German word

lang

Pronunciation

IPA/laŋ/

Meaning

  • adverbfor a long time

Example

Wir haben lange gesprochen.

We talked for a long time.

Illustration for lang (for a long time)

More examples

Ich habe ihn lange nicht gesehen.

I haven't seen him for a long time.

Core concept

A stretch of time extending far from a reference point.

Common phrases

  • lang und breit

    at great length

  • ein langer Tag

    a long day

  • lang sein

    to be long

Similar words

noch: Indicates that a previous state or action is still continuing.
schon: Indicates that an event has already happened.
immer: Indicates that a state continues in the same way.

Definition in German

Über einen ausgedehnten Zeitraum; erscheint in festen Wendungen wie 'seit langem' oder 'lange nicht gesehen'.

Word origin

Lange uses the inherited Germanic stem lang-, which is related to English long and Dutch lang.

Usage tips

  • In seit langem, langem is the dative form required after the preposition seit.

Other meanings

  • longadjective

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word