låt mig vara
/ˈloːt mɛj ²vɑːra/word by word
The English phrase "leave me alone" can be expressed in Swedish as låt mig vara or lämna mig i fred.
Meaning: stop talking to me (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Swedish | IPA |
|---|---|
| låt mig vara | /ˈloːt mɛj ²vɑːra/ (word by word) |
| lämna mig i fred |
These phrases are used to tell someone to stop talking to you.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase lämna mig i fred literally translates to "leave me in peace".
Which one should you use?
While both mean to be left alone, lämna mig i fred is more forceful and direct than låt mig vara.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈloːt mɛj ²vɑːra/
Did you know?
- Swedish has several different words spelled vara. While the one in låt mig vara means 'to be', another vara refers to 'goods' or 'merchandise', making it a cognate of the English word 'ware'.
- While lämna mig i fred is a direct command, adding the word snälla (please) at the beginning can sometimes sound sarcastic or passive-aggressive depending on the tone.
- The phrase låt mig vara is often used not just for social isolation, but to tell someone to stop touching or messing with an object, similar to 'leave it alone' in English.
Examples in context
- Lämna mig i fred!Leave me alone!This sentence is useful for expressing the command "Leave me alone!" using lämna mig i fred.Tatoeba #3741285 by herrsilen, translation #25534 by CK
- Lämna mig i fred.Leave me alone.This sentence is useful for the statement "Leave me alone." using lämna mig i fred.Tatoeba #3743362 by herrsilen, translation #27641 by CK
- Var snäll och lämna mig i fred. Jag är upptagen.Please leave me alone. I am busy.This sentence is useful for asking someone to "Please leave me alone." using lämna mig i fred.Tatoeba #4168102 by richke, translation #262400 by CC
- Vänligen låt mig vara. Jag behöver lite tid för mig själv.Please let me be. I need some time to myself.
- Nej, jag vill vara ensam ikväll. Lämna mig ifred.No, I want to be alone tonight. Leave me alone.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maja is trying to study while Karl keeps bothering her.
- MajaKarl, kan du sluta störa mig?Karl, can you stop bothering me?
- KarlJag vill bara prata lite.I just want to talk a little.
- MajaNej, bara låt mig vara.No, just leave me alone.
- KarlOkej, jag går nu.Okay, I'm leaving now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “leave me alone” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (låt, mig, vara) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lämna, låt, mig, vara, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
