# Time and its multiple senses



## Dymn

Hi,

I'd like to know how would you translate "time" in the following sentences, taken from Wiktionary:

1. _Time stops for nobody._
2. _More time is needed to complete the project._
3. _We had a wonderful time at the party._
4. _In my time, we respected our elders._
5. _Excuse me, have you got the time?_
6. _It's time to sleep._
7. _When was the last time we went out?_
8. _Your car runs three times faster than mine.
_
Try to use a time-related noun, even if it doesn't sound much natural.

Catalan: 
1. _temps_
2. _temps_
3. _estona _(also "while"; Germanic _*stundō_, cf. German _Stunde_)
4. _temps, època_
5. _hora _(also "hour")
6_. hora_
7. _vegada _(Vulgar Latin _*vicata_, from Latin _vicis_), dialectal: _cop _"hit", _volta _"turn", _pic _"peak", _camí _"path, way"
8. _vegades_

Spanish:
1. _tiempo_
2. _tiempo_
3. _rato _(also "while"; from Latin _raptus_, past perfect of _rapere _"to grab, snatch")
4. _tiempos, época_
5. _hora_ (also "hour")
6._ hora_
7. _vez _(Latin _vicis _"change, alternation", cf. _vice versa_)
8. _veces
_
Thanks!_ _


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## jazyk

Portuguese:

1. _tempo_
2. _tempo_
3. _This sentence isn't possible either with tempo or hora. I would translate it as Divertimo-nos muito na festa._
4. _tempo, época_
5. _hora_
6._ hora_
7. _vez_
8. _vezes_


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## 810senior

Diamant7 said:


> 1. _Time stops for nobody._
> 2. _More time is needed to complete the project._
> 3. _We had a wonderful time at the party._
> 4. _In my time, we respected our elders._
> 5. _Excuse me, have you got the time?_
> 6. _It's time to sleep._
> 7. _When was the last time we went out?_
> 8. _Your car runs three times faster than mine._



Japanese:
Time is commonly translated to 時間_jikan _or 時_toki_.

1. *時(時間)*は誰の為にも止まらない。
2. このプロジェクトを完遂するにはもっと*時間*が必要だ。
3. パーティで至福の*時(時間)*を過ごした。
4. 私の*時代*では、皆（みな）が年長者を敬っていた。*1
5. 失礼、*時間*をお聞きしてもよろしいですか？
6. もう寝る*時間*だ。
7. 私たちが最後に外出したのは*いつ*のことでしょうか？*2
8. あなたの車は私のそれより3*倍*速く走れます。*3


*1 we don't say _jikan _or _toki _for this due to unnaturalness but 時代_jidai_, era or period.
*2 いつ refers to what time or when, the whole literal translation says "_when did we go out for the last time?_".
*3 time doesn't mean several occasions or more in Japanese. We normally use 倍(-fold) for this definition.


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## Sardokan1.0

Diamant7 said:


> 1. _Time stops for nobody._
> 2. _More time is needed to complete the project._
> 3. _We had a wonderful time at the party._
> 4. _In my time, we respected our elders._
> 5. _Excuse me, have you got the time?_
> 6. _It's time to sleep._
> 7. _When was the last time we went out?_
> 8. _Your car runs three times faster than mine._



*in Sardinian (northern)*
_
1. Su tempus no si firmat pro niúnu
2) Bi quéret piús tempus a cumpletare su progettu
3) Hamus passadu un'iscutta* maravigliosa in sa festa
4) In tempus meu, nóis respettaímis sos anzianos nostros
5) Iscusami, it'hora est?
6) Est hora de drommire
7) Cando fit s'ultima (b)olta** qui semus essidos?
8) Sa macchina tua cúrret tres boltas piús lestra de sa mia_

*iscutta means "a while, a moment"; it's also the feminine past participle of "iscúdere" (to beat), from Latin "excutere" (to beat)

