Vill du ha något att äta med mig?

[same_sky]

Remember how I said that the conversations in my Pimsleur Swedish CD were fantastically bad? And that they were all about how to pick someone up in Swedish? Today's conversation was so funny that I had to transcribe it for you. I hope the utter ridiculousness of it translates (this whole thing takes five full minutes, with the repetition and the two languages.) The intonations are part of what makes it funny.

Characters: Mikael and Ingrid.

Mikael: Excuse me. Do you want to have something to eat with me?

Ingrid: No, thank you. *pause* Not now, and not later.

Mikael: But at 1:00, is that alright?

Ingrid: No, that's not alright.

Mikael: At 2:00?

Ingrid: No, thank you, I do NOT want to.

Mikael: Later, at 8:00. *pause* Or 9:00. *pause* At what time?

Ingrid: No, I do not WANT to have something to drink with you.

Mikael: Oh, I understand now.

Ingrid: Good, you understand now.

Mikael: Yeah, you don't want to have something to eat with me. *pause* You want to have something to DRINK with me! *pause* At a restaurant! Do you want to have something to drink with me? *pause* At 8:00 or at 9:00?

Ingrid: Not at 1:00 and not at 2:00. Not at 8:00 and not at 9:00.

Mikael: At what time?

Ingrid: You don't understand!

Mikael: What don't I understand?

Ingrid: You don't understand SWEDISH!

Comments

[same-sky.livejournal.com]

It's so funny. And can you imagine, a learn-Swedish exercise where the annoyed Swede says "You don't understand Swedish!" in response to something the clueless (supposely American) guy says? Way to keep us motivated there! It's really a weird little set of lessons. 1, 2, 8 and 9 are the only numbers that it teaches, for one thing. (Though I haven't listened to the last one yet.) I'm not sure there were any words at all in the entire unit that I haven't known.. but it's been good to keep me motivated and practice pronunciation.