¡cuánto tiempo!
/ˈkwanto ˈtjempo/word by word
The English phrase "long time no see you" is translated into Spanish as ¡cuánto tiempo!
¡cuánto tiempo! is a very common, idiomatic way to greet someone you haven't seen in a while. It functions similarly to the English "long time no see!"
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, ¡cuánto tiempo! translates to "how much time!" as an exclamation.
Which one should you use?
While ¡cuánto tiempo! is the standard greeting, you can also use ¡tanto tiempo! to say "So much time!" This version emphasizes the duration of the absence.
How does it change in a sentence?
You can make the phrase more grammatically complete by adding sin verte (without seeing you) to create ¡cuánto tiempo sin verte!, though the short version is more common.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkwanto ˈtjempo/
Did you know?
- The word tiempo in this phrase shares the same Proto-Indo-European root as the English word 'temperature', both originating from the concept of 'stretching' or 'extending' through time.
- In Spanish, the phrase ¡cuánto tiempo! is frequently followed by ¿qué es de tu vida?, a poetic way of asking 'what has become of your life?'
- Depending on the region, saying ¡cuánto tiempo! is often a social cue to initiate a 'beso', a kiss on the cheek, even among people who are not immediate family.
Examples in context
- Hace tiempo que no nos vemos, ¡qué alegría encontrarnos!Long time no see, what a joy to meet!
- Hace siglos que no nos vemos, ¿cómo has estado?It's been ages since we last saw each other, how have you been?
- ¡Cuánto tiempo sin verte!Long time no see!
Example conversation
Daniel and María bump into each other at a cafe.
- Daniel¡Hola, María! ¡Cuánto tiempo!Hi, María! Long time no see!
- María¡Daniel! Qué sorpresa verte aquí.Daniel! What a surprise to see you here.
- Daniel¿Cómo has estado todo este tiempo?How have you been all this time?
- MaríaMuy bien, gracias por preguntar.Very well, thanks for asking.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (cuánto, tiempo) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cuánto, tiempo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
