Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| perdere tempo | /ˈpɛr.de.re ˈtɛm.po/ (word by word) | |
| sprecare tempo | /spreˈka.re ˈtɛm.po/ (word by word) | |
| cincischiare | /t͡ʃin.t͡ʃisˈkja.re/ | |
| grattarsi le palle | vulgar | |
| cazzeggiare | /kat.t͡sedˈd͡ʒa.re/ | vulgar |
The phrase is used to describe allowing time to elapse in an unproductive manner. While perdere tempo is the most common way to express this, you might use perdere tempo a vuoto in informal contexts to emphasize that time is being wasted excessively or pointlessly.
Which one should you use?
perdere tempo is the most common expression and is used when time is lost or spent unproductively. In contrast, sprecare tempo is more emphatic, carrying a stronger connotation of squandering a precious resource, which is often used when expressing regret or frustration. If you want to describe wasting time specifically through indecision or being slow, you can use cincischiare.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
cincischiare is an informal term for dawdling or procrastinating. For very blunt or vulgar situations, you may encounter cazzeggiare, which describes messing around or doing nothing or grattarsi le palle, a vulgar idiom used to criticize someone for being lazy instead of working.
How does it change in a sentence?
When you want to say you are wasting time doing a specific action, use the structure perdere tempo a followed by the infinitive of the verb (for example, perdere tempo a parlare).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpɛr.de.re ˈtɛm.po/
Did you know?
- The verb cincischiare, which means to dawdle or waste time through indecision, is actually related to the Latin word for 'cutting open'. It suggests a person who is 'cutting' or chipping away at a task instead of finishing it.
- The vulgar term cazzeggiare, used to describe messing around or wasting time, is derived from the word for 'penis' in Italian. It is used in very informal settings to describe someone doing absolutely nothing productive.
Examples in context
- Odio sprecare tempo su un'idea così folle.I hate to waste time on such a wild idea.The sentence is useful for expressing regret about wasting tempo using the form sprecare tempo.Tatoeba #8379648 by Guybrush88, translation #3071752 by sharptoothed
- Non voglio perdere tempo a parlare con Tom.I don't want to waste time talking to Tom.This sentence shows how to express the desire not to waste tempo using the form perdere tempo.Tatoeba #3899143 by Guybrush88, translation #2033771 by CK
- Metti su i tuoi scarponi e non perdere tempo.Put on your hiking shoes and don't waste time.This sentence is an example of a command telling someone not to waste tempo using the form perdere tempo.Tatoeba #12852760 by jacopofar, translation #4943315 by AlanF_US
- Sto perdendo tempo cercando di completare questo compito.I'm wasting time trying to complete this task.
- Non voglio spendere tempo inutile a rispondere a domande senza senso.I don't want to waste time answering nonsense questions.
- Sto sprecando tempo guardando la televisione invece di studiare.I'm wasting time watching TV instead of studying.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Martina and Alessandro are getting ready to go out.
- MartinaAlessandro, sbrigati, non vogliamo perdere tempo!Alessandro, hurry up, we don't want to waste time!
- AlessandroScusa Martina, sto quasi finendo.Sorry Martina, I'm almost finished.
- MartinaSei sempre troppo lento.You are always too slow.
- AlessandroSì, lo so, ma ora sono pronto.Yes, I know, but now I am ready.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “waste time” translations and entries perdere tempo, cincischiare, cazzeggiare, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (perdere, tempo, sprecare) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cincischiare, le, perdere, sprecare, tempo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
