IdiomFood & Drink
Swedish
SwedishNu är det kokta fläsket stekt
Meaning: Now we're really in trouble.
Literally: Now the boiled pork is fried
Example: “Bilen startar inte och färjan går om tio minuter. Nu är det kokta fläsket stekt!” — The car won't start and the ferry leaves in ten minutes. This is a fine kettle of fish!
English equivalent: Fine kettle of fish
Origin: Pork that has been boiled and then fried as well has been done twice over, and nothing more can be done to it: the situation has gone as far as it can. The phrase is colloquial Swedish for "now we're in real trouble," or for something settled beyond recall. No source found explains its origin or dates it.
Equivalents in other languages
German: Da haben wir den Salat Literally: There we have the salad
Afrikaans: Nou is die gort gaar Literally: Now the barley porridge is cooked
English: fine kettle of fish
More Swedish idioms
- Att kasta yxan i sjön To give up completely.
- Att ha en räv bakom örat To be cunning and sly.
- Att smita från notan To dodge paying or shirk responsibility.
- Att sätta sig på tvären To be obstinate and refuse to cooperate.
- ge järnet Exert maximum effort; give one's all.
- ta sig vatten över huvudet Get in over one's head; take on more than one can manage.
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