Minutë

Minutë is the Albanian word for a unit of time equal to sixty seconds. It is used in both everyday conversation and formal contexts to describe durations, schedules, and the timing of events. The term follows the same grammatical rules as other Albanian nouns, with the plural form "minuta". In written Albanian, "minutë" frequently appears in time expressions such as “në dy minuta” (in two minutes) or “për tillë minutë” (for such a brief instant).

The word derives from the Latin "minuta", the diminutive of "minus", meaning “small,” which in turn reflects the concept of a small division of the hour. It entered Albanian through the influence of Latin during the Roman Empire and later through the Ottoman period, when many Latin terms were incorporated into the language.

In addition to its everyday usage, "minutë" is also used in technical and scientific contexts, for example in describing the interval of a sampling rate or the precision of a timing device. While the concept is shared with the English word “minute,” the Albanian term is distinct in spelling and pronunciation.

Literature and media in Albania occasionally use the word metaphorically to emphasize a fleeting moment, as in “një minutë e dashurisë” (a minute of love). The term is also found in song titles and poems describing the passing of time. Overall, "minutë" remains a fundamental lexical item in the Albanian language, essential for timekeeping, planning, and expressive metaphorical uses.