muntra upp
The phrase "cheer up" in Swedish is muntra upp.
The verb is used to express the act of making someone happy.
Meaning: to make someone happy (verb)
How does it change in a sentence?
muntra upp is a phrasal verb consisting of the verb muntra and the particle upp. The past tense of the phrase is muntrade upp. To express the reflexive meaning "to cheer oneself up", you must add the reflexive pronoun sig (or dig/mig depending on the subject).
Did you know?
- The word muntra shares an ancestral link with the English word 'mouth', as both stem from the concept of oral expression.
- Using muntra upp in a situation of deep grief can be seen as too energetic, so Swedes switch to trösta, which means 'to console'.
- The reflexive form muntra upp sig is frequently used in conversation when discussing how to combat the gloom of the long, dark Swedish winters.
Examples in context
- Muntra upp dig!Cheer up!This sentence is useful for learning how to say "Cheer up!" using muntra upp.
- Skaka av dig det, allt kommer ordna sig.Shake it off, everything will work out.
- Blommor kan muntra upp henne.Flowers can cheer her up.
- Jag vill muntra upp min vän.I want to cheer up my friend.
Example conversation
Erik is trying to comfort Maja at a cafe.
- ErikVad kan jag göra för att muntra upp dig?What can I do to cheer you up?
- MajaJag är bara så trött idag.I am just so tired today.
- ErikSka vi köpa en glass istället?Shall we buy an ice cream instead?
- MajaJa, det låter som en bra idé.Yes, that sounds like a good idea.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cheer up” translations and entries muntra upp, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries upp, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
