Joråsåatte is not a word you’ll find in the dictionary. However, you may hear it in conversation with Swedes, or more accurately, you may hear it when the conversation stalls.
Source: Linnea, OLS Community Manager
It comprises several words, so let's break it down:
Jodå, which is often pronounced jorå. Jodå (literally "yes then") is a more emphatic version of jo, which, like ja, means "yes." It's often used as a more insistent yes or when answering negated questions in the affirmative.
Så means "so".
Lastly, att means "that." The e at the end of joråsåatte is a result of dragging out the word because you don't know what to say next, much like "er" or "um." Because joråsåatte is primarily used in spoken Swedish, you may see several spelling variations in writing.
It's usually used as a filler word, a nonsense word you say when you've run out of all other words, when the silence is too much to bear, even for a non-talkative Swede. A similar word in English might be "anyway" or "so yeah".It's handy when you're trying to get out of a conversation. Throw in a joråsåatte just before you make your excuse to leave.
Example:
Joråsåatte… jag borde nog gå och hämta barnen på förskolan nu.
Anyway… I should probably go and pick up the children from preschool.
… sa hon. Joråsåatte...
… that's what she said. Er, anyway...
Linnea, OLS Community Manager – Swedish