tid
/tiːd/
The English word 'time' is translated into Norwegian as tid.
tid is used to refer to the measurement or concept of a quantity of time, such as an abstract duration. When referring to an abstract quantity of time, such as saying 'I have no time', it is an uncountable noun.
Meaning: measurement of a quantity of time (noun)
Which one should you use?
While tid refers to the general concept or duration of time, klokken is the word used when specifically asking for or stating the time of day, such as in the question 'What time is it?' Other related units of measurement include Minutt (minute), Time (hour), Uke (week), Måned (month) and År (year).
How does it change in a sentence?
The definite form of tid is tiden, which is used when referring to a specific time or 'the time'. The plural form is tider.
How do you pronounce it?
/tiːd/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers sometimes mistakenly use gang when they should use tid. Use tid to refer to the duration or the concept of time rather than frequency.
Did you know?
- The Norwegian word for 'hour' is time, which is spelled exactly like the English word for the general concept of 'time'.
- While tid refers to duration, Norwegian uses the word gang to talk about how many times something has happened, which literally translates to 'walk' or 'go'.
- The word tid comes from the Proto-Germanic *tīdiz, which shares a common ancestor with the English word 'tide'.
Examples in context
- Det var på tide!About time!This sentence shows how to express 'About time!' using tid.Tatoeba #12481461 by Just_Some_Guy, translation #11535659 by imperiex
- Jeg har ikke tid.I don't have the time.This sentence demonstrates the use of tid to say 'I don't have the time.'.Tatoeba #2935298 by eirik174, translation #2276055 by CK
- Kva tid er møtet?What time is the meeting?This sentence shows how to use tid to ask 'What time is the meeting?'Tatoeba #12468095 by Just_Some_Guy, translation #4771427 by cairnhead
- Klokka femtenFifteen o'clock (3 PM)
- Klokka er treIt's three o'clock
- Klokka er halv femIt's half past four
- Klokka er fem på åtteIt's five to eight
- TreThree o'clock
- Fem på åtteFive to eight
- Klokka 1414:00 (2 PM)
- Klokka 2020:00 (8 PM)
- Klokka 2323:00 (11 PM)
- 160 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Magnus and Sofie are talking about their schedules.
- MagnusHar du tid til å hjelpe meg nå?Do you have time to help me now?
- SofieJa, jeg har litt tid før middag.Yes, I have some time before dinner.
- MagnusHvor mye tid trenger du for å lese dette?How much time do you need to read this?
- SofieJeg trenger bare fem minutter med tid.I just need five minutes of time.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry tid, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tid, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
