Explanation at your level:
Duration means how long something happens. If you watch a movie for two hours, the duration is two hours. You can ask: 'What is the duration of the class?' It is a simple way to talk about time.
When you talk about a trip or a meeting, you can use the word duration. It is more professional than just saying 'time'. For example, 'The duration of the flight is five hours.' This helps people understand exactly how long they need to wait.
In intermediate English, you will use duration to describe specific periods. It is common in travel, work, and school. You might hear, 'The duration of the project is three months.' It is a great word to replace 'length of time' when you want to sound more precise.
At this level, you will encounter duration in more complex contexts like legal documents or medical advice. 'The medication should be taken for the duration of the infection.' It implies a set period that is determined by an external condition or agreement.
Advanced users employ duration to discuss abstract concepts. You might talk about the duration of a trend or the duration of a political crisis. It carries a sense of measurement and objective observation, distinguishing it from the subjective feeling of 'a long time'.
At the mastery level, duration is used in philosophical or technical discussions regarding temporal existence. It can refer to the 'Bergsonian' concept of time as a continuous flow. It is a precise tool for distinguishing between a momentary event and a sustained phenomenon.
Mot en 30 secondes
- Duration is a noun.
- It means the length of time.
- It is often used in formal settings.
- It is related to the word durable.
Think of duration as the clock's way of measuring a journey. Whenever something starts and eventually stops, the time spent in between is the duration.
It is a very useful word because it helps us define boundaries for our activities. Whether it is the duration of a boring meeting or the duration of a sunny vacation, it helps us understand the 'how long' aspect of life.
The word duration comes from the Latin word durare, which means 'to last' or 'to harden'. It shares a root with the word durable, which describes things that last a long time.
It entered Middle English through Old French in the 14th century. Historically, it was used to describe the state of continuing in existence, reflecting the idea of something being tough enough to withstand the passage of time.
You will see duration used most often in formal or professional settings. We talk about the duration of a contract or the duration of a flight.
It is slightly more formal than saying 'how long something lasts'. Use it when you want to sound precise, such as in business reports, technical manuals, or academic writing.
While 'duration' isn't a core part of many idioms, it is often paired with specific phrases. For the duration is the most common, meaning 'for the whole time something lasts'.
Another common usage is total duration, which emphasizes the entire span. You might also hear minimum duration or maximum duration in legal or technical agreements.
Duration is a countable noun, though we usually use it in the singular. The IPA is /djuˈreɪʃən/ (UK) or /dʊˈreɪʃən/ (US).
It stresses the second syllable: du-RA-tion. Rhyming words include vacation, station, relation, creation, and foundation.
Fun Fact
It shares a root with 'durable' and 'endure'.
Pronunciation Guide
Starts with a soft 'dju' sound.
Starts with a 'du' sound.
Common Errors
- Misplacing stress on the first syllable
- Dropping the 'sh' sound
- Adding extra syllables
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Easy to read
Easy to use
Easy to pronounce
Easy to hear
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Avanc
Grammar to Know
Noun usage
The duration is...
Prepositional phrases
For the duration of...
Adjective-Noun collocations
Long duration.
Examples by Level
The movie duration is two hours.
movie length = two hours
Noun usage.
What is the duration?
How long is it?
Simple question.
The duration is short.
It lasts a little time.
Adjective + noun.
Check the duration.
Look at the time.
Imperative.
It has a long duration.
It lasts a long time.
Adjective + noun.
The duration is fixed.
It cannot change.
Passive voice.
The duration was one day.
It lasted one day.
Past tense.
Note the duration.
Write down the time.
Instruction.
The flight duration is six hours.
The workshop has a duration of two days.
Please state the duration of your stay.
The battery has a long duration.
The duration of the storm was brief.
We need to know the total duration.
The game has a fixed duration.
The duration of the song is three minutes.
The contract is for the duration of one year.
We were unsure about the duration of the meeting.
The duration of the experiment was extended.
He calculated the duration of the commute.
The duration of the silence was awkward.
The duration of the training is quite intense.
Check the duration of the video file.
The duration of the lease is negotiable.
The medication must be taken for the full duration of the prescription.
The duration of the recession has surprised economists.
The artist focused on the duration of the performance.
The duration of the film was cut for the theatrical release.
We discussed the duration of the project phases.
The duration of the exposure to the chemical was minimal.
The duration of the ceasefire was short-lived.
The duration of the trial was longer than expected.
The duration of the phenomenon suggests a structural shift.
The duration of the sound waves was analyzed in the lab.
The duration of his tenure was marked by significant reform.
The duration of the artistic piece challenges the viewer's patience.
The duration of the legislative session was extended.
The duration of the neural response was measured.
The duration of the geological process is immense.
The duration of the musical note was held perfectly.
The duration of the consciousness is a subject of intense debate.
The duration of the aesthetic experience transcends mere time.
The duration of the historical epoch is debated by scholars.
The duration of the ritual is strictly observed.
