get pricks all over your body, you need to seek medical attention. This is because prick means spot in Swedish.
Spunk
This isn’t your most common Swedish word, in fact it isn’t really a word at all. It was coined by the fictional character Pippi Longstocking, whom you’ve probably heard of. Not even she knows what a spunk is. In the story it’s everything from a disease to a beetle. In English the word has several meanings, but this one is rather funny especially if you’re British. Take this quote from Pippi for instance: Utan spunk går jag inte hem.. Without spunk, I’m not going home. Apparently the author Astrid Lindgren had no idea that it meant anything. A rather funny coincidence, especially since it’s from a children’s story.