# It's been ages



## chessed

shalom, i am currently working on a creative writing project (in english) and would need to know the most colloquial way to say _it's been ages _or _it's been a while/long time_ in hebrew, please. the context would be that two people meet unexpectedly after a long period of time so anything that expresses astonishment and pleasant surprise and refers to the "long time" they haven't seen each other would be greatly appreciated. kindly also provide transliteration. todah rabah!


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## Carrot Ironfoundersson

The most appropriate in this case would be שנים(shan*i*m).  

ואי, *שנים *לא ראיתי אותך = I haven't seen you in *years*!

שנים לא התראינו/לא נפגשנו = We haven't met in years!


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## chessed

thank you, carrot ironfoundersson, also for the translation. could you pls also provide transliteration, how the words are pronounced?


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## TrampGuy

OR

ואוו, המון זמן לא ראיתי אותך 

(literally) wow, I haven't seen you in such a long time 
(trans.) wow, hamon zman lo raiiti otcha


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## Carrot Ironfoundersson

chessed said:


> thank you, carrot ironfoundersson, also for the translation. could you pls also provide transliteration, how the words are pronounced?



Oh, sorry.

The first one goes like: shan*i*m lyo ra*i*ti otkh*a*h (if you're talking to a man) or shan*i*m lyo ra*i*ti ot*a*kh (if you're talking to a woman).

The last one is: shan*i*m lyo nifg*a*shnu.


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## chessed

thank you, trampguy!


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## chessed

thanks a bunch, carrot ironfoundersson!


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## chessed

is there a very short way to say _"it's been ages"_?


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## Carrot Ironfoundersson

chessed said:


> is there a very short way to say _"it's been ages"_?



As a reply to a question? Like "when did you last see him/her"?


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## chessed

bediuk! exactly!


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## Carrot Ironfoundersson

chessed said:


> bediuk! exactly!



Then you could just say _לפני שנים(lifn*e*y shan*i*m) = years/ages ago_  or _לפני המון זמן(lifn*e*y ham*o*n zm*a*n) = a long time ago_


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## chessed

thank you again, carrot ironfoundersson, you're being very helpful!

unfortunately, i'm afraid the "ago" version will not work in my context. 

here's the passage in question: _"...Mind if I join you?” Still in a fog, Tamar moved closer to the handrail as Mr. Ezra sat down next to her on the stairs. “Ma shlomech? Eizeh haf’ta’ah na’imah! Ha’mon zman lo ra’iti ot’cha! IT'S BEEN AGES! I almost didn’t recognize you with your newly cropped hair..."
_
thanks!


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## arbelyoni

chessed said:


> thank you again, carrot ironfoundersson, you're being very helpful!
> 
> unfortunately, i'm afraid the "ago" version will not work in my context.
> 
> here's the passage in question: _"...Mind if I join you?” Still in a fog, Tamar moved closer to the handrail as Mr. Ezra sat down next to her on the stairs. “Ma shlomech? Eizeh haf’ta’ah na’imah! Ha’mon zman lo ra’iti ot’cha! IT'S BEEN AGES! I almost didn’t recognize you with your newly cropped hair..."_
> thanks!


Note the following corrections (underlined):
_"...Mind if I join you?” Still in a fog, Tamar moved closer to the handrail as Mr. Ezra sat down next to her on the stairs. “Ma shlomech? Eizo haf’ta’ah ne’imah! Ha’mon zman lo ra’iti ot’ach! IT'S BEEN AGES! I almost didn’t recognize you with your newly cropped hair..."

_I would say:
כמה זמן לא ראיתי אותך! שנים!
'kama zman lo ra'iti o'tach! sha'nim!


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## chessed

thank you very much, arbelyoni, both for the corrections and the suggestion! much appreciated!


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## TrampGuy

*chessed *your version was quite ok as well, if not better.


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## chessed

trampguy, thanks very much indeed!


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## anipo

Another possibility is : לא ראיתי אותך עידן ועידנים. _Lo rai'iti otakh *'idan ve'idanim*_. I have not seen you for ages (literally: for age and ages).


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## chessed

thank you very much, anipo! much appreciated! that's exactly what i wanted!


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