# I Can/Cannot Afford...



## RhoKappa

This is a very simple expression I cannot find in my Russian textbooks.  In the most common context, to afford generally means to be able to buy something.  Invariably, this statement would come from somebody considering his financial budget and decides against buying something because he would exceed budget.  Here are some examples.

1. I cannot afford to buy a new car right now.
2. Yuri tells Lena, "If we buy the television this week, we cannot afford rent next week."
3. Oksana's family could not send her to college because her parents cannot afford her to go.
4. Pavel Bure is out on a date with Anna Kournikova.  They look at a new Bentley and to impress her he tells her, "I can afford that."  Anna is not impressed and answers, "Yes, but I can afford that, too."

My dictionary defines to afford as позволять/позволить себе, but notes that the verb applies to luxuries.  What about necessities?

Let's start this thread with what I found in the dictionary.  If I want to tell my Russian friends I can afford a new Rolls Royce, do I say, "Я могу позволить новый Rolls Royce?"  I reckon it is not the way to say it.  What about the simple, "Я могу купить новый Rolls Royce"?  There is a distinct difference between being able to buy a Rolls Royce versus affording it.

I can see that this thread can have many responses given the questions that may arise.

Как сказать по-русски?


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## Maroseika

There is a lot of ways to say this in Russian. Besides the universal and neutral *не могу, не смогу*, there is colloquial word *потянуть (не потянуть)*. You also can use *справиться (не справиться), осилить (не осилить), могу позволить себе (не могу позволить себе), что-либо кому-либо не по карману (не по кошельку, не по средствам).* And I'm sure there are much more.

1. Сейчас я новую машину не потяну.
2. ...мы не справимся с арендой через неделю.
3. ... потому что ее семье это не по карману.
4. ...я могу себе такую позволить (maybe too literary for Bure?)


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## Rosett

For the sheer necessities, one can say "Мне не хватает/не хватит (даже) на хлеб", or "Мне хватает/хватит только на хлеб".
Ironically, cs. "Ей на брюлики не хватает".

And, of course: 
"У них денег куры не клюют, 
А у нас на водку не хватает". 
("Песенка завистника").


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## Enquiring Mind

... and a couple more options not mentioned yet - не в состоянии купить, не иметь возможности купить - on the dictionary page here (source: inopedia.com).


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## Drink

Enquiring Mind said:


> не иметь возможности купить



This is more likely to mean not having the opportunity/chance/time to buy something rather than not having the money.


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## Maroseika

Drink said:


> This is more likely to mean not having the opportunity/chance/time to buy something rather than not having the money.



I would not agree with such narrow understanding of this expression. I think it very well means not being able to afford to buy, too.


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## Enquiring Mind

Yes, this is always the problem when an expression can have more than one meaning and we're looking at a standalone sentence out of context. But almost always the context would make the meaning clear. In the four examples below, (1) and (2) are clearly "didn't have the opportunity/ability", (3) and (4) are "couldn't afford".

(1) Если касса не работает - сфотографируйте ее! Этим Вы сможете доказать контролерам в поезде или кассирам в кассе "на выход", что не имели возможности купить билет. (source: mipt.ru)

(2) При этом не стоит заблуждаться насчет того, что раньше иностранцы не имели возможности купить жилье в Кыргызстане (source: vb.kg) 

(3) Иногда он совсем оставлял работу (хотя она и была его единственным средством к существованию) и по несколько дней не имел возможности купить себе кусок хлеба. (source: houseofbreadchurch.org)

(4) Вероника сидела за компьютером в школьной библиотеке, так как мать не имела возможности купить ей собственный.


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## rusita preciosa

Enquiring Mind said:


> Yes, this is always the problem when an expression can have more than one meaning and we're looking at a standalone sentence out of context.


Context is crucial, but if someone said to me "не имею возможности купить" without further context my first thought would be they cannot afford it rather than they did not have a chance to buy.


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## Drink

rusita preciosa said:


> Context is crucial, but if someone said to me "не имею возможности купить" without further context my first thought would be they cannot afford it rather than they did not have a chance to buy.



I guess we'll just have to disagree on that.


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## Rosett

rusita preciosa said:


> Context is crucial, but if someone said to me "не имею возможности купить" without further context my first thought would be they cannot afford it rather than they did not have a chance to buy.


