hålla tungan rätt i mun

Swedish

Alternative forms

• hålla tungan rätt i munnen

Etymology

Literally, "keep one's tongue right (correctly) in (one's) mouth," with idiomatic phrasing ("munnen" would be more expected grammatically).

Verb

hålla tungan rätt i mun (present håller tungan rätt i mun, preterite höll tungan rätt i mun, supine hållit tungan rätt i mun, imperative håll tungan rätt i mun)

1. (idiomatic) to be careful and focused so as to not make a mistake (while performing some delicate task, or often in the sense in the being careful about what one says)

   När man desarmerar bomber gäller det att hålla tungan rätt i mun

   When defusing bombs, you have to be be careful and focused ("have to keep your tongue right in your mouth")

References

• tunga in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• tunga in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)