Signification
To struggle or feel uncomfortable with something.
Contexte culturel
Danes use this phrase to avoid being 'besværlige' (difficult). By saying 'Jeg har det stramt med...', you take the responsibility for the discomfort onto yourself rather than blaming the other person. In the 'Z-generation' in Denmark, 'stramt' is often shortened or used as an adjective for anything annoying. 'Hvor er det stramt!' (How annoying/tight!). In modern Danish flat-hierarchy workplaces, it is common to use this phrase to signal burnout or mental load to a manager in a 'soft' way. The phrase is often used with irony. If someone is being extremely dramatic, a friend might say 'Har du det stramt?' as a way of teasing them for overreacting.
The 'Det' Rule
If you forget the 'det', you're just saying 'I have tight with...'. Always keep that 'det' in there!
Not for Trauma
Don't use this for very serious life tragedies; it can sound dismissive.
Signification
To struggle or feel uncomfortable with something.
The 'Det' Rule
If you forget the 'det', you're just saying 'I have tight with...'. Always keep that 'det' in there!
Not for Trauma
Don't use this for very serious life tragedies; it can sound dismissive.
Softening the Blow
Use 'lidt' (a little) to make your complaint sound more Danish and less aggressive: 'Jeg har det *lidt* stramt med...'
Teste-toi
Fill in the missing words to complete the phrase.
Jeg har ______ stramt ______ min nye chef.
The phrase always requires the dummy object 'det' and the preposition 'med'.
Which sentence is a natural way to say you are uncomfortable with large crowds?
Hvordan siger man det på dansk?
The verb must be 'have' and you need both 'det' and 'med'.
Match the feeling to the correct Danish expression.
Du føler dig akavet til en fest.
'Jeg har det stramt' describes your internal state of discomfort.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Skal vi se gyserfilm i aften? B: Nej tak, jeg ______ ______ ______ ______ gyserfilm.
This is the standard way to express an aversion to a genre or activity.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Stramt vs. Svært
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesJeg har ______ stramt ______ min nye chef.
The phrase always requires the dummy object 'det' and the preposition 'med'.
Hvordan siger man det på dansk?
The verb must be 'have' and you need both 'det' and 'med'.
Du føler dig akavet til en fest.
'Jeg har det stramt' describes your internal state of discomfort.
A: Skal vi se gyserfilm i aften? B: Nej tak, jeg ______ ______ ______ ______ gyserfilm.
This is the standard way to express an aversion to a genre or activity.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsNo, for physical pain use 'Jeg har ondt'. 'Stramt' is for mental or social discomfort.
Not inherently, but it is informal. It's a very common way to express feelings among friends.
'Svært' means difficult/hard. 'Stramt' implies a more specific feeling of awkwardness or being squeezed.
Yes! 'Over' is often used instead of 'med' when referring to a specific event or situation.
Mostly by people under 50. Older generations might find it a bit too modern or slangy.
Yes, 'Jeg har det stramt i dag' is a classic way to describe a hangover.
Use 'Jeg har det fint med det' or 'Det har jeg det helt fint med'.
Yes, but that means 'He is strict' or 'He is stuck up', which is different from 'having it tight'.
It's an adverbial usage modifying the verb phrase 'at have det'.
Better not. Use 'Jeg finder det udfordrende' (I find it challenging) instead.
Expressions liées
at have det svært med
synonymTo have a hard time with.
at være stram i betrækket
similarTo look stern or annoyed.
at have overskud
contrastTo have mental energy/surplus.
at stramme ballerne
builds onTo toughen up / clench your buttocks.
en strammer
specialized formA difficult situation or person.
