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Tyvärr hinner vi sällan ringa våra kunder på eftermiddagen.

Tyvärr hinner vi sällan ringa våra kunder på eftermiddagen.
Unfortunately we seldom have time to call our customers in the afternoon.
FromLesson 8inHardcore Swedish
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More from this lesson

oftasthemifrånJag jobbar oftast hemifrån på morgonen.sällanförkolleganHon jobbar sällan hemifrån, för hennes kollega måste vara på kontoret.kunden

Questions & Answers about Tyvärr hinner vi sällan ringa våra kunder på eftermiddagen.

What does the verb hinna mean here, and how do you use it?

Hinna means “to have time to” or “to manage to (within the available time).” It’s followed by a bare infinitive (no att):

  • Vi hinner ringa = We have time to call.
  • Vi hinner inte ringa = We don’t have time to call.

Using hinna att is non‑standard in modern Swedish; stick to bare infinitive: hinna ringa, not hinna att ringa.

Why is it “Tyvärr hinner vi …” and not “Tyvärr vi hinner …”?
Swedish main clauses follow the V2 rule: the finite verb must be in second position. When you start the clause with an adverb like Tyvärr (“unfortunately”), the verb (hinner) comes next, then the subject (vi). Without the initial adverb, you’d say Vi hinner …. Both are correct depending on what you put first.
Where does sällan go in the sentence?

Frequency and sentence adverbs (like sällan, inte) typically go after the finite verb and the subject, but before the non‑finite verb:

  • Correct: Tyvärr hinner vi sällan ringa …
  • Also correct: Vi hinner sällan ringa …
  • Incorrect: Vi sällan hinner ringa …
Can I say “inte ofta” instead of sällan?

Often, yes, but nuance and idiomaticity matter:

  • sällan = rarely/seldom (a bit stronger and more compact).
  • inte ofta = not often (neutral but can sound clunky here).
  • More natural is inte så ofta (“not that often”): Vi hinner inte så ofta ringa våra kunder …
Why is it på eftermiddagen (definite) and not på eftermiddag?
With parts of the day, Swedish typically uses the definite form with på to express time in general or a habitual time: på morgonen, på kvällen, på eftermiddagen. The bare form eftermiddag doesn’t work here. You can also use the definite plural for habitual meaning: på eftermiddagarna.
Why the preposition på for time of day? Could I use i or under?
  • Default for parts of the day is på: på eftermiddagen.
  • i doesn’t work here.
  • under is fine when you mean “during (that) afternoon” as a continuous span: under eftermiddagen (more specific/temporal).
  • Older/formal style sometimes has om morgonen, but på is the modern standard.
Does på eftermiddagen mean this specific afternoon or afternoons in general?

It can mean either, depending on context:

  • Habitual/general: “in the afternoons.”
  • Specific: “in the afternoon” (today/that day). If you need to be explicit about habitual action, på eftermiddagarna (definite plural) also works.
Why is it våra kunder and not våra kunderna?

With possessives (min/mitt/mina, vår/vårt/våra, etc.), Swedish does not use the definite suffix on the noun. So:

  • Correct: våra kunder (“our customers”).
  • Incorrect: våra kunderna (double definiteness is ungrammatical with possessives).
Do I need till with ringa? Is it ringa våra kunder or ringa till våra kunder?
Both exist, but the default is transitive ringa någon (no preposition): ringa våra kunder. You can also say ringa till någon; it’s common, but a bit wordier. Ringa upp means “call (someone) back / place a call (successfully).”
Where can I put Tyvärr? Is the end of the sentence okay?

Preferred positions:

  • Initial: Tyvärr hinner vi sällan … (more formal/emphatic).
  • Midfield after the finite verb: Vi hinner tyvärr sällan … (very natural). Sentence‑final … sällan ringa våra kunder, tyvärr is possible in speech, but less natural in writing; it adds an afterthought feel.
Can I reorder the sentence and still be correct?

Yes, Swedish allows fronting different elements as long as V2 is respected:

  • Vi hinner tyvärr sällan ringa våra kunder på eftermiddagen.
  • På eftermiddagen hinner vi tyvärr sällan ringa våra kunder.
  • Sällan hinner vi ringa våra kunder på eftermiddagen. (highlights “seldom”)
What’s the difference between hinna, ha tid, and kunna?
  • hinna = to have enough time/to manage within the time available (time constraint).
  • ha tid = to have time (availability in general), broader and a bit more static.
  • kunna = can/be able to (ability/permission/possibility), not specifically about time. In your sentence, hinna is best because the issue is time pressure.
What are the principal forms of hinna and ringa?
  • hinna (irregular): infinitive hinna, present hinner, past hann, supine hunnit.
  • ringa (regular, group 2a): infinitive ringa, present ringer, past ringde, supine ringt.
Any pronunciation tips for tricky words here?
  • Tyvärr: ty‑VÄRR, short y [ʏ], rolled/trilled r; [tʏˈvɛrː].
  • hinner: short i [ɪ], long n; [ˈhɪnːɛr].
  • sällan: short ä [ɛ], long l; [ˈsɛlːan].
  • ringa: “ng” = [ŋ] (no hard g), short i; [ˈrɪŋːa].
  • kunder: short u [ɵ]; [ˈkɵnːdɛr].
  • på: long å [oː]; [poː].
  • eftermiddagen: stress on “dag”; [ˌɛftɛrˈmɪdːaːgɛn].
Should there be a comma after Tyvärr?
No. Swedish normally doesn’t use a comma after a single initial sentence adverb like Tyvärr when the main clause follows. So Tyvärr hinner vi … is standard.
How would I turn this into a yes/no question?

Invert subject and verb (V1 word order). For example:

  • Hinner ni (ofta) ringa era kunder på eftermiddagen? If you want to ask about ability rather than time, use kan:
  • Kan ni ringa era kunder på eftermiddagen?