Signification
The opportune moment has passed, it cannot be changed.
Contexte culturel
In the Levant, people often use 'راحت عليك' (It went [away] on you) in casual settings, but 'فات الأوان' is used for serious or poetic moments. Egyptians might say 'خلاص، المولد انفض' (The festival is over) to mean it's too late, but 'فات الأوان' is the standard for TV dramas and news. A very famous proverb here is 'فات الفوت ما ينفع الصوت,' which emphasizes that once the moment is gone, complaining (shouting) is useless. In North Africa, the phrase is well-understood, though 'مشى الحال' is a common dialectal alternative for 'it's done/passed.'
Use it for emphasis
Add 'تماماً' (completely) at the end to say 'It is completely too late.'
Don't conjugate for people
Never say 'فاتت الأوان' even if you are a woman. The verb follows the masculine 'Awān'.
Signification
The opportune moment has passed, it cannot be changed.
Use it for emphasis
Add 'تماماً' (completely) at the end to say 'It is completely too late.'
Don't conjugate for people
Never say 'فاتت الأوان' even if you are a woman. The verb follows the masculine 'Awān'.
The 'Qadar' connection
Using this phrase shows you accept the situation and aren't going to fight the inevitable.
Future warning
Use 'سيفوت الأوان' (It will be too late) to warn someone to act now.
Teste-toi
Fill in the missing word to complete the idiom.
فات _______ للتقديم على المنحة.
While 'الوقت' (time) makes sense, 'الأوان' is the correct word for this specific idiom.
Which sentence is the most natural way to say 'It's too late' in a formal setting?
How do you say 'It's too late'?
'أنا متأخر' means 'I am late,' not 'It is too late.'
Match the situation to the response.
Situation: You arrive at the cinema and the movie ended 10 minutes ago.
Since the movie is over, the opportunity to watch it has passed.
Complete the dialogue.
أحمد: هل يمكنني شراء التذكرة الآن؟ الموظف: لا، _________.
The employee is telling Ahmed that he cannot buy the ticket because the time has passed.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Late vs. Too Late
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesفات _______ للتقديم على المنحة.
While 'الوقت' (time) makes sense, 'الأوان' is the correct word for this specific idiom.
How do you say 'It's too late'?
'أنا متأخر' means 'I am late,' not 'It is too late.'
Situation: You arrive at the cinema and the movie ended 10 minutes ago.
Since the movie is over, the opportunity to watch it has passed.
أحمد: هل يمكنني شراء التذكرة الآن؟ الموظف: لا، _________.
The employee is telling Ahmed that he cannot buy the ticket because the time has passed.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsNo, use 'متأخر' (muta'akhir) for people. 'فات الأوان' is for the opportunity itself.
It is neutral. You can use it with your boss or your best friend.
'Waqt' is general time. 'Awān' is the specific, right moment for something to happen.
Yes, say 'فاتني الأوان' (The moment passed me).
No, idioms are usually fixed. You don't pluralize 'Awān' here.
Say 'لم يفت الأوان أبداً' (lam yafut al-awān abadan).
It can be blunt. If you want to be softer, add 'للأسف' (unfortunately) before it.
The roots are used, but this specific idiomatic construction is more common in later literature and MSA.
Yes, if the bus has already left and you can't catch it.
'فات' is already the past tense. The present is 'يفوت'.
Expressions liées
راحت عليك
synonymYou missed it / It's gone for you
في الوقت المناسب
contrastIn the nick of time
سبق السيف العذل
specialized formThe sword preceded the blame
انتهى الوقت
similarTime is up
