#1 Ordering at a Café｜Swedish Shopping Phrases
Haruno NAVIA
#13 Ordering In-Flight Meals | Swedish Travel Phrases
Haruno
On long-haul flights, you will often need to interact with the cabin crew—for example, when ordering an in-flight meal or requesting a drink.
When placing an order in Swedish, you will need expressions that allow you to politely communicate your preferences, confirm menu details, and add drink requests or additional items as needed.
In this article, I introduce practical Swedish expressions you can use when ordering an in-flight meal, along with example dialogues and helpful explanations.
Contents
Dialogue
Ursäkta, kan jag få se menyn för dagens måltider?
（Excuse me, may I see today’s in-flight meal menu?）
Självklart. Vi har kyckling med ris eller pasta med tomatsås.
（Certainly. We have chicken with rice or pasta with tomato sauce.）
Jag tror att jag tar kycklingen. Hur stark är kryddningen?
（I think I’ll have the chicken. How spicy is the seasoning?）
Den är ganska mild. Vill du ha sallad och bröd till?
（It’s fairly mild. Would you like salad and bread with it?）
Ja tack. Och kan jag få ett glas äppeljuice också?
（Yes, please. And may I have a glass of apple juice as well?）
Absolut. Jag kommer med allt strax.
（Of course. I will bring everything shortly.）
1. Checking the Menu
When ordering an in-flight meal, the conversation usually begins with asking to see the menu or expressing your preferences.
- Kan jag få se menyn för dagens måltider?
(May I see today’s in-flight meal menu?)
The expression “Kan jag få … ?” means “May I receive … ?” and is a polite way to make a request.
Nuances of similar expressions:
| Expression | Nuance |
|---|---|
| Kan jag få … ? | Standard and polite. |
| Skulle jag kunna få … ? | Even more polite; similar to “If possible, could I…?” |
| Har ni menyn? | More casual and matter-of-fact. |
On a plane, where you are receiving a service, “kan jag få” or “skulle jag kunna få” is the most appropriate choice.
2. Confirming Meal Options and Flavor
Meal options vary depending on the airline, and you may want to confirm details such as flavor or spiciness before ordering.
- Hur stark är kryddningen?
(How spicy is the seasoning?)
The word “kryddningen” refers to the level of seasoning or spiciness—useful when asking about a dish’s flavor profile.
Other useful questions:
- Är den mild eller kryddig?
(Is it mild or spicy?) - Hur smakar den?
(What does it taste like?) - Är portionen stor?
(Is the portion large?)
Possible responses from the cabin crew:
- Den är ganska mild.
(It’s fairly mild.) - Den är lite kryddig.
(It’s a bit spicy.) - Det är ett populärt val.
(It’s a popular choice.)
When describing flavor, Swedish often uses degree words such as “ganska” (quite) and “lite” (a little).
3. Ordering Additional Items
In many cases, in-flight meals include drinks or side dishes, and cabin crew often confirm these options with you.
- Vill du ha sallad och bröd till?
(Would you like salad and bread with it?)
The preposition “till” means “with” or “as a side.”
- Kan jag få ett glas äppeljuice också?
(May I have a glass of apple juice as well?)
Using “också” (also) makes the additional request sound natural.
More examples:
- Kan jag få lite mer vatten?
(May I have some more water?) - Kan jag få kaffe senare?
(May I have coffee later?) - Skulle jag kunna få en extra servett?
(Could I have an extra napkin?)
4. Expressions Used to Close the Order
Once your order is complete, the cabin crew will often use expressions such as:
- Jag kommer med allt strax.
(I will bring everything shortly.)
The word “strax” means “shortly” or “very soon,” and is commonly used in service situations.
Other common expressions include:
- Jag återkommer snart.
(I will be back shortly.) - Allt är klart.
(Your order is all set.) - Beställningen är registrerad.
(Your order has been received.)
Summary
- Kan jag få se menyn?
→ The basic expression for requesting the in-flight meal menu. - Hur stark är kryddningen?
→ A useful question for confirming flavor or seasoning. - Kan jag få … också?
→ A standard pattern when requesting drinks or additional items. - Jag kommer med allt strax.
→ A common expression used by crew members when completing your order.
