How to Say "Seconds" in Arabic

ثواني

thawānī

In Arabic, 'seconds' is ثواني (thawānī).

Meaning: second serving (noun)

Which one should you use?

ثانية is the singular form meaning 'second', while ثوانٍ is a formal way to express the plural 'seconds'.

In Egyptian Arabic, the word ثانية (pronounced za-ne-ya) is used to refer to seconds.

thawānī

The word ثانية comes from the Arabic root for 'two'. This reflects the historical logic that a second is the second division of an hour after the minute.
When people say ثواني to mean 'wait a moment', they often accompany it with a hand gesture where the fingertips are gathered together. This visually reinforces the idea of a small, condensed amount of time.
While ثواني can mean 'seconds' of time, it is rarely used to mean 'second helpings' of food. To ask for more food, speakers use the word زيادة which literally means 'increase'.

بالعين أو باليدين بدأنا بالسلام, لكن لا أتذكر يومها من ابتدأ بالكلام, لكن اتذكر عيني لما جرت إليك, و وجدت قلبي في ثواني مليء بغرامك.
With eyes or with hands, we greeted each other. I don't remember who started the talking that day, but I do remember my eyes being drawn toward him, and within seconds, I found my heart full of affection for him.
This sentence is useful for seeing how ثواني is used to describe a very short duration of time.
Tatoeba #1655818 by Grim_fandango, translation #1655824 by Grim_fandango
بالضبط بعد عشر ثوانٍ، ستبدأ الفعالية.
In exactly ten seconds, the event will begin.
أعطني ثانية، من فضلك.
Give me a second, please.

Layla and Youssef are having dinner at home.

ليلى Layla

يوسف، هل تريد ثواني من الأرز؟
Youssef, hal tureed thawani min al-aruzz?
Youssef, do you want seconds of the rice?
يوسف Youssef

نعم من فضلك، كان رائعاً.
na'am min fadlak, kana ra'i'an.
Yes please, it was wonderful.
ليلى Layla

سأضع لك المزيد الآن.
sa-ada' laka al-mazeed al-an.
I will put more for you now.
يوسف Youssef

شكراً يا ليلى.
shukran ya Layla.
Thank you, Layla.

Sources

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