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Glossary entry

Swedish term or phrase:

f-n [literally fan]

English translation:

F--k. (expletive equivalent to the F word in English). Other options to be less strong are \'so**ing\', \'bl**dy\' and \'da**ed\'

Added to glossary by Helen Johnson
Nov 18, 2009 12:22
14 yrs ago
1 viewer *
Swedish term

f-n

Swedish to English Marketing Marketing market research into a product
Det var f-n på tiden, borde ha kommit för länge sedan.
Anyone know what the f-n might stand for please?
TIA asap
Proposed translations (English)
5 +1 F--k. (expletive equivalent to the F word in English)
4 +3 It's about sodding time!
5 +1 damned
4 bloody
Votes to reclassify question as PRO/non-PRO:

Non-PRO (2): Paul Lambert, Madelen Neikter

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Discussion

Helen Johnson (asker) Nov 20, 2009:
Thanks v much. Pretty much all answers are fine, but I've heard it's true that swearing in Swedish is at its worst where religion is concerned, whereas in the English language it's at its worst when referring to copulation and related matters. I therefore think that Paul's hit the nail on the head.
George Hopkins Nov 18, 2009:
Inflation Language, like finance, is subject to inflation. Although every language will change with time the use of really foul language should preferably be avoided; its frequent use does not raise it to a higher level.
Swearing in a second language rarely conveys the intended meaning.
urbom Nov 18, 2009:
Obviously the translation will have to suit the overall tone of the person's "voice" -- in my opinion, either of the answers provided below would work, depending on the age, background etc. of the person writing. Many young Swedes pepper their speech with "f-n" (including the missing vowel) just as younger Brits do with the "f-word", which has lost much of its force among many younger speakers. Younger Brits are less likely to use "bloody", "sodding" etc. these days (at least the ones I overhear on public transport).
Helen Johnson (asker) Nov 18, 2009:
Apologies if this question has caused any offence - I seriously didn't realise what the abbreviation stood for.
Helen Johnson (asker) Nov 18, 2009:
I'm perfectly serious. If it's not permitted on here, I'd like to know the full word that f-n stands for so that I can recall it if I see it again in abbreviated form, purely because I can have trouble remembering things. If you know it you can send it to my email address where it will be for info purposes only with no offence to anyone. I'm sorry if I sound silly but that's the way things are for me.
Paul Lambert Nov 18, 2009:
Are you serious?
Helen Johnson (asker) Nov 18, 2009:
Any chance of actually writing out the whole word or is that not allowed? If not, please send me the whole word to [email protected] just so I know for future reference - unless it's what we would translate as "devil", in which case why didn't I think of that before... Always useless at abbreviations!

Proposed translations

+1
2 mins
Selected

F--k. (expletive equivalent to the F word in English)

Not polite, yet candid.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 mins (2009-11-18 12:25:27 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The first sentence is perhaps best translated "It's about f--king time"
Peer comment(s):
agree urbom : although we usually use asterisks in English rather than dashes.
46 mins
Thank you.
disagree George Hopkins : The f-word is obscene and offensive. Sven's suggestion is more appropriate. There is no matter of taste in four-letter words - they belong to the gutter.
49 mins
Thank you. I suppose it is a question of taste. I don't think "sodding" is very polite either. Some have suggested "bloody". So we have either fornication, sodomy or blasphemy. Choose your poison.
agree Madelen Neikter : Depending on the rest of the text I'd go with this one or bloody, or indeed sodding
2 hrs
neutral asptech : It is not easy these days to determine if an expression is really offensive or just "strong language". I would not put "f-n", or "fan" (without the embellishments), on the same level as the F-word. It is a rather mild expletive, like "hell" in English.
5 hrs
Interesting. Myself, I consider the Swedish "f-n" to be as bad as the English F word. Both words reflect poorly on their users.
neutral Sven Petersson : A wee bit on the strong side.
2 days 6 hrs
Something went wrong...
2 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "I've heard exactly the same and wouldn't have asked the question had I understood what the abbreviated form stood for."
+3
46 mins

It's about sodding time!

"f-n" stands for "fan" (devil).
:o)
Peer comment(s):
agree urbom : Yep, that's what it stands for! (though not used the same way as "devil" in English, obv.)
3 mins
Thank you very much!
agree George Hopkins
7 mins
Thank you very much!
agree Madelen Neikter : See comment made above
1 hr
Thank you very much!
Something went wrong...
+1
2 hrs

damned

It's about damned time!
Peer comment(s):
agree George Hopkins : Fitting suggestion.
1 hr
Thank you George!
Something went wrong...
1 day 8 hrs

bloody

I would venture that f-n in Swedish is not quite as strong as the f-word in UK English, so this would be my suggestion.
Example sentence:

High bloody time! or Bloody high time!

Something went wrong...
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