Ich habe heute kaum Zeit.

I hardly have time today.

Breakdown of Ich habe heute kaum Zeit.

• ich: I
• heute: today
• haben: to have
• die Zeit: the time
• kaum: hardly

Questions & Answers about Ich habe heute kaum Zeit.

What does kaum mean in Ich habe heute kaum Zeit?

kaum is an adverb of degree meaning “hardly” or “barely.” It limits the extent of Zeit, indicating there is almost no time available.

Why is the verb haben used here instead of sein?

In German you have time (Zeit haben). You don’t use sein to express having time. If you wanted to say “I am busy,” you’d use sein differently (e.g. Ich bin heute beschäftigt) or stick with haben plus another noun (Ich habe heute viel zu tun).

Why is Zeit used without an article? Could I say eine Zeit?

When referring to time as an uncountable resource, German omits the article. Zeit in this context is mass‑noun, so no eine. Saying eine Zeit would sound like “a (distinct) time period,” not “time available.”

What’s the difference between kaum Zeit and keine Zeit?

• kaum Zeit = “hardly any time” (some, but very little)
• keine Zeit = “no time at all”
Use kaum when you want to stress that it’s almost zero but not completely zero.

Can I use wenig instead of kaum, as in Ich habe heute wenig Zeit?

Yes. wenig means “little.”
• wenig Zeit = “a small amount of time”
• kaum Zeit = “so little time it’s almost none”
Both are correct; kaum sounds stronger.

Why is heute placed after habe and before kaum Zeit? Can I move it?

German main‐clause word order often goes: Verb (position 2) – Time – Manner – Place.
• Here heute (time) comes right after the verb.
• You can front it for emphasis: Heute habe ich kaum Zeit. The verb still stays in second position.

Is Ich habe in this sentence present tense or present perfect?

It’s the simple present tense (Präsens) of haben.
To express present perfect you’d use the past participle: Ich habe heute kaum Zeit gehabt (“I have had hardly any time today”).

Could I say Ich habe heute fast keine Zeit instead of using kaum?

Yes. fast keine Zeit (“almost no time”) is a common alternative.
• fast keine Zeit ≈ kaum Zeit
Choose the one you find more natural.