Learn Hardcore Swedish: Ska vi ta en fika efter jobbet? - Shall we have a coffee break after work?

In this pattern (Ska vi …?), ska makes a suggestion: roughly Shall we…? / How about we…? It’s not the same as English should (that would be borde). You can also use the past form skulle to sound more tentative: Skulle vi ta en fika…?

Why is there no att before ta?

Swedish modal verbs (like ska, kan, vill, måste) are followed by a bare infinitive, so you say ska ta, not ska att ta.

Why is it ta en fika instead of ha en fika?

Swedish commonly uses ta (take) with activities: ta en paus, ta en dusch, ta en promenad. By analogy, ta en fika is the idiomatic choice. Ha en fika is much less common and typically avoided.

Can I just say Ska vi fika efter jobbet? What’s the difference?

Yes. Fika can be a verb. Both are natural:

Ska vi ta en fika … (noun phrase with ta)
Ska vi fika … (verb) No real difference in meaning; the verb form is a bit shorter/snappier.

Is fika a noun or a verb (and what are its forms)?

Both.

Noun: en fika (common gender). Definite: fikan. You’ll also hear fikat (neuter) in some regions/contexts, especially when referring to the refreshments. Plural fikor exists but is rare in everyday speech.
Verb: att fika; present fikar; preterite fikade; supine/participle fikat (as in har fikat).

Do I need the article en before fika?

With the noun, yes: ta en fika. Without the article (ta fika) is less natural. If you want to avoid the article, use the verb: fika → Ska vi fika …?

Why is it efter jobbet with a definite ending? Why not just efter jobb?

You’re talking about a specific, understood context: after today’s work/your workday. Swedish typically uses the definite form for that: efter jobbet. Saying efter jobb is unidiomatic. A more formal alternative is efter arbetet.

What gender is jobb, and how do its forms work?

Jobb is neuter: ett jobb.

Definite singular: jobbet
Indefinite plural: jobb
Definite plural: jobben In the sentence you have jobbet (the job/workday).

Is the word order special because it’s a question?

Yes. Yes/no questions put the verb first:

Question: Ska vi ta en fika … ?
Statement: Vi ska ta en fika … If you front something in a statement (V2 rule), the verb still comes second: Efter jobbet ska vi ta en fika.

How do I pronounce the tricky parts, especially ska and fika?

ska: pronounced with an actual sk sound (not the Swedish sj sound), roughly [ska].
fika: stress on the first syllable, [ˈfiːka].
jobbet: [ˈjɔbːɛt] (short o like in British English “not”, double bb = long consonant).
Full sentence (approx.): [ska viː tɑː en ˈfiːka ˈɛftɛr ˈjɔbːɛt].
Note: Pronunciation varies by region; this is a general guide.

Is Ska vi …? the usual way to make a friendly suggestion?

Yes. Ska vi …? is a very common, friendly way to propose doing something together. Softer/more tentative options:

Skulle vi …? (more tentative)
Vill du/ni …? (asks about desire rather than proposing a plan)
Add softeners: Ska vi kanske ta en fika …?, Ska vi ta en fika … sen?

Is fika appropriate in formal contexts, or is it too casual?

Fika is widely used—even at work and in professional contexts—because it names a common Swedish practice. The sentence itself is informal-friendly, but acceptable at work. For a more formal tone you could say Ska vi ta en kaffepaus …? or Ska vi ta en kopp kaffe …?

Could I say Kommer vi att ta en fika efter jobbet? instead?

Grammatically yes, but it asks about a future plan (Are we going to…?) rather than making a suggestion. To invite someone, stick to Ska vi …?

Why does jobb have double b?

Double consonants in Swedish usually signal that the preceding vowel is short. In jobb, the o is short ([ɔ]) and the bb is long ([bː]). In the definite form jobbet, that long bb remains: [ˈjɔbːɛt].