Bedeutung
Having an empty schedule.
Kultureller Hintergrund
Danes value their 'fritid' (free time) immensely. Having 'luft i kalenderen' is often seen as a sign of a healthy, well-organized life rather than a lack of importance. In Danish offices, calendars are often public. Colleagues can see when you have 'luft' and might book meetings in those slots without asking, so people often book 'fiktive møder' (fake meetings) to protect their 'luft'. Spontaneity is sometimes difficult in Denmark because people's calendars are so full. Asking for 'luft' weeks in advance is common. Similar concepts exist across the Nordics, reflecting a shared emphasis on work-life balance and egalitarian workplace structures.
Use it to be polite
Instead of saying 'I'm busy,' say 'Jeg har ikke så meget luft i kalenderen.' It sounds less like you are rejecting the person and more like you are blaming the schedule.
Don't forget the 'i'
Always use the preposition 'i'. Saying 'luft på kalenderen' is a common learner mistake.
Bedeutung
Having an empty schedule.
Use it to be polite
Instead of saying 'I'm busy,' say 'Jeg har ikke så meget luft i kalenderen.' It sounds less like you are rejecting the person and more like you are blaming the schedule.
Don't forget the 'i'
Always use the preposition 'i'. Saying 'luft på kalenderen' is a common learner mistake.
Shared Calendars
In Denmark, people will literally look at your digital calendar to see if you have 'luft'. Keep it updated!
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the missing words to complete the idiom.
Jeg vil gerne mødes, men jeg har ikke meget ___ i ___ lige nu.
The correct idiom is 'luft i kalenderen'.
Which sentence is the most natural way to ask a colleague for a meeting?
A: Har du vind i din bog? B: Har du luft i kalenderen? C: Er din kalender med luft?
'Har du luft i kalenderen?' is the standard idiomatic question.
Match the response to the situation.
Situation: Your boss asks if you can take on a new project, but you are overworked.
This is a polite way to decline due to being busy.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Skal vi ses på fredag? B: Lad mig lige tjekke... Ja, jeg har faktisk ___ ___ i kalenderen der.
'Lidt luft' fits perfectly to indicate availability.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Luft vs. Hul
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenJeg vil gerne mødes, men jeg har ikke meget ___ i ___ lige nu.
The correct idiom is 'luft i kalenderen'.
A: Har du vind i din bog? B: Har du luft i kalenderen? C: Er din kalender med luft?
'Har du luft i kalenderen?' is the standard idiomatic question.
Situation: Your boss asks if you can take on a new project, but you are overworked.
This is a polite way to decline due to being busy.
A: Skal vi ses på fredag? B: Lad mig lige tjekke... Ja, jeg har faktisk ___ ___ i kalenderen der.
'Lidt luft' fits perfectly to indicate availability.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
14 FragenYes! You can say 'Jeg har luft i kalenderen i dag.'
Absolutely. It is very common in professional emails.
You can say 'Min kalender er tætpakket' (My calendar is densely packed).
Yes, but in idioms it often means 'space' or 'freedom'.
Yes, adding 'min' (my) is also very natural.
Yes, they have very similar versions (e.g., 'luft i skjemaet' in Norwegian).
You can say 'Jeg har brug for mere luft i kalenderen.'
It is neutral. You can use it with your boss or your best friend.
It's a metaphor for being able to breathe. If your schedule is full, you feel suffocated.
Usually, it's for daily tasks. For a vacation, you'd just say 'Jeg har ferie'.
Then use 'et hul i kalenderen' (a hole in the calendar).
Yes, because you usually only have one main schedule.
Yes, this is a very common way to state that time is available.
It has been around for decades, but it's more popular now with digital scheduling.
Verwandte Redewendungen
at have et hul i kalenderen
similarTo have a specific gap in the schedule.
at have travlt
contrastTo be busy.
at rydde kalenderen
builds onTo clear the calendar.
at have overskud
similarTo have mental surplus/energy.
at være fuldt booket
contrastTo be fully booked.
