The word tidsoptimist directly translates to "time optimist". A tidsoptimist is a person who underestimates how long things will take or overestimates how much time they have.
A person who identifies as a tidsoptimist (or, perhaps more likely, whom other people describe as a tidsoptimist) is therefore also someone who is typically chronically late to everything.
The word, which is also used in other Scandinavian languages, was first recorded in Sweden in 1964, combining the word tid (time) and optimist.
En tidsoptimist, which is most commonly used as a noun, also exists as an adjective: tidsoptimistisk.
The word is used as a charming, funny way to describe a frustrating habit. If you describe yourself as a tidsoptimist you can get away with being late. Although lateness can be a frustrating and sometimes disrespectful habit, this softens the blow by acknowledging that a person's intentions aren't necessarily careless, but rather based on positive (yet unrealistic) assumptions about how time passes.
The word is a useful one to add to your Swedish vocabulary, as it's one that everyone can relate to: either because they themselves are a tidsoptimist or because they know someone who is.
You might think that people who are chronically early to things would describe themselves instead as a tidspessimist, or "time pessimist". Although you could definitely use this – Sweden would understand what you mean – it's far less commonly used than tidsoptimist.
Example sentences:
Jag är tyvärr en tidsoptimist, så jag blir nog tio minuter sen.
Unfortunately, I'm a bit of an optimist when it comes to time, so I'll probably be ten minutes late.
Vi bör nog ge oss iväg nu. Du vet Peter, han är alltid så tidsoptimistisk.
We'd better get going now. You know Peter, he is always so optimistic when it comes to time.
This is a Swedified version of an article written by Emma Pouncey for The Local Denmark.