Signification
Doing something while waiting.
Contexte culturel
Danes are very conscious of time. Being late is frowned upon, so 'killing time' is a common way to deal with the inevitable waits in a well-scheduled society. Similar to Denmark, the other Nordic countries share this pragmatic view of time management. In countries like Spain or Italy, the concept of 'killing time' is also common, though the pace of life might be perceived as slower. The idiom is a staple of Western culture, reflecting the influence of mechanical timekeeping on our daily lives.
Use it with 'for at'
Always use 'for at' (in order to) to explain the activity you are doing to kill time.
Context matters
Don't use it in a job interview unless you want to sound like you don't care about the job!
Signification
Doing something while waiting.
Use it with 'for at'
Always use 'for at' (in order to) to explain the activity you are doing to kill time.
Context matters
Don't use it in a job interview unless you want to sound like you don't care about the job!
It's a neutral phrase
It's not a negative thing to 'kill time' in Denmark; it's just a way to handle waiting.
Teste-toi
Fill in the missing part of the idiom.
Jeg sidder i lufthavnen og prøver at ______ tiden ihjel.
The idiom is 'at slå tiden ihjel'.
Which sentence is correct?
Choose the most natural sentence.
This is the only standard idiomatic form.
Match the phrase with its meaning.
Match 'at slå tiden ihjel' with its definition.
The phrase means filling time while waiting.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Hvorfor spiller du spil? B: Jeg ______ tiden ihjel, mens jeg venter på bussen.
Present tense is needed here.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesJeg sidder i lufthavnen og prøver at ______ tiden ihjel.
The idiom is 'at slå tiden ihjel'.
Choose the most natural sentence.
This is the only standard idiomatic form.
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
The phrase means filling time while waiting.
A: Hvorfor spiller du spil? B: Jeg ______ tiden ihjel, mens jeg venter på bussen.
Present tense is needed here.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
4 questionsNo, it is perfectly neutral. It just means you are waiting.
No, use 'at fordrive tiden' instead.
Not necessarily. Everyone has to wait sometimes.
'Slå' is for filling time; 'spilde' is for wasting it.
Expressions liées
At fordrive tiden
synonymTo pass the time
At spilde tiden
contrastTo waste time
At få tiden til at gå
similarTo make time go
At vente
builds onTo wait
