Phrase in 30 Seconds
A classic proverb used to emphasize that wasting time is equivalent to losing money or opportunities.
- Means: Time is a valuable resource that should not be wasted.
- Used in: Business meetings, productivity discussions, and urgent situations.
- Don't confuse: It is not a literal demand for cash; it's about efficiency.
توضیح در سطح شما:
معنی
Time is a valuable resource.
زمینه فرهنگی
Danes value punctuality highly. If you are late for a meeting, you are literally 'wasting money' in their eyes. However, they also value 'fritid' (free time), so they work hard to leave early. The phrase is the cornerstone of American business culture, emphasizing constant productivity and the idea that every second has a dollar value. Similar to Denmark, 'Zeit ist Geld' is a guiding principle in German engineering and manufacturing, where efficiency is a point of national pride. In Japan, time is seen as a collective resource. Wasting your own time is one thing, but wasting others' time is a major social offense.
Keep it simple
Don't try to add articles or adjectives. The power of this phrase is in its brevity.
Don't be rude
Avoid using this with friends who are trying to relax. It can sound very bossy.
Keep it simple
Don't try to add articles or adjectives. The power of this phrase is in its brevity.
Don't be rude
Avoid using this with friends who are trying to relax. It can sound very bossy.
Use it in emails
It's a great way to politely ask for a quick reply in a business email.
خودت رو بسنج
Fill in the missing words for the proverb.
Tid ___ penge.
The verb 'at være' (to be) in the present tense is 'er'.
Which situation is best for using 'Tid er penge'?
Choose the correct context:
'Tid er penge' is most appropriate in professional or urgent settings.
Match the Danish words to their English meanings.
Match the following:
Basic vocabulary matching.
Complete the dialogue.
Chef: 'Vi skal være færdige nu!' Medarbejder: 'Hvorfor?' Chef: 'Fordi ___ ___ ___.'
The boss is emphasizing urgency and value.
🎉 امتیاز: /4
ابزارهای بصری یادگیری
بانک تمرین
5 تمرینهاTid ___ penge.
The verb 'at være' (to be) in the present tense is 'er'.
Choose the correct context:
'Tid er penge' is most appropriate in professional or urgent settings.
هر مورد سمت چپ را با جفتش در سمت راست مطابقت دهید:
Basic vocabulary matching.
Chef: 'Vi skal være færdige nu!' Medarbejder: 'Hvorfor?' Chef: 'Fordi ___ ___ ___.'
The boss is emphasizing urgency and value.
🎉 امتیاز: /5
سوالات متداول
10 سوالYes, very much so! It's one of the most common proverbs in Danish, especially in work contexts.
It's grammatically possible, but it sounds wrong to a native speaker. Stick to the article-free version.
Usually, yes. It's better if the boss says it to the employees. If you say it to your boss, it might sound like you're complaining about them wasting your time.
There isn't a direct opposite proverb, but the concept of 'Hygge' or 'Tag dig god tid' (Take your time) represents the opposite philosophy.
Yes, but it represents 'value' or 'opportunity' in a broader sense.
In Danish, 'penge' is a plural noun (like 'clothes' in English). You cannot have 'en penge'.
Only if you are being very ironic or joking. Otherwise, it's quite unromantic!
Not a direct one, but people might say 'Tid er gryn' (Gryn is slang for money/grains).
It's a soft 'd'. Put your tongue behind your lower teeth and make a sound like the 'th' in 'this'.
Yes, it often appears in realistic fiction or plays about the middle class, like those by Henrik Ibsen or Ludvig Holberg (though Holberg is earlier).
عبارات مرتبط
Tid er guld
similarTime is gold
Skynd dig langsomt
contrastHurry slowly (Festina Lente)
Tiden læger alle sår
builds onTime heals all wounds
At spilde tiden
specialized formTo waste time
کجا استفاده کنیم
In a business meeting
Manager: Vi skal træffe en beslutning nu. Tid er penge.
Employee: Jeg er enig. Lad os vælge plan A.
At a construction site
Formand: Kom så gutter, tid er penge! Vi skal være færdige før fredag.
Arbejder: Vi gør vores bedste!
In a taxi
Passager: Kan du køre lidt hurtigere? Tid er penge.
Chauffør: Jeg gør hvad jeg kan, men der er meget trafik.
Studying with a friend
Mads: Skal vi tage en pause?
Sofie: Nej, vi har eksamen i morgen. Tid er penge!
At a tech startup
CEO: Vi skal have koden klar i aften. Tid er penge.
Developer: Jeg koder så hurtigt jeg kan.
Ordering fast food
Kunde: Hvor bliver min mad af? Tid er penge.
Tjener: Den kommer lige om lidt.
حفظ کنید
روش یادسپاری
Think of a clock (Tid) turning into a coin (Penge). T-I-D is 'Time In Dollars'.
تداعی تصویری
Imagine a giant hourglass where the sand falling through the middle turns into gold coins as it hits the bottom. The faster the sand falls, the more coins pile up.
Rhyme
Tid er penge, vent ikke længe.
