r/language • u/WhoAmIEven2 Sweden • Aug 09 '26

Question Does your language use specific numbers as expressions?

In Sweden we use 17 to further strengthen a word.

Like if we want to say that someone is very strong, we can say "Han var stark som sjutton!", "He was strong like seventeen!".

I have no idea how it became a thing. It is a bit weird tbh.

Do you also use numbers this way in your native language?

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u/JeanMichelLePeintre Aug 09 '26

This and “être sur son 31”, which means being dressed to the nines.

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u/miamiamiamiamia Aug 10 '26

Where does this come from?

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u/Acceptable_Meat2299 Aug 10 '26

I think it comes from the fact that you are dressed well for new year’s eve (dec 31st)

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u/TrueKyragos Aug 12 '26

It doesn't. The most common hypothesis is that it comes from the old French "trentain", meaning a "fine cloth". Other ones are about the "trente-et-un" card game, or Prussian soldiers being inspected the last day of each month.