In other words, 
"Имею желание купить дом - но не имею возможности.
Имею возможность купить козу - но не имею желания.
Так выпьем же за то, чтоб наши желания всегда совпадали с нашими возможностями!"
The context is prompting for the buyer's financial capability.


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## Ben Jamin

Rosett said:


> For the sheer necessities, one can say "Мне не хватает/не хватит (даже) на хлеб", or "Мне хватает/хватит только на хлеб".
> Ironically, cs. "Ей на брюлики не хватает".
> 
> And, of course:
> "У них денег куры не клюют,
> А у нас на водку не хватает".
> ("Песенка завистника").



I have an impression that "хватает/не хватает" is a generic expression corresponding to "can/can't afford", all others can be only used in certain contexts.


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## Rosett

Ben Jamin said:


> I have an impression that "хватает/не хватает" is a generic expression corresponding to "can/can't afford", all others can be only used in certain contexts.


Well, if I say мне не хватает на бриллианты, then it can be seen only as a joke.


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## Ben Jamin

Rosett said:


> Well, if I say мне не хватает на бриллианты, then it can be seen only as a joke.


Well, does that mean then that Russian does not have a generic expression corresponding to "afford", only specialized expression to be used in different contexts?


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## Rosett

Ben Jamin said:


> Well, does that mean then that Russian does not have a generic expression corresponding to "afford", only specialized expression to be used in different contexts?


I think you're right. It's always contextual. The generic ones mentioned in the thread require contexts, unless you specify финансовую возможность.


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## RhoKappa

Well how do you ask this question: How much can you afford?  That is a very simple question regardless of any context, so there must be a universal expression for that.


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## esperansa

сколько сможешь заплатить?
сколько можешь потратить?
на какие расходы готов пойти?
какой у тебя бюджет?


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## Ben Jamin

RhoKappa said:


> Well how do you ask this question: How much can you afford?  That is a very simple question regardless of any context, so there must be a universal expression for that.


There is no "must" in languages. What is obvious in your language is not obvious in another one.
Examples: there are languages that have no generic name for "brother" and "sister", they have only "younger brother" and "elder brother" (the same for sisters). The same is valid for "generic" expressions usable in all contexts.


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## RhoKappa

Here is a very simple maxim: Do not buy what you cannot afford.  How do you say that in Russian?


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## Q-cumber

RhoKappa said:


> Here is a very simple maxim: Do not buy what you cannot afford.  How do you say that in Russian?


Не покупай того, чего не можешь себе позволить!

Живи по средствам! (Idiomatic) Live within your means!


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## RhoKappa

Maroseika said:


> There is a lot of ways to say this in Russian. Besides the universal and neutral *не могу, не смогу*, there is colloquial word *потянуть (не потянуть)*. You also can use *справиться (не справиться), осилить (не осилить), могу позволить себе (не могу позволить себе), что-либо кому-либо не по карману (не по кошельку, не по средствам).* And I'm sure there are much more.



Given so many ways to say you can afford something, what is the most natural way for a native Russian to say this?
If you cannot afford the gas, don't buy a car!


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## Maroseika

Если тебе не будет хватать на бензин...


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## Vovan

RhoKappa said:


> Given so many ways to say you can afford something, what is the most natural way for a native Russian to say this?


"Если нет денег (на что-то)" is the simplest and most natural way to say "can't afford (something)":
_Если нет денег на покупку бензина, то и машину не покупай.
Если нет денег на бензин, не покупай машину.
_​If speaking about someone's financial limitations might sound socially inappropriate (or simply cause psychological discomfort), less direct and more formal ways are used:
_На данный момент мы не можем себе позволить снимать двухкомнатную квартиру.
У меня нет финансовой возможности арендовать офис в центре города._​In questions, less direct ways are also better:
_Учитель - родителям ребёнка: Одноклассники смеются над курткой вашего сына. У вас есть возможность купить ему новую, более обычную куртку?_​
The above-mentioned impersonal verb "хватать" is short for "хватать денег (средств/зарплаты/выручки...)" used in self-explanatory contexts (advisable to advanced speakers of Russian only), so it is a mild way to say "can/can't afford", too.
_На простую еду мне хватает. (I can afford simple food.)
Тебе хватает на полноценный обед? (Can you afford normal lunches?)
Мне не хватает даже на проезд. (I can't even afford public transport.)_​


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## Rosett

RhoKappa said:


> Here is a very simple maxim: *Do not buy what you cannot afford. *


«Вот тебе рубль, и ни в чём себе не отказывай.»


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