Story
A busy Danish baker is rushing to finish his 'wienerbrød'. He looks at his watch and then at his cash register. He says 'Tid er penge!' to his apprentice to make him work faster so they can sell the bread before the morning rush ends.
In Other Languages
It exists in almost every major language due to global trade. In English, it's 'Time is money'; in German, 'Zeit ist Geld'.
شبکه واژگان
چالش
Try to use 'Tid er penge' in a sentence today when you are talking about your work or your studies. Even if you say it to yourself!
Review this phrase every time you look at your watch or a clock for the next 3 days.
تلفظ
The 'd' is a soft Danish 'd', similar to the 'th' in 'the'.
A short, open vowel sound.
The 'ng' is a velar nasal, and the 'e' is a weak schwa.
طیف رسمیت
Vi bør optimere vores tidsforbrug, da tid er en kostbar ressource. (General urgency)
Vi skal skynde os, for tid er penge. (General urgency)
Kom nu, tid er penge! (General urgency)
Sæt i gang, mand, tid er gryn! (General urgency)
While the concept is ancient, the modern Danish phrase is a direct translation of Benjamin Franklin's 1748 English version. It entered Danish through trade and the translation of economic texts in the 18th and 19th centuries.
نکته جالب
The phrase was once used in a famous Danish advertisement for a bank in the 1970s.
نکات فرهنگی
Danes value punctuality highly. If you are late for a meeting, you are literally 'wasting money' in their eyes. However, they also value 'fritid' (free time), so they work hard to leave early.
“Mødet starter præcis klokken 9:00.”
The phrase is the cornerstone of American business culture, emphasizing constant productivity and the idea that every second has a dollar value.
“The 'hustle culture' in New York.”
Similar to Denmark, 'Zeit ist Geld' is a guiding principle in German engineering and manufacturing, where efficiency is a point of national pride.
“The precision of German train schedules (historically).”
In Japan, time is seen as a collective resource. Wasting your own time is one thing, but wasting others' time is a major social offense.
“Apologizing profusely for a 1-minute delay.”
شروعکنندههای مکالمه
Mener du, at tid er penge?
Hvornår bruger man ordsproget 'tid er penge' i dit land?
Kan tid virkelig være penge, eller er det bare en metafor?
اشتباهات رایج
Tiden er pengene
Tid er penge
L1 Interference
Tid er for penge
Tid er penge
L1 Interference
Tid er penge!
Tid er penge.
L1 Interference
Tid er pengene
Tid er penge
L1 Interference
In Other Languages
El tiempo es oro
Uses 'oro' (gold) instead of 'dinero' (money).
Le temps, c'est de l'argent
Requires the 'c'est' structure for emphasis.
Zeit ist Geld
None, it is a direct cognate.
時は金なり (Toki wa kane nari)
The grammatical ending 'nari' makes it sound more like an ancient truth.
الوقت كالسيف (Al-waqt ka-al-sayf)
Focuses on the destructive/fleeting nature of time rather than its monetary value.
一寸光阴一寸金 (Yīcùn guāngyīn yīcùn jīn)
Uses 'inch' to quantify time, making it more visual.
시간은 금이다 (Sigan-eun geum-ida)
Uses 'gold' (금) instead of 'money'.
Tempo é dinheiro
None.
Spotted in the Real World
“Tid er penge, hr. Stein.”
Mads Skjern, the ambitious businessman, uses this to justify his rapid expansion of his clothing store.
“Kom så, tid er penge!”
The villain uses it to command his robots to work faster.
“For de danske fragtfirmaer er tid penge.”
An article about the logistics industry in Denmark.
“Tid er penge, og jeg har ingen af delene.”
A common trope in Danish rap music about the struggle for success.
بهراحتی اشتباه گرفته میشود
Learners might think this is a counter-proverb used in the same situations.
This is used to comfort someone or de-emphasize wealth, whereas 'Tid er penge' is used to emphasize efficiency.
Both involve 'time' and 'movement'.
'Tiden går' is just a statement that time is passing, while 'Tid er penge' is a call to action.
سوالات متداول (10)
Yes, very much so! It's one of the most common proverbs in Danish, especially in work contexts.
usage contextsIt's grammatically possible, but it sounds wrong to a native speaker. Stick to the article-free version.
grammar mechanicsUsually, yes. It's better if the boss says it to the employees. If you say it to your boss, it might sound like you're complaining about them wasting your time.
practical tipsThere isn't a direct opposite proverb, but the concept of 'Hygge' or 'Tag dig god tid' (Take your time) represents the opposite philosophy.
comparisonsYes, but it represents 'value' or 'opportunity' in a broader sense.
basic understandingIn Danish, 'penge' is a plural noun (like 'clothes' in English). You cannot have 'en penge'.
grammar mechanicsOnly if you are being very ironic or joking. Otherwise, it's quite unromantic!
cultural usageNot a direct one, but people might say 'Tid er gryn' (Gryn is slang for money/grains).
usage contextsIt's a soft 'd'. Put your tongue behind your lower teeth and make a sound like the 'th' in 'this'.
practical tipsYes, it often appears in realistic fiction or plays about the middle class, like those by Henrik Ibsen or Ludvig Holberg (though Holberg is earlier).
cultural usage
