det vete fan
Swedish
Etymology
Literally "That may the devil know," using the subjunctive vete of veta (“to know”).
Interjection
det vete fan
- (mildly vulgar) (i have) no idea, who knows
- Hur mycket det kommer kosta? Det vete fan...
- How much it's gonna cost? Who knows...
Usage notes
- The subjunctive mood is archaic to obsolete in modern Swedish except for vore and in certain mostly fixed expressions. Lack of intuition among native speakers has led to the alternative forms below.
- Sometimes appears as just vete fan. "Jag vete fan" or just "Vete fan" means "I have no idea."
- Forms without fan are euphemistic.
Synonyms
- det vete fasen
- det vete gudarna
- det vete katten
- det vete sjutton
- det vete tusan
- det vette fan
- det vette fasen
- det vette gudarna
- det vette katten
- det vette sjutton
- det vette tusan
- det vet i fan
- det vet i fasen
- det vet i gudarna
- det vet i katten
- det vet i sjutton
- det vet i tusan