about time

English

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Adverb

about time (not comparable)

1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see about,‎ time.
2. Close to the right time.

   It's about time for the wedding to start, let's run to the church.

3. (idiomatic, often sarcastic) Far past the desired time.

   Our food has finally arrived. ― About time too, if you ask me! We've been waiting about 45 minutes for it!

Synonyms

• (far past the desired time): high time, not a moment too soon

Translations

close to the right time

• Catalan: ja era hora, ja es hora
• Danish: tid (da)
• Dutch: ongeveer tijd, haast zover
• Finnish: melkein aika
• French: enfin (fr), il est grand temps que (literally “It's big time that”) (followed by the present subjunctive)
• Hungarian: mindjárt (hu), hamarosan (hu)
• Italian: sarebbe ora
• Latin: est tempus illud de
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: omtrent tiden

• Polish: najwyższy czas (pl), o czasie (pl)
• Portuguese: quase na hora, está na hora
• Russian: давно́ пора́ (davnó porá)
• Spanish: es hora, al fin
• Swedish: dags (sv)

far past the desired time

• Danish: på tide
• Dutch: eindelijk (nl)
• Finnish: oli jo aikakin
• French: il était temps (fr), pas trop tôt (fr)
• Greek: καιρός ήταν (kairós ítan)
• Hungarian: épp ideje, legfőbb ideje
• Irish: is mithid
• Italian: era ora
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: på tide (no)

• Polish: najwyższy czas (pl)
• Portuguese: já era hora, já era tempo, já não era sem tempo
• Scottish Gaelic: tha an t-àm aig
• Spanish: ya era hora
• Swedish: på tiden (sv)
• Welsh: hen bryd

See also

• at last
• it's about time