timp

Timp is a Romanian noun meaning time in the broad sense, including the sequence of moments, duration, and the concept of time as it unfolds. It is a masculine noun. The base indefinite form is timp. The definite singular form is timpul, and the definite plural form is timpurile. The genitive/dative singular is timpului, and the genitive/dative plural is timpurilor. The plural indefinite form is timpuri.

Etymology traces timp to Latin tempus, through Old Romanian, with cognates across Romance languages that name time. The core meaning—time as a dimension in which events occur—has remained stable since medieval Romanian.

Usage and nuance: timp appears in a wide range of expressions. Timp liber means free time; a program can run "în timp" or "la timp" to indicate punctuality. For duration, Romanian speakers may say dura un timp or a despre timp, depending on context, while durata and perioada are common synonymous terms for longer spans. The phrase în timp ce means “while,” and during a period can be described with diferite phrasings such as în acest timp or în acest perioadă, depending on nuance.

In Romanian style, timp operates as a general cognitive concept as well as a practical unit for scheduling and measurement. It features in everyday speech, literature, and journalism, serving as a versatile anchor for expressions about moments, intervals, and historical epochs.