Smultronställe
A smultronställe is a personal, cherished spot you found for yourself and mostly keep to yourself — literally, a wild-strawberry place.
Full definition of Smultronställe →:: COMPARE ::
SmultronställevsHappy place
The short answer
A 'happy place' can be imaginary, shared, generic, or purely a state of mind. A smultronställe is a real, specific, physical location that you personally discovered and that isn't easy for others to find. The dictionaries define it by the happiness or contentment it gives rather than by secrecy — the quietly-kept quality is what usage adds. The Swedish dictionary also allows it to denote a period of time, which English 'happy place' does not.
Side by side
| Aspect | Smultronställe | Happy place |
|---|---|---|
| Real location | Yes | Not necessarily |
| Discovered by you | Yes | No |
| Private | In practice | Optional |
| Can be a time | Yes | No |
What each one means
Happy place
The contrast above sets out how Happy place differs from Smultronställe on the points that actually matter.