Jeg mangler tid i dag.

I don't have enough time today.

Breakdown of Jeg mangler tid i dag.

• jeg: I
• i dag: today
• tiden: the time
• mangle: to be missing

Questions & Answers about Jeg mangler tid i dag.

What does mangler literally mean here, and how does that relate to the English meaning?

The verb mangle (here in the form mangler) literally means to be missing / to lack.

So Jeg mangler tid i dag is literally:

• Jeg = I
• mangler = lack / am missing
• tid = time
• i dag = today

Put more naturally in English, this is usually understood as:

• I don’t have (enough) time today.
• I’m short of time today.

What is the difference between Jeg mangler tid i dag and Jeg har ikke tid i dag?

Both can correspond to “I don’t have time today”, but they’re used a bit differently:

• Jeg har ikke tid i dag.

  • Most common and neutral way to say you don’t have time.
  • Very typical when declining an invitation, appointment, etc.
  • Close to “I don’t have time today / I’m not free today.”

• Jeg mangler tid i dag.

  • Emphasizes lack / shortage of time.
  • Sounds a bit more like “I’m lacking time today” or “There isn’t enough time today.”
  • Slightly more descriptive and a bit less common in everyday speech than har ikke tid in this exact context.

In many situations you could use either, but Jeg har ikke tid i dag is the go‑to everyday phrase.

Why is there no article before tid? Why not en tid?

In Norwegian, tid (time) is often used as an uncountable, abstract noun, similar to English “time” in “I don’t have time.”

When you mean time in general, or “time available,” you usually say:

• tid (no article)

Examples:

• Jeg har ikke tid. – I don’t have time.
• Har du tid? – Do you have time?

You use an article (en tid, tiden) only in certain specific meanings, such as:

• Det var en tid da… – There was a time when…
• På den tiden – At that time / in those days.
• Tiden går. – Time passes.

So in Jeg mangler tid i dag, tid is generic “time (available),” so no article is used.

Can I say Jeg mangler tiden i dag instead?

That sounds unnatural in this context.

• Jeg mangler tiden i dag would be understood, but it suggests some specific “the time” that both speakers know about, which is not how you normally talk about being busy or short on time.

For “I don’t have time today / I’m lacking time today,” you normally say:

• Jeg mangler tid i dag. or more commonly:
• Jeg har ikke tid i dag.

Using tiden (the definite form) here is not idiomatic.

Is mangler a regular verb, and how do I conjugate mangle?

Yes, mangle is a regular verb in Bokmål.

Basic forms:

• å mangle – to lack / to be missing
• mangler – present (I lack)
• manglet – preterite (lacked)
• har manglet – perfect (have lacked)

Examples:

• Jeg mangler tid. – I lack time.
• Vi manglet penger den gangen. – We lacked money back then.
• De har manglet ressurser lenge. – They have lacked resources for a long time.

Why is i dag at the end? Could I say Jeg mangler i dag tid?

Word order rules in Norwegian make Jeg mangler i dag tid wrong / very unnatural.

In simple main clauses, a common pattern is:

• Subject – Verb – (Object) – Time adverbial

So:

• Jeg (subject)
• mangler (verb)
• tid (object)
• i dag (time adverbial)

→ Jeg mangler tid i dag.

Other acceptable orders with i dag:

• I dag mangler jeg tid. (puts more emphasis on “today”)
• Jeg mangler tid i dag.

But Jeg mangler i dag tid breaks the usual pattern and sounds wrong to native speakers.

How do I turn this into a yes/no question like “Do I lack time today?” in Norwegian?

You put the verb first:

• Mangler jeg tid i dag? – Do I lack time today?

Structure:

• Mangler (verb)
• jeg (subject)
• tid (object)
• i dag (time)

How do I say this with other subjects, like “We lack time today” or “He lacks time today”?

Just change the subject pronoun. The verb form mangler stays the same in the present tense for all persons.

Examples:

• Vi mangler tid i dag. – We lack time today.
• Han mangler tid i dag. – He lacks time today.
• Hun mangler tid i dag. – She lacks time today.
• De mangler tid i dag. – They lack time today.

Norwegian verbs don’t change form depending on the subject in the present tense.

Is i dag always written as two words? I sometimes see idag.

In standard Bokmål, the correct spelling is:

• i dag (two words)

idag as one word is common informally (especially online or in texts), but it’s not the recommended standard in Bokmål.

In Nynorsk, it must be:

• i dag (two words)

So for correct, standard writing, use i dag.

Are there other common ways to say “I don’t have time today” in Norwegian?

Yes, several very natural alternatives, for example:

• Jeg har ikke tid i dag. – The most typical everyday phrase.
• Jeg har ikke tid til det i dag. – I don’t have time for that today.
• Jeg rekker det ikke i dag. – I won’t manage / have time to do it today.
• Jeg er opptatt i dag. – I’m busy today.
• Jeg har det travelt i dag. – I’m in a hurry / very busy today.

All of these can be used depending on context and nuance.

Can mangle be used with people, like “I miss you” = Jeg mangler deg?

No, not in that sense.

• mangle means to lack / to be missing, usually about things, qualities, resources, etc., not emotional missing.

Examples with mangle:

• Vi mangler penger. – We lack money.
• Noe mangler i denne rapporten. – Something is missing in this report.

For “I miss you,” you normally say:

• Jeg savner deg. – I miss you.

So Jeg mangler deg would sound wrong/unnatural for “I miss you.”