The duration of the cosmic cycle is beyond human comprehension.
The duration of the silence was pregnant with meaning.
The duration of the literary work is central to its theme.
The duration of the economic cycle remains unpredictable.
Collocations courantes
Idioms & Expressions
"for the duration"
for the entire time
I will be here for the duration.
neutral"long duration"
lasting a long time
The long duration of the wait was tiring.
neutral"short duration"
lasting a short time
The short duration of the meeting was pleasant.
neutral"entire duration"
from start to finish
He slept for the entire duration.
neutral"fixed duration"
a set time limit
The contract has a fixed duration.
formal"limited duration"
not lasting long
The offer is of limited duration.
formalEasily Confused
Similar sound
During is a preposition; duration is a noun.
During the day vs. The duration of the day.
Same root
Endure is a verb.
I endure the pain vs. The duration of the pain.
Same root
Durable is an adjective.
A durable shoe vs. The duration of the shoe's life.
Similar meaning
Period is more general.
A long period vs. A long duration.
Sentence Patterns
The duration of [event] is [time].
The duration of the test is 60 minutes.
For the duration of [event]...
For the duration of the flight, please sit.
It has a [adjective] duration.
It has a short duration.
We need to know the duration.
We need to know the duration of the meeting.
The duration was [number] [unit].
The duration was three weeks.
Famille de mots
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Apparenté
How to Use It
7
Formality Scale
Erreurs courantes
Duration requires a start and end.
Redundant, as duration already implies time.
Duration is a noun only.
During describes when, duration describes how long.
Common vowel error.
Tips
Memory Palace
Think of a stopwatch.
Professionalism
Use it in emails.
Historical Context
Used in war-time.
Noun Check
Always a noun.
Stress
Stress the second syllable.
Redundancy
Don't say 'duration of time'.
Latin Roots
Means to harden.
Flashcards
Pair with 'length'.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
DURation is DURable time.
Visual Association
A stopwatch.
Word Web
Défi
Time your daily tasks and record their duration.
Origine du mot
Latin
Original meaning: to last or harden
Contexte culturel
None.
Commonly used in formal announcements and contracts.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Travel
- Flight duration
- Total duration
- Travel duration
Work
- Project duration
- Contract duration
- Meeting duration
School
- Class duration
- Exam duration
- Term duration
Media
- Video duration
- Film duration
- Song duration
Conversation Starters
"How long is the duration of your commute?"
"What is the duration of your favorite movie?"
"Do you prefer short or long duration meetings?"
"How do you track the duration of your tasks?"
"Is the duration of the school year too long?"
Journal Prompts
Write about the duration of your last vacation.
Describe a time when the duration of an event felt too long.
How do you manage the duration of your study sessions?
Reflect on the duration of your current life stage.
Questions fréquentes
8 questionsNo, time is a broad concept; duration is a measurement of a specific span.
No, it is strictly for time.
It is neutral to formal.
du-RAY-shun.
Durations.
No, usually for events or states.
Yes, in professional contexts.
No, the verb is endure.
Teste-toi
The ___ of the movie is two hours.
Duration measures the length.
What does duration mean?
It refers to the span.
Duration is a verb.
It is a noun.
Word
Signification
Definition match.
Standard sentence structure.
Score : /5
Summary
Duration is simply a precise way to describe how long something lasts.
- Duration is a noun.
- It means the length of time.
- It is often used in formal settings.
- It is related to the word durable.
Memory Palace
Think of a stopwatch.
Professionalism
Use it in emails.
Historical Context
Used in war-time.
Noun Check
Always a noun.
Exemple
The duration of the flight from London to New York is approximately eight hours.
Related Content
Ce mot dans d'autres langues
Plus de mots sur Time
minute
A2Une minute est une courte période de temps de soixante secondes. On l'utilise pour mesurer combien de temps quelque chose dure.
Tuesday
A1C'est le troisième jour de la semaine, après lundi et avant mercredi. C'est le deuxième jour de la semaine de travail.
antactate
C1Describing a condition, action, or state that occurs or is required prior to a primary event or process. It is frequently used in technical or academic contexts to denote necessary preparatory measures or antecedent conditions.
April
A1April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar, following March and preceding May. It has 30 days and is typically associated with the arrival of spring in the northern hemisphere.
period
B2A length or portion of time that is defined by specific events, characteristics, or conditions. It can also refer to one of the divisions of a school day or a punctuation mark used at the end of a sentence.
lifetime
A1C'est toute la période où une personne est en vie. Ça peut aussi être la durée de fonctionnement d'un objet.
hours
B1Les heures (hours) sont des unités de temps de 60 minutes. On les utilise aussi pour parler d'une période de travail ou d'activité.
punctual
A1Being on time and not late. It describes a person who arrives or an action that happens at the exact scheduled time.
future
A1The future refers to the period of time that will happen after the present moment. It describes events, situations, and possibilities that have not yet occurred.
century
A1A century is a period of 100 years. It is a common unit of time used to group historical events and long durations.
