Breakdown of Har du råd att resa i sommar?
du
you (singular)
att
to
resa
to travel
sommaren
the summer
ha råd
to afford
Questions & Answers about Har du råd att resa i sommar?
Why do we use har (have) instead of a word for "can" when the English translation says "Can you afford"?
In Swedish, "to afford" isn't a single verb. Instead, you use the phrase att ha råd, which literally means "to have the means" or "to have the resources." Because it already implies having the ability, you don't need a modal verb like kan (can). You just ask Har du råd? (Literally: "Have you the means?").
I've seen the word råd before, but not meaning "afford." What else does it mean?
You've likely seen it meaning "advice" or "counsel," like in the phrase ett bra råd (a good piece of advice). Historically, it also meant "power," "means," or "resources," which is the older meaning that survives today in the fixed phrase att ha råd.
Why is it i sommar instead of den här sommaren for "this summer"?
In Swedish, the preposition i combined with a season in its base form (like sommar, vinter, höst) is the standard way to say "this [season]." So i sommar means "this summer" (the upcoming or current one). If you wanted to say "in the summer" generally, you would use på sommaren, and for "last summer," you'd use i somras.
Can I use ha råd with a noun instead of a verb, like asking if someone can "afford a trip"?
Yes, but you need to add the preposition med (with). If you follow it with an infinitive verb like in this sentence, you use att (har råd att resa). If you follow it with a noun, you use med, as in har råd med en resa (afford a trip).
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