Fika is a concept, a state of mind, an attitude and an important part of Swedish culture. Everybody can include it in their day-to-day lives, enhancing all that it brings to a healthy lifestyle. Fika is often translated as 'a coffee and cake break', which is kind of correct, but really it is much more than that. But fika also started to spread to surrounding countries, creating a more well-known concept all around the world.Ī fika is not just a Swedish tradition, it is so much more than that. Statistics from the International Coffee Organization show that Sweden is in the top 10 of most coffee consuming countries. It really has become an everyday ritual, which is shown in their coffee consumption.
In Sweden, people have been taking fika’s for ages to decrease their stress-level and have one or more peaceful moments per day. A fika can be held anywhere, the ambience does not matter but the relaxation and social part are what counts. It does not have to be about socializing with others, since it is a personal break that is filled in however one wants. But a fika can also be used to take some time to yourself. It is the moment of the day that one takes the time to sit down and chat with friends and family, to socialize. The fika, therefore, is not just a break, it is a get-together or a moment to wind down.Ī fika is often used as a social event. It is an important part of everyday life, it is a religion. According to the Swedes, fika is the state between work and rest. Indicating that a fika is a relaxation moment during a busy day, where one can just slow down for a minute whilst having a cup of coffee accompanied by food. Next to the common meaning, the old ‘kaffi’ could also indicate ‘to strive’ in certain contexts.īoth translations lead to the meaning of having a fika taking a (coffee) break from striving to something. Reversing words and syllables was a huge trend in that time, giving birth to the word fika. It originates from the 18 th century and the word for coffee back then in Sweden was kaffi. Our 15-20 minute lessons are perfect to keep you focused and let you develop your confidence in regular sessions.Fika, pronounced as feeka, actually just means ‘coffee’ in Swedish.
In the same time it takes you to sit down and enjoy a coffee in your favourite coffee shop, you can make progress with your Swedish. You’ll also build your cultural knowledge with the help of our cultural correspondent Emma who shares information on Swedish culture in many of the lessons. As a learner Mark asks questions, and makes mistakes, so through Hanna’s explanations, corrections and pronunciation tips you’ll build your confidence and begin to understand and speak the language.
Swedish coffee break series#
Then add a solid structure and carefully constructed pedagogy which ensures that you progress through the lessons and build on previously-learned language.Ĭoffee Break Swedish is not a simple series of “listen and repeat” audio programmes: in each lesson Hanna explains how the language works, helping Mark – and you – to manipulate the language and use it in practical situations. Together they've captured the essence of this important tradition. Anna Brones wrote the book - which came out on April 7 - Johanna Kindvall illustrated it, and both of them developed the recipes. Think of Coffee Break Swedish like going for a coffee (or a fika!) with your friend who happens to speak Swedish and is helping you learn in a relaxed, enjoyable way. Sweden has a coffee culture all its own, and a new book called Fika: The Art Of The Swedish Coffee Break explains what that culture looks like.
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