# Norwegian: 'har lyst på.....'



## StunningNorway

Hei

I am trying to understand a section of the textbook "På Vei." 

Han *har lyst på* kaffe.

Can this phrase be translated into different tenses, depending on context?

ie. He *wants* a coffee? (present)

    He _*would like*_ a coffee? (future)

    He _*wanted*_ a coffee? (past)

I am confused about how this phrase is actually used by Norwegian speakers.

Mange takk


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## NorwegianNYC

"har lyst på" literally means "is lusting for", but is the more common way to say "would like" in Norwegian. In this particular example, it means "He would like to have a [cup of] coffee"


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## StunningNorway

Hei NYC 

Would I therefore be able to say/write, '_*hadde*_ lyst på......' to indicate past tense?

eg Hun _*hadde*_ lyst på kaffe. (She wanted/would have liked/she was wanting a coffee?) Or, would I have to leave out 'lyst på' for past tense, and use different vocabulary altogether?

Another example from "På Vei".....

Han _*har lyst til*_ å lese avisen.

Could I write/say, 'Han _*hadde lyst til *_å lese avisen'?   


Takk


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## kirsitn

Yes, "hadde lyst på..." = "wanted to have..." and all your examples are ok.


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## JohanIII

NorwegianNYC said:


> "har lyst på" literally means "is lusting for"


Is that really literal? Is there not a difference between "ha lyst på" and "lyste efter".
What type of enjoyment you want (and even the strength of the desire) is implied.
Please correct, guessing as a Swede here.


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## StunningNorway

kirsitn said:


> Yes, "hadde lyst på..." = "wanted to have..." and all your examples are ok.



Tusen takk kirsitn......veldig hjelpsom for meg.


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## NorwegianNYC

Hi Johan,

In Norwegian you can say "har lyst på" followed by an object/concept and "har lyst til" followed by a verb. Indeed, you can say "lyste etter" in Norwegian as well, but it is rare. This will not have the same meaning as previous two, but sooner "look/search for"


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## bicontinental

StunningNorway said:


> Hei
> 
> I am trying to understand a section of the textbook "På Vei."
> 
> Han *har lyst på* kaffe.
> 
> Can this phrase be translated into different tenses, depending on context?
> 
> ie. He *wants* a coffee? (present)
> 
> He _*would like*_ a coffee? (future)
> 
> He _*wanted*_ a coffee? (past)
> 
> I am confused about how this phrase is actually used by Norwegian speakers.
> 
> Mange takk



  Personally, I would translate ‘_ha lyst på…’_ (the infinitive) into ‘_feel like [having]…_’ in colloquial *AmE* (don't know much about AustralianE, though), and ‘_jeg vil gjerne ha en kop kaffe’_ into ‘_I_ _would like a cup of coffee’_ (the polite use of the conditional…not the future tense)
  ‘_Han *har* lyst på kaffe’_ = ‘_He *feels* like [having] a cup of coffee’_ (the present tense).  In the past tense: ‘_Han hadde lyst på’_, the future tense, ‘_han vil ha lyst på’_ i.e. only the verb changes through conjugation.
  Best,
  Bic.


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## NorwegianNYC

bic - you are not wrong. "Ha lyst på" can perfectly well be translated "feel like having". However, compared to English, it is as close to "want" and "would like to have". For instance, "jeg har lyst på en kaffe" can either mean "I feel like a coffee", "I would like a coffee" or "I want a coffee" depending on context


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## bicontinental

Yes, context is always helpful!
Bic.


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## StunningNorway

Tusen takk for including the future tense form as well, Bic. (veldig hjelpsom)


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## vthebee

Hi, is there any difference between jeg vil gjerne ha en kopp kaffe and jeg har lyst på en kopp kaffe?

Takk for hjelpen.


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## NorwegianNYC

vthebee said:


> Hi, is there any difference between jeg vil gjerne ha en kopp kaffe and jeg har lyst på en kopp kaffe?
> 
> Takk for hjelpen.


"Jeg vil gjerne ha en kopp kaffe" is normally used when you ask for a cup of coffee. "Jeg har lyst på en kopp kaffe" can be used in the way too, but more often expresses your desire for a cup of coffee, not the act of obtaining one


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## vthebee

Hi Norwegian NYC, thanks for your answer it seems the uses of the 2 phrases are similar to English. Thanks.


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