"Jag orkar inte!"

Translation: I do not have the energy!

[hdcanis]

Never thought about it before but it is kind of odd that English doesn't have simple translations for "hinna" and "orka".

[JANBOEVINK]

I have (also) suggested -to manage- for -hinna- and think -to cope- for -orka- would get close. -Jag orkar inte- I am not coping.

[friswing]

'cope' is a very good alternative.

[JANBOEVINK]

Tack så mycket, friswing.

[Arnauti]

Better back translations of cope into Swedish are klara or klara av. The latter is a particle verb, stress on av. Colloquially, we also say fixa or palla.

manage is also often klara, but there are many different translations for that one.

[RichardWal211702]

I CBA!

[Arnauti]

The Local pictured this verb like this :D

[_adaldo]

The link seems to be broken now.

[Arnauti]

Try this: http://www.thelocal.se/galleries/news/2332/

[_adaldo]

I will have nightmares for years now. And the chills every time I hear the word.

[Arnauti]

Have some consolation lingots :D

[Gerardd88]

Thank you! I wouldn't probably remember this word but this is a perfect mnemonic :)

[DehPuh]

In italian we have a parallel verb for att orka, farcela. -- how cool is that

[EvilAshe]

I have the feeling that "orkar" has an overly long and clumsy translation provided here... Can it not be translated, simply, as "can"?

"Jag orkar inte" = "I can't"?

Who would REALLY say "I don't have the energy" unless they were some sort of dramatic queen, cartoonishly fanning themselves for effect?

[Hrafnunga]

It comes from the same ultimate Germanic root as English "work", so in a roundabout way you could say "I don't work" but it's not accurate as in Swedish it really means to have strength, will or stamina enough; to be able to be bothered to; to be willing.

[shibopshibop]

This is yet another example of how different languages have completely different psychologies in their expressions.

[Michael990548]

I don't have the energy sounds very common in (U.S. English).

Come play with me, grandma! Oh, I just don't have the energy
I just don't have the energy to keep up with them
I don't have the energy to put up with it anymore.

[MissMuse]

Well with all their love for compound words, it's pretty amazing "Ain't nobody got time for that!" fits into one Swedish word. ;)

[kiteo]

I can say it even faster: cbf!

[michel975676]

Portuguese: eu não aguento.

[DanielLuna729625]

Agora tudo faz sentido!

[Coreopsis2943]

So...."orka" is a verb for not having any energy? What are some other contexts that it might be used in?

[MelMaxStar]

Not having the strength or energy. We use it differently. Some use it as just "Orka!!", meaning "Come on!" (Ironically)

[Hrafnunga]

Have the energy! I command thee!

[tracymorgan1]

My husband says it to the kids when they are playing up, and he starts to get frustrated with them. He says it when he can't handle it any more!

[friswing]

Another context, when something is too heavy: "Jag orkar inte lyfta den"

[JosephCapo1]

I wish english had a word for this.

[Margaret278812]

Australian slang "I'm stuffed"

[ninady1980]

Does this get used positively much? Do people say, "jag orkar"?

[Arnauti]

In the right context. Especially about eating. "Could anyone manage that last piece of cake?" Jag orkar!

[ninady1980]

Ah, so you would use orkar in that instance? My guess would have been hinner - or is that only to do with time?

[Arnauti]

Yes, hinner is only about time. orka is used about whether you're too full to eat anymore or not, and about whether you have the energy to do something.

[vogliocapire]

it would be nice to have some sentences related to (being full or not) as well!

[devalanteriel]

mätt should definitely be added to the course, yes. We do have hungrig, though.

[devalanteriel]

Ah, right. Sure, that's a good idea. :)

[vogliocapire]

I meant using orka in the sense of (being full or not)

[_adaldo]

Don't you think that I cannot! should be accepted?

[devalanteriel]

No, not really - I'd say that gives the wrong idea.

[TessParker2]

“Jag orkar inte slåss” courtesy of Kent: Socker

[MissMuse]

So can you use this both for mental exhaustion and physical exhaustion?

[MelMaxStar]

Oh yes. I use them all the time ;-)

[TomMCauser]

Just checking - I'm currently living in Skåne and everybody who I've spoken to has said that this more closely translates to "I cannot cope!" - Would it be possible to make this an allowed answer?

[devalanteriel]

Sure, two years later. :)

[CTfalcoUSA]

Haven't checked it out, just curious: is "I don't make it" accepted?

[devalanteriel]

No, it's not.

[Xxq04ezm]

Just curious.... in the comments, Friswing made the comment to someone that "cope" was a good alternative for "orkar"...... so I'm wondering if "manage" would also work. I'm just trying to get a better feel for the meaning of "orkar". Tack!

[AnnaKrzywo1]

I love this! In Polish 'orka' means 'ploughing' - so yes, not having the energy to plough, i.e. work hard!

[LongbowLady]

I misheard this as "Jag åker inte". Would the pronounciations differ or would I need context to tell the difference?

[devalanteriel]

They do differ - different vowel, and the r in orkar isn't dropped.