spend time
يقضي الوقت
Use 'spend time' to describe any intentional activity or social interaction you choose to do.
15초 만에
- Use it to describe doing activities or being with people.
- Follow with 'with' for people or 'doing' for actions.
- Treats time as a valuable resource like money.
뜻
This phrase describes using your time for a specific activity or being with certain people. It treats time like money—something valuable that you choose to give to someone or something.
주요 예문
3 / 6Talking about a hobby
I spend time gardening every Saturday morning.
I spend time gardening every Saturday morning.
Expressing affection
I really love spending time with you.
I really love spending time with you.
A professional setting
We need to spend more time on the marketing project.
We need to spend more time on the marketing project.
문화적 배경
The concept of 'spending' time reflects the industrial-era view of time as a commodity. In English-speaking cultures, time is often viewed linearly and as something that can be 'spent', 'saved', or 'wasted'. This phrase became the standard way to describe one's schedule by the 18th century.
The 'Quality' Secret
Add the word 'quality' (quality time) to show that the time was very meaningful and focused, not just sitting in the same room.
Spend vs. Pass
Don't confuse 'spend time' with 'pass time'. 'Pass time' is what you do when you are bored or waiting for something else to happen.
15초 만에
- Use it to describe doing activities or being with people.
- Follow with 'with' for people or 'doing' for actions.
- Treats time as a valuable resource like money.
What It Means
Think of your time as a currency. When you spend time, you are paying attention to something. You are choosing to use your hours on a specific person or hobby. It is the most common way to talk about your day. It implies a conscious choice to be present.
How To Use It
You usually follow the phrase with with for people. For activities, use doing or on. For example, I spend time with my cat. Or, I spend time reading. It is a very flexible verb. You can spend a little time or a lot of time. Just don't try to 'save' it for later like a bank account!
When To Use It
Use it when talking about your weekend plans. Use it in job interviews to show your hobbies. It works perfectly when texting a friend to hang out. It is great for deep conversations about life. It is the 'bread and butter' of English conversation. You will hear it ten times a day.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use spend time for quick, accidental moments. If you see someone for one second, you didn't spend time with them. Avoid using it for things you hate. We usually 'waste time' on things that are boring. Also, don't say pass time if you actually enjoyed the activity. Pass time sounds like you are just waiting for a bus.
Cultural Background
In Western culture, time is considered a limited resource. This is why we use the word spend, just like money. Being 'generous' with your time is a huge compliment. If someone says, 'I love spending time with you,' it is a big deal. It means you are worth more than their busy schedule.
Common Variations
You can spend quality time, which means the time was very special. You can spend some time alone to recharge your batteries. If you are in trouble, you might spend time in jail—but let's hope not! Sometimes we spend a lifetime trying to learn a