Meaning
To be busy or burdened with problems.
Cultural Background
In Norway, complaining about being busy is a form of social bonding. Using 'nok å stri med' invites the other person to share their own burdens. Norwegian flat hierarchy means you can say this to your boss, but it's better to follow it up with a brief explanation of your tasks. In farming communities, 'stri' is still associated with the physical labor of the seasons, like haymaking or woodcutting. On platforms like Instagram, parents often use the hashtag #nokåstrimed alongside photos of messy living rooms or chaotic mornings.
Use it as a buffer
Use this phrase before saying 'no' to a request to make the refusal sound softer and more justified.
Don't forget 'med'
The phrase is incomplete without 'med'. It's a common mistake for English speakers to drop it.
Meaning
To be busy or burdened with problems.
Use it as a buffer
Use this phrase before saying 'no' to a request to make the refusal sound softer and more justified.
Don't forget 'med'
The phrase is incomplete without 'med'. It's a common mistake for English speakers to drop it.
Add 'sannelig'
Adding 'sannelig' (certainly/indeed) makes you sound very native when showing empathy: 'Du har sannelig nok å stri med!'
The 'Sigh' factor
This phrase is often accompanied by a slight sigh, which communicates the feeling of being burdened.
Test Yourself
Fyll ut de manglende ordene i uttrykket.
Jeg kan ikke hjelpe deg med leksene nå, jeg har nok å ___ ___.
The full idiom is 'å ha nok å stri med'.
Hvilken setning er mest naturlig i en jobbsituasjon?
Sjefen spør om du kan ta en ekstra vakt.
This is a polite and professional way to say you are busy.
Match situasjonen med riktig bruk av uttrykket.
En venn har nettopp mistet jobben og hunden deres er syk.
This shows empathy for a difficult life situation.
Fullfør dialogen.
A: Skal vi dra på kino i kveld? B: Jeg skulle gjerne, men med eksamen og flytting har jeg ___.
The idiom fits perfectly as an explanation for being overwhelmed.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Busy vs. Burdened
Practice Bank
4 exercisesJeg kan ikke hjelpe deg med leksene nå, jeg har nok å ___ ___.
The full idiom is 'å ha nok å stri med'.
Sjefen spør om du kan ta en ekstra vakt.
This is a polite and professional way to say you are busy.
En venn har nettopp mistet jobben og hunden deres er syk.
This shows empathy for a difficult life situation.
A: Skal vi dra på kino i kveld? B: Jeg skulle gjerne, men med eksamen og flytting har jeg ___.
The idiom fits perfectly as an explanation for being overwhelmed.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsNot really. It's mostly used in this idiom or in very specific rural contexts. Usually, people use 'slite' or 'kjempe' instead.
Yes, it's perfectly fine to tell a client or colleague that you have 'nok å stri med' as an explanation for a delay.
'Mye å gjøre' is neutral busyness. 'Nok å stri med' implies that the tasks are a bit of a struggle or a burden.
No, as long as your tone is respectful. It's an honest assessment of your capacity.
Usually not. It carries a slightly heavy or negative connotation of effort and struggle.
You can say 'Jeg har ALTFOR mye å stri med'.
Yes, it is common in both Bokmål and Nynorsk.
Yes! This means 'I have enough to deal with regarding you' (implying you are a handful).
Jeg hadde nok å stri med.
No, you need the whole phrase for it to make sense.
Related Phrases
å ha hendene fulle
synonymTo have one's hands full.
å ha mye å gjøre
similarTo have a lot to do.
å stå i det
builds onTo endure a difficult situation.
å ha mye på tallerkenen
similarTo have a lot on one's plate.
å være overveldet
specialized formTo be overwhelmed.
