Z ~ Zenith - end of the bus tour!

We've come a long way together, beginning to zenit, if you will.  It means zenith, but I have NO idea how to pronounce it, since I've never used it in conversation, and my proofreader is unreachable at this hour. 


Besides, I want to spend our last lesson for the semester on some more useful words. After all, it wouldn't be very worthwhile to spend a month learning random words of a language if all you can do at the end is order a beer. (Not knocking how useful a beer can be...)

One reader, faithful Laurita (please pay her a visit and show some love) who hasn't missed a post of mine in April, commented that she needed to know how to say, “He'll have a beer!” since she didn't want one.  I'm referring to my W post where I also cheated and didn't do a Swedish (practically non-existant) W word. I taught you to order beer.

What you learned was “Jag vill ha en öl”

If he wants one and you don't, you say “Han vill ha en öl” where han is like “hon” as in honey, sweetie, munchkin...

Alternately, maybe you're not with a he, but a she. Then you say “Hon vill ha en öl” where the “on” is like the Spanish word for one = uno. H + uno – o + n”. Or point to her and say öl ;-)

No beer drinkers in your party?

Maybe someone wants wine? “Jag vill ha vin” where vin is pronounced veen as in seen, as in I've already seen that movie.

If you need a martini (I could go for one right now)or a Tom Collins, or a gin and tonic, then you'll just have to point and gesture. I've only been to one Swedish bar (as I talked about in my Ovanligt post) and I drank beer).

So out there on the town, enjoying your beverage of choice, perhaps you need to use the facilities.

“Var finns toaletten?”

var: like car

finns: fins, like on a fish

toaletten: tow + ah + let + en (as in end)

I will warn you though. There are I think four other words for restroom facilities, and I don't know what modern Swedes say. It's like “powder room” in English. I don't find myself asking for that at Chili's. I just want the restroom.

So we've got your beverages, we've got your facilities what other useful words would a tourist need?

Affair = store, pronounced just like in adultery

restaurang = I bet you know this one. Just like in English, except the end is rung (as in steps on a ladder)

I hope that you've had fun with these lessons, and that maybe you retain a word or two to dazzle (*snort*) your friends with. For me, it's been a lovely return to childhood memories. Thanks for taking the ride with me. It's been an honor.  

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If I haven't been to your place yet, no worries, I'm going to keep visiting and responding to comments until I'm done.  You'll hear more about the Post-Challenge Challenge (where we keep visiting the list even though April is done) very soon.  


I'm also having a give away.  I'm going to number your comments from A to Z, then have a drawing for a winner.  Prize?  Gift certificate to IKEA.  I'm doing that after the reflections posts are up, so you still have time to go back and read the ones you missed.  Obviously, the more lessons you've taken, the better your chances.