In Danish, you can express desire, financial ability, and time availability using fixed phrases built with have (to have) + a noun + the preposition til (to/for). These phrases are followed by either an at-infinitive or an object (noun/pronoun).
Have råd til (Financial Ability)
Use have råd til to say you can or cannot afford something. Follow it with an at-infinitive for an action:
| This year we cannot afford to buy the boat, because we prioritize our health. | I år har vi ikke råd til at købe båden fordi vi prioriterer vores sundhed. |
Follow it with a noun or pronoun for a specific item:
| I cannot do without the massage, even though I cannot afford it. | Jeg kan ikke undvære massagen selvom jeg ikke har råd til den. |
Have lyst til (Desire)
Use have lyst til (literally: "have desire for") to express that you want or feel like doing something.
| He has no desire to take the overtime, but he needs the money. | Han har ikke lyst til at tage overarbejdet, men han har brug for pengene. |
| You must prioritize the obligation, even if you do not want to. | Du skal prioritere forpligtelsen selvom du ikke har lyst til det. |
Have tid til (Time Availability)
Use have tid til to state whether you have time for an activity.
| Every week she has time to relax, so she buys the membership. | Hver uge har hun tid til at slappe af, så hun køber medlemskabet. |
The next example combines a noun object (mødet) and an at-infinitive (at deltage) using two different have constructions:
| My new boss has time for the meeting, but he has no desire to participate. | Min nye chef har tid til mødet, men han har ikke lyst til at deltage. |
Prioritizing Your Schedule
This lesson's vocabulary focuses on balancing life and prioritizing tasks. Words like prioritere (to prioritize) and forpligtelsen (the obligation) pair naturally with these have expressions to explain your choices.
| In order to have time for his family, he does not take the overtime. | For at have tid til sin familie tager han ikke overarbejdet. |
| The membership is a big obligation, but we can afford it. | Medlemskabet er en stor forpligtelse, men vi har råd til det. |
