long distance
مسافة بعيدة
Use it to describe physical separation, especially in relationships, travel, or communication over many miles.
En 15 secondes
- Describes a large physical gap between two people or places.
- Commonly used for relationships, phone calls, and athletic running.
- Implies a sense of separation or a significant journey.
Signification
This phrase describes a significant physical gap between two points. It is most commonly used to talk about relationships where people live in different cities or long-distance travel.
Exemples clés
3 sur 6Talking about a partner
We are in a long distance relationship, but we FaceTime every night.
نحن في علاقة عن بعد، لكننا نتحدث عبر فيس تايم كل ليلة.
Discussing hobbies
She is a long distance runner and completes marathons regularly.
إنها عداءة مسافات طويلة وتكمل الماراثونات بانتظام.
Professional logistics
The company covers all long distance moving expenses for new hires.
تغطي الشركة جميع مصاريف الانتقال لمسافات بعيدة للموظفين الجدد.
Contexte culturel
The phrase gained massive popularity during the 20th century with the rise of the telephone industry. 'Long distance' operators were iconic figures who connected callers across states. Today, it is more culturally associated with the 'LDR' (Long Distance Relationship) phenomenon fueled by dating apps.
The LDR Acronym
In texting and on social media, people often just write 'LDR' for 'Long Distance Relationship'. It's very common on Reddit or Instagram.
The Death of the 'Call'
While 'long distance call' is still understood, most young people just say 'international call' or 'video call' because the internet made distance irrelevant for phones.
En 15 secondes
- Describes a large physical gap between two people or places.
- Commonly used for relationships, phone calls, and athletic running.
- Implies a sense of separation or a significant journey.
What It Means
Long distance describes a space that isn't easily walkable or reachable in a few minutes. It implies a journey or a separation. You’ll hear it most often when people talk about love. It means your heart is in one city, but your partner is in another. It also applies to phone calls or travel. It’s about the miles that stand between two things.
How To Use It
You can use it as an adjective before a noun. Think of long distance relationship or long distance runner. You can also use it to describe a type of communication. Even though we have the internet, we still call them long distance calls. It’s a very flexible phrase. It fits into almost any sentence where space is the main topic.
When To Use It
Use it when you feel the weight of the miles. Use it when describing your friend who lives in Australia. Use it when you are training for a marathon. It’s perfect for social media captions about missing someone. It’s also great for professional settings when discussing logistics. If a client is in another country, they are long distance.
When NOT To Use It
Don’t use it for small gaps. If your friend lives two blocks away, that’s not long distance. That’s just nearby. Don't use it for emotional distance if the people are physically close. If you and your partner are fighting but in the same room, don't use this. Use distant instead. It’s strictly about physical geography and miles.
Cultural Background
In Western culture, the long distance relationship (or LDR) is a huge topic. There are thousands of blogs and apps dedicated to making them work. Historically, long distance was a technical term for expensive phone calls. Before the internet, calling another state cost a lot of money. Now, it’s more about the emotional effort of being apart. It represents both a challenge and a commitment.
Common Variations
You might hear people say the distance or going the distance. Going the distance means finishing something difficult, like a boxing match. You might also hear long-haul. This is usually for flights or truck drivers. But for relationships and general gaps, long distance remains the king of phrases. It’s simple, clear, and everyone understands the struggle.
Notes d'usage
The phrase is very safe to use in all contexts. Remember to use a hyphen when it acts as an adjective modifying a noun (e.g., 'a long-distance relationship').
The LDR Acronym
In texting and on social media, people often just write 'LDR' for 'Long Distance Relationship'. It's very common on Reddit or Instagram.
The Death of the 'Call'
While 'long distance call' is still understood, most young people just say 'international call' or 'video call' because the internet made distance irrelevant for phones.
Don't use for 'Time'
Never use 'long distance' to describe time. If something takes a long time, say 'a long duration' or 'a long time'. This phrase is only for physical space.
Exemples
6We are in a long distance relationship, but we FaceTime every night.
نحن في علاقة عن بعد، لكننا نتحدث عبر فيس تايم كل ليلة.
Standard use for romantic partners living apart.
She is a long distance runner and completes marathons regularly.
إنها عداءة مسافات طويلة وتكمل الماراثونات بانتظام.
Refers to endurance sports.
The company covers all long distance moving expenses for new hires.
تغطي الشركة جميع مصاريف الانتقال لمسافات بعيدة للموظفين الجدد.
Used in a business/benefit context.
Long distance sucks, I wish you lived next door!
المسافات البعيدة سيئة، أتمنى لو كنت تعيش في المنزل المجاور!
Very common informal expression of frustration.
Walking to the fridge feels like a long distance trip today.
المشي إلى الثلاجة يبدو وكأنه رحلة لمسافة بعيدة اليوم.
Hyperbole used for comedic effect.
Please be aware of additional charges for long distance calls.
يرجى العلم بوجود رسوم إضافية للمكالمات الخارجية.
Standard formal notice for services.
Teste-toi
Choose the best fit for a romantic context.
They have been dating for two years, but it has always been ___.
'Long distance' is the standard collocation for relationships where partners live apart.
Choose the correct term for sports.
He is training to be a ___ runner.
'Long distance runner' is a specific athletic term.
🎉 Score : /2
Aides visuelles
Formality of 'Long Distance'
Used with friends to complain about miles.
LDRs are hard!
Standard daily conversation.
It's a long distance move.
Service contracts or technical descriptions.
Long distance communication protocols.
Where to use Long Distance
Romance
Living in different countries.
Sports
Running a 10k or marathon.
Moving
Relocating to a new state.
Telecom
Calling someone overseas.
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsYes, but usually to describe their relationship status, like We are long distance. You wouldn't call a person a long distance person unless they are a runner.
Use a hyphen long-distance when it comes before a noun (like long-distance runner). If it's at the end of a sentence, no hyphen is needed.
Yes, it is perfectly neutral. You can say We have several long distance clients in a professional presentation.
The opposite is usually local or short distance. For example, a local call or a short distance trip.
Usually, we say long walk. Long distance implies something much further, like across cities or states.
They are similar, but long distance is often used as a category (like a type of relationship or travel), while far away is a simple description of location.
In athletics, long distance refers to specific races like 5ks, 10ks, and marathons to distinguish them from sprints.
No, that is incorrect. Distance is for space. For time, use a long period or a long time.
Not at all. It is a standard English collocation used in dictionaries and formal documents.
There is no set number of miles. It generally means far enough that you can't easily visit and return in a very short time.
Expressions liées
Far-flung
Used to describe places that are very distant and remote.
Miles apart
Can mean physically far or having very different opinions.
Long-haul
Refers to long-distance travel, especially flights or trucking.
Out of state
Referring to something in a different administrative region/state.
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