Learn Hardcore Korean: oneureun sigani eobseoseo jeomsimeul pojanghae gayo. - I don’t have time today, so I’ll get my lunch to go.

It marks 오늘 as the topic and adds a slight contrastive nuance: “As for today.” Without it (오늘), the sentence still works, but 오늘은 subtly implies that today is different from other days (e.g., you might usually have time).

Why is 시간이 marked with 이? Could I use 는 there instead?

없다 behaves like an adjective meaning “to not exist / to not have,” and the noun it describes typically takes the subject marker: 시간이 없다 = “(There) is no time.”
You could say 시간은 없다, which topicalizes “time”: “As for time, (I) don’t have (any).” In this sentence, the topic is already 오늘은, so 시간이 is the natural choice.

What does 없어서 mean, exactly?

없다 + -어서 forms a reason clause: 없어서 = “because there isn’t / because (I) don’t have.” It links cause to result: “Because I don’t have time today, I’m getting lunch to go.”

Can I use -니까 or -기 때문에 instead of -어서?

Yes, with nuance differences:

시간이 없으니까… tends to be used when giving reasons for requests/commands or making suggestions.
시간이 없기 때문에… is more formal/explicit and often written.
시간이 없어서… is neutral and very common for simple cause-effect statements.

Who is the subject here? Why is “I” missing?

Korean commonly drops obvious subjects. Context plus the verb ending -요 make “I” the default reading: “Today, because I don’t have time, I’m getting lunch to go.”

What exactly does 포장해 가요 mean?

It literally means “pack (it) and go,” but idiomatically it means “to get (food) to go / for takeout.” Here: “I’ll take my lunch to go.”

How is 포장해 가요 different from 포장해 와요?

포장해 가요: you get it packed and go away from the current location (take it with you).
포장해 와요: you get it packed and come to the current location (bring it here).

Is 포장해서 가요 different from 포장해 가요?

They’re both fine here and mean the same thing. 포장해서 가요 explicitly uses the connector “and (so),” while 포장해 가요 is the common, slightly tighter form that functions like a set phrase.

Could I say 점심은 포장해 가요 instead of 점심을?

Yes. 점심은 topicalizes “lunch,” adding emphasis/contrast: “As for lunch, I’ll get it to go.” It can imply that other meals might not be to-go.

Can I drop the object particle? Is 점심 포장해 가요 okay?

Yes, in casual speech 점심 포장해 가요 is natural. Omitting 을/를 is common in conversation when the object is clear.

How flexible is the word order here?

Core order (SOV) is preferred, but elements can move for emphasis: e.g., 오늘은 점심을 포장해 가요 or 점심은 오늘(은) 포장해 가요.
The reason clause usually comes first: 시간이 없어서 …. Placing it after can sound less natural unless you split into two sentences: 점심을 포장해 가요. 오늘은 시간이 없어서.

Does 가요 mean “I’m going now” or “I will go”? What’s the tense nuance?

The Korean present polite (가요) can describe near-future plans. Here it reads as a present decision/plan: “I’m getting it to go (today),” which in English is often rendered as “I’ll get it to go.”

What’s the politeness level of 가요, and what are alternatives?

가요: polite informal (해요체), default in most daily interactions.
갑니다: formal polite (합니다체).
가: plain (반말), used with close friends or younger people.

Are there good synonyms for 포장해 가다?

싸 가다: “to wrap and take (with you).” Common for homemade food; also used for shops.
테이크아웃하다: loanword “to take out,” often for drinks/fast food.
사 가다: “to buy and take (with you).” Emphasizes the buying part.

Is 시간 없다 different from 시간이 없다?

Both occur. 시간이 없다 is the full form with the subject marker. 시간 없다 (dropping 이) is also common in speech and in headlines; it sounds a bit more clipped/informal.

Any pronunciation tips for this sentence?

없어서 is pronounced roughly “업써서” due to consonant assimilation.
점심을 often sounds like “점시믈.”
In speech, 포장해 가요 is typically said smoothly as one flow.