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How to Say ‘Unfortunately I don't have time today.’ in German

Heute habe ich leider keine Zeit.

hoin-te HAH-beh ikh LY-der kigh-neh tsayt

[hoin-te HAH-beh ikh LY-der kigh-neh tsayt]

💬 Usage Tip: Starting with heute pushes the verb habe ahead of ich, because the verb must stay in second place. Compare: Morgen habe ich Zeit "Tomorrow I have time".

Phrase Breakdown

Heute habe ich

hoin-te HAH-beh ikh

today I have

The time word comes first, so the verb comes second and the subject follows.

Example

Heute habe ich frei.

Today I have the day off.

Words in this phrase

Heute

[hoin-te]

today

On this present day.

Example

Heute zieh' ich zum letzten Mal um.

Today I am moving for the last time.

habe

[HAH-beh]

have

Form of 'haben' used with 'ich'.

Example

Ich habe einen Plan.

I have a plan.

ich

[ikh]

The pronoun 'ich' in nominative form.

Example

Ich bin da.

I am here.

leider keine Zeit.

LY-der kigh-neh tsayt

unfortunately no time

'Leider' means unfortunately. 'Keine Zeit' means no time. The 'Z' sounds like 'ts'.

Example

Ich habe leider keine Zeit.

Unfortunately I don't have time.

Words in this phrase

leider

[LY-der]

unfortunately

Adverb used to express regret, often before bad news.

Example

Leider sind wir heute ausgebucht.

Unfortunately we are fully booked today.

keine

[kigh-neh]

Not a single one; indicating the absence of something.

Example

Es gibt keinen einzigen, und auch keine mehr zu finden.

There is not a single one, and also no more to find.

Zeit

[tsayt]

time

Refers to the concept of time.

Example

Ich habe keine Zeit.

I have no time.

Guides for German learners

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