**the words beginning with B drop it if preceded by vowel, example : una 'olta -> duas boltas


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## apmoy70

Greek:

1. *«Χρόνος»* [ˈxronos] (masc.) --> _period or course of time, (a definite) time, year_ < Classical masc. *«χρόνος»  kʰrónŏs* --> _period or course of time, (a definite) time, lifetime, time limit_ (with unknown etymology).
2. *«Χρόνος»*
3. We use the v. *«περνάω/περνώ»* [perˈna.o] (uncontracted)/[perˈno] (contracted) --> _to pass, cross, trudge through, drive by, drop by, get past_ < Classical v. *«περάω» pĕráō* --> _to pass through, go beyond, reach the end_ < Classical adv. *«πέρα» pérā* --> _beyond, further, longer, more, past_ (PIE *per- _beyond, across_ cf Skt. परि (pári), _around_, Av. pairi- _around, about_, Lat. per); so, the generic expression would be *«περάσαμε* (1st. p. pl. aorist indic.) *όμορφα»* [peˈɾasame ˈomorfa] --> _we passed (our time) beautifully._
4. *«Καιρός»* [ceˈɾos] (masc.) --> _duration, considerable period of time, time, weather, (favourable) opportunity, right time_ < Classical masc. *«καιρός» ka̯irós* --> _right measure, (right, decisive) point of time, (favourable) opportunity, time of the year, time_ (probably from PIE *(s)ker- _to cut_ cf Skt. कृन्तति (kr̥ntáti), _to tear asunder_, Hitt. karš- _to cut off_, Arm. կտրել ‎(ktrel), _to cut_).
5. *«Ώρα»* [ˈoɾa] (fem.) --> _hour, time_ < Classical fem. noun *«ὥρᾱ» hṓrā* --> _season, year, time of day, hour, right time, florescence, time of ripening_ (PIE *Hieh₁-r- and o-grade *Hioh₁-r- _year_ cf Proto-Germanic *jērą, _year_ > Ger. Jahr, Eng. year, Dt. jaar, Isl. ár, D./Nor./Swe. år; Proto-Slavic *jarъ, _Spring_ > Cz. jaro, Slv./Svk. jar, BCS jar/jap).
6. *«Ώρα»*
7. *«Φορά»* [foˈɾa] (fem.) --> _time, direction, motion, occasion_ < Classical fem. *«φορά» pʰorā́* --> _bearing, burden, fee, product, motion, course,_ o-grade of v. *«φέρω» pʰérō* (PIE *bʰer- _to bear, carry_ cf Skt. भरति (bharati), _to carry_, Lat. ferre, Proto-Germanic *beraną > Ger. gebären, Eng. bear, Dt. baren; Proto-Slavic *bьrati > Rus. брать, Cz. brát, Svk. brať, Pol. brać, OCS бьрати > BCS brati/брати, Bul. бера).
8. *«Φορές»* [foˈɾes] (plural of «φορά»).


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## Ectab

Arabic:
1-وقت waqt or زمن zaman but waqt fits more
2-وقت waqt
3-وقت waqt
4-زمن zaman or زمان zamaan or we would say في ايامي or في ايامنا lit: in my days, in our days, rather than using time.
5-وقت waqt
6-وقت waqt
7-مرة marra(t) 
8-مرات marraat (plural of marra-t)

waqt, zaman, and zamaan have similar meaning translated into English but they have different uses in Arabic even though they could be interchangeable in some cases as you see above, while marra is used for occasions.


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## spindlemoss

Diamant7 said:


> 1. _Time stops for nobody._
> 2. _More time is needed to complete the project._
> 3. _We had a wonderful time at the party._
> 4. _In my time, we respected our elders._
> 5. _Excuse me, have you got the time?_
> 6. _It's time to sleep._
> 7. _When was the last time we went out?_
> 8. _Your car runs three times faster than mine._



1. _Nid erys amser._
2. _Mae eisiau mwy o amser i gyflawni'r project._
3. _Cawson ni amser gwych yn parti._
4. _Yn fy amser/nyddiau i, roedden ni'n parchu pobl hŷn._
5. _Esgusodwch fi, ydy'r amser gyda chi? / faint o'r gloch yw hi?_
6. _Mae'n amser cysgu._
7. _Pryd oedd y tro diwethaf i ni fynd allan?_
8. _Mae dy gar di'n mynd dair gwaith yn gyflymach na fy un i._

We have other words like _adeg_, _pryd_, _cyfnod_ and _oes _too that can all mean "time" in English.


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## ger4

Diamant7 said:


> 1. _Time stops for nobody._
> 2. _More time is needed to complete the project._
> 3. _We had a wonderful time at the party._
> 4. _In my time, we respected our elders._
> 5. _Excuse me, have you got the time?_
> 6. _It's time to sleep._
> 7. _When was the last time we went out?_
> 8. _Your car runs three times faster than mine_


German:

1 - 6: _Zeit _< Middle and Old High German _zīt_ 'time, age, hour', Old Norse _tīð_ (cf Dutch _tijd_, Danish/Swedish/Norwegian _tid_, English 'tide' in 'yuletide', for instance), thought to be a compound of the Indo-European root _*dī̌-_ ('part') and the suffix *_-t_. A parallel development was the addition of another suffix, _*-mon._ If I understand it correctly, the _*-mon_ suffix has been shortened, resulting in e.g. Icelandic _tími_ and English 'time', Danish _time_, 'hour'. Apparently not a cognate with Latin _tempus_. Source

In sentence 5, _Uhrzeit_ (_Uhr + Zeit_) or just _Uhr_ would be possible as well. _Uhr_ 'clock, watch' < Lat. _hōra < _Gr. ὥρα, i.e. a cognate with _heure/hora/ora_ etc in Romance languages. Source

7 and 8: _Mal (-mal)_ '-time(s)' (as in _dreimal_ 'three times') < Middle and Old High/Low German _māl_, 'point in time; meal'. Old Norse _māl_ with the additional meaning of 'measurement'. Thought to be derived from the IE root _*mē-_ 'to measure sth' + _*-t_ suffix. The spatial meanings seem to be older than the temporal meanings. Source


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## Messquito

1. Time stops for nobody. *時間*不會為了任何人而停止。 時間=lit. time interval=time, as opposed to space.
2. More time is needed to complete the project. 為了完成這個計畫，我們需要更多*時間*。 時間＝time interval=time(duration)
3. We had a wonderful time at the party. 我們在派對的那段*時光*很美好。 時光＝time light=time, as in good old times
4. In my time, we respected our elders. 在我們那個*年代*，我們是尊重長者的。 年代=lit. year＋era=epoch/era 代＝change, replace->dynasty(in the sense of a dynasty replacing another dynasty)-->era 
5. Excuse me, have you got the time? 你知道現在*時間*嗎？你知道現在幾*點*嗎？ 時間＝time, 點＝point or o'clock(=hora in Spanish)
6. It's time to sleep. 是*時候*該睡覺了。 時候＝time when something happens (的時候(time of)=when)
7. When was the last time we went out? 我們上*次*出去是什麼時候了？ 次=secondary-->order-->time
8. Your car runs three times faster than mine. 你的車比我的快三*倍*。 倍＝double, triple...


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## bazq

In Hebrew:

1. zman
2. zman
3. not possible. we either use a designated verb which means "to have fun/a good time", or we say "there was fun to us/me/them". (the verb uses the root h-n-y, and the word for fun is כיף [kef] which is borrowed from Arabic). 
4. zman (zmani = my time, zmanxa = your time, zmanenu = our time...)
5. zman
6. zman
7. pa'am (it means "instance/occasion" or "step"). 
8. pi... ("your car is faster *pi* 3 mi mine" = "your car is faster *times* 3 than mine")


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## Armas

Diamant7 said:


> 1. _Time stops for nobody._
> 2. _More time is needed to complete the project._
> 3. _We had a wonderful time at the party._
> 4. _In my time, we respected our elders._
> 5. _Excuse me, have you got the time?_
> 6. _It's time to sleep._
> 7. _When was the last time we went out?_
> 8. _Your car runs three times faster than mine._



Finnish:

1. _aika_
2. _aikaa_
3. -, we only use adjective here or the verb _viihtyä_ "to have a good time"
4. _aikanani_, although it seems odd to say so when speaking about someone who is still alive
5. I think this meaning of "time" is similar to _kellonaika_ lit. "clock's time", but you can't ask it like that in Finnish, rather _Mitä kello on?_ lit. "What clock is?" or _Onko teillä kelloa?_ "Do you have a clock?"
6. _aika_
7. _kerta, _although we can't say it like that in Finnish, we would say _Milloin viimeksi menimme ulos _lit. "When last we went out?" where _viimeksi_ means "last, previous" and is in translative case.
8. _kertaa
_
1, 2, 4, 6 = _aika_
3 = -
5 = _kellonaika_
7, 8 = _kerta_


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## 123xyz

Macedonian:

1. време
2. време
3. We wouldn't say "time" here:

Одлично си поминавме на забавата - lit. excellently we passed to ourselves at the party; compare the situation in Greek as explained by apmoy70

4. време
5. час (колку е часот - lit. how much is the hour); more colloquially, "саат": колку е саат(от)?
6. време
7. пат (lit. way, road)
8. пат (lit. way, road)


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## elroy

Dymn said:


> 1. _Time stops for nobody._
> 2. _More time is needed to complete the project._
> 3. _We had a wonderful time at the party._
> 4. _In my time, we respected our elders._
> 5. _Excuse me, have you got the time?_
> 6. _It's time to sleep._
> 7. _When was the last time we went out?_
> 8. _Your car runs three times faster than mine._





Ectab said:


> Arabic:
> 1-وقت waqt or زمن zaman but waqt fits more
> 2-وقت waqt
> 3-وقت waqt
> 4-زمن zaman or زمان zamaan or we would say في ايامي or في ايامنا lit: in my days, in our days, rather than using time.
> 5-وقت waqt
> 6-وقت waqt
> 7-مرة marra(t)
> 8-مرات marraat (plural of marra-t)


Comments: 
1. I don’t agree.  I think زمن fits much better. 
5. I would say الساعة, definitely not الوقت. 
8. Also أضعاف

Palestinian Arabic:

الوقت
وقت
<I would use the verb انبسطنا, meaning “we had fun.”>
زمان / زمنات 
الساعة
وقت
مرة
مرات / أضعاف


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## Frank78

ger4 said:


> In sentence 5, _Uhrzeit_ (_Uhr + Zeit_) or just _Uhr_ would be possible as well. _Uhr_ 'clock, watch' < Lat. _hōra < _Gr. ὥρα, i.e. a cognate with _heure/hora/ora_ etc in Romance languages. Source



_"Haben Sie die Uhr(zeit)_?" sounds rather strange to my ears.

The most common way to ask this question is without "time": Wissen Sie, wie spät es ist? (Do you know how late it is?)


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## Mahaodeh

Ectab said:


> Arabic:
> 1-وقت waqt or زمن zaman but waqt fits more
> 2-وقت waqt
> 3-وقت waqt
> 4-زمن zaman or زمان zamaan or we would say في ايامي or في ايامنا lit: in my days, in our days, rather than using time.
> 5-وقت waqt
> 6-وقت waqt
> 7-مرة marra(t)
> 8-مرات marraat (plural of marra-t)
> 
> waqt, zaman, and zamaan have similar meaning translated into English but they have different uses in Arabic even though they could be interchangeable in some cases as you see above, while marra is used for occasions.


I would have to disagree with no1. زمن or زمان works but وقت does not. 

With regards to no.5, it depends on what the speaker means. I suppose you understood it as “are you free right now to talk to me, or to do something”. In this case I agree. 

However, when I first read it I understood it as “do you have a watch or clock or any other means by which you can tell me what time it is now?” In that case the proper word used is ساعة. literally meaning “hour”.


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## elroy

Mahaodeh said:


> With regards to no.5, it depends on what the speaker means. I suppose you understood it as “are you free right now to talk to me, or to do something”. In this case I agree.


It can't mean that without prior context justifying the use of the definite article "the."

Typically:

I feel like going to the zoo.  Do you have *time*? (no article)

Special context:

A: You said you wanted to talk to me?
B: I do, but do you have *the time*? (i.e. "do you have *the time that is needed for us to talk*")

But okay, you've diagnosed the problem.  I wasn't sure why @Ectab had translated it that way!  I'm still not sure why he thinks وقت is more suitable in #1.  Perhaps another misunderstanding.


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## Ectab

elroy said:


> I'm still not sure why he thinks وقت is more suitable in #1. Perhaps another misunderstanding.


Because I am used to hearing "توقف الوقت" for "time stop". I still think it works. Why do you think it doesn't?


Mahaodeh said:


> With regards to no.5, it depends on what the speaker means. I suppose you understood it as “are you free right now to talk to me, or to do something”. In this case I agree.


Yes. That's how I interpreted it. However, as elroy stated, it should have been without the definite article for my translation to work. So ساعة is the right translation for 5.


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## Awwal12

Dymn said:


> Hi,
> 
> I'd like to know how would you translate "time" in the following sentences, taken from Wiktionary:
> 
> 1. _Time stops for nobody._
> 2. _More time is needed to complete the project._
> 3. _We had a wonderful time at the party._
> 4. _In my time, we respected our elders._
> 5. _Excuse me, have you got the time?_
> 6. _It's time to sleep._
> 7. _When was the last time we went out?_
> 8. _Your car runs three times faster than mine.
> _


Russian:
1. время (vrémya), lit. "time"
2. время
3. время
4. время & времена (vremená), lit. "times"
5. время
6. время
7. раз (raz), lit. ~"once"
8. раз


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## elroy

Ectab said:


> Because I am used to hearing "توقف الوقت" for "time stop". I still think it works. Why do you think it doesn't?


I didn't say it didn't work at all (@Mahaodeh did).  I was surprised you said it was _more_ suitable than زمن.  I think زمن is the most common word that is used for "time" in this sense.


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## Mahaodeh

Ectab said:


> Because I am used to hearing "توقف الوقت" for "time stop". I still think it works. Why do you think it doesn't?


Because زمن is the generic flow of time while is either وقت a specific time that has a beginning and an end, or it is a point in time. As such if الوقت stops, that means that it has ended and would have no bearing on الزمن that continues. However, I believe that _time_ the sentence _time stops for nobody_ is not referring to a specific timeframe, rather it’s referring to the general flow of time, hence زمن or زمان.

I don’t know where you hear توقف الوقت, but it sounds like a dialect to me.


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## Ectab

Mahaodeh said:


> I don’t know where you hear توقف الوقت, but it sounds like a dialect to me.


If you google the phrase, you'll find many results.
Anyway, I got your point. Thanks for the explanation.


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## elroy

If we trust الجزيرة, توقف الوقت is valid in MSA: ماذا سيحدث لك لو توقف الوقت فجأة؟
توقف الزمن does seem to be more common.  An example from a book title: كتاب حين توقف الزمن الأسرار العلمية في الإسراء والمعراج


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## djmc

In Breton there is the contrast between *poent eo *which is 'it is the time' i.e now is the right time and *amser zo* which is "there is enough time".


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