French Conversation · Level 28
89 words
French word
longtemps
Pronunciation
IPA/lɔ̃tɑ̃/
Meaning
- adverbfor a long time
Example
Je t'ai attendu longtemps.
I waited for you for a long time.
More examples
Depuis longtemps, il rêve de voyager.
He has been dreaming of traveling for a long time.
Core concept
An action or state stretching on for a considerable span of time.
Common phrases
depuis longtemps
for a long time
pendant longtemps
for a long while
il y a longtemps
a long time ago
Similar words
depuis longtemps: For a long time up to the present, describing an ongoing state.
pendant longtemps: Throughout a specified period, without interruption.
longuement: For an extended time, describing a sustained action.
à long terme: With effects or results considered over many years.
Definition in French
Exprime qu'une action s'est prolongée pendant une durée importante.
Word origin
Longtemps combines Old French long, from Latin longus, with temps, from Latin tempus, and its modern spelling reflects historical French changes.
Usage tips
- In a compound tense, longtemps commonly appears between the auxiliary and past participle, as in "J'ai longtemps attendu".