Learn Hardcore Chinese: wǒ xiǎng qù chāoshì, kěshì méi shíjiān. - I want to go to the supermarket, but I don’t have time.

想 = would like to; a softer, tentative wish or intention.
要 = will/going to; stronger, more determined or scheduled intention (can sound firm or even demanding in 1st person).
想要 = often interchangeable with 想 before verbs; clearly means “want” before nouns; slightly more emotive.
打算 = plan to; emphasizes a plan rather than desire, often with details/time.

Where did the subject go in the second clause? Why is it just 可是没时间 without 我?

Chinese frequently drops subjects when they’re obvious from context. The implied subject is still 我. You could say 可是我没时间 for emphasis or clarity, but leaving out 我 is natural and concise.

Why 没 (méi) and not 不 (bù)? And is 没时间 just shorthand for 没有时间?

Use 没(有) to negate possession/existence and past events: 没(有)时间, 没去. Use 不 for habitual/volitional negation: 不想, 不去.
没时间 = 没有时间; both are correct. 没时间 is a bit more colloquial, but there’s no real difference in meaning here.

Why is 有 missing in 没时间?

After 没, 有 can be omitted before a noun, especially in speech. 没时间 and 没有时间 are functionally equivalent; the former is just a tighter phrasing.

Could/should there be a 了 (le), as in 没时间了?

Adding 了 marks a change of state: 没时间了 implies “there’s no time anymore / we’ve run out of time.” Without 了, it’s a neutral statement of fact.

How does 可是 (kěshì) differ from 但是 (dànshì) and 不过 (búguò)?

All can mean “but/however,” but:

可是: more colloquial, often a bit stronger or emotive.
但是: neutral and slightly more formal; very common.
不过: milder contrast, often softens what follows (“though,” “only…”). They’re largely interchangeable here.

Can 可是 start a new sentence instead of being in the middle?

Yes. Both 我想去超市，可是没时间 and 我想去超市。可是我没时间 are natural. Sentence-initial 可是 creates a clearer pause and emphasis on the contrast.

Do I need the verb 去 (qù) before a place? Why not just say 我想超市?

Chinese requires a verb; 超市 is a place noun, so you need a motion/state verb like 去 (go), 到 (arrive), 在 (be at), 逛 (stroll/shop). 我想超市 is ungrammatical.

What’s the difference between 去 (qù) and 到 (dào) with places?

去 + place emphasizes going toward a place (the act of heading there).
到 + place emphasizes reaching/arrival; often used with 了 or as a result complement (e.g., 到了超市).
You can also say 到超市去 (to the supermarket, go).

Is 去超市 complete, or should I add a purpose like 买东西?

去超市 is fine if the destination is the point. If you want to express purpose, add a verb phrase: 去超市买东西/购物. Both patterns are very common.

Do I need a measure word with 超市 (chāoshì)?

Not when speaking generally: 去超市. If you mean a specific one or are counting, use a measure word like 家: 去一家超市, 这家超市.

Pronunciation tips: any tone sandhi or tricky sounds here?

Two 3rd tones together: 我想 is pronounced wó xiǎng (first one becomes a rising tone).
去 (qù) uses the ü vowel (written as u after q/j/x, but pronounced ü).
Contrast initials: q (in 去) is a voiceless alveolo-palatal; ch (in 超) is retroflex; don’t mix them.

Where do time words go if I add them? For example, with 今天/现在.

Typical order is Subject + Time + (Manner) + Verb + Place (for many verbs). With motion verbs, place follows the verb:

我今天想去超市 (Today I want to go to the supermarket).
我想今天去超市 emphasizes the time of going; both are acceptable, with subtle emphasis differences.

Are there alternatives to 没时间 that sound natural?

没空(儿) (méi kòng(r)): casual “not free/no time.”
来不及 (láibují): “can’t make it in time,” time is insufficient.
抽不出时间: “can’t carve out time.”
太忙了: “too busy.”

Can I drop 可是 and just use a comma: 我想去超市，没时间?

Yes, in casual speech/writing you can juxtapose clauses and rely on intonation or context for contrast. Using 可是/但是/不过 makes the relationship explicit and is safer in more formal contexts.

Should I repeat 去 in the second clause: 可是没时间去?

Both 可是没时间 and 可是没时间去 are natural. Adding 去 focuses the lack of time specifically on the action of going (rather than lacking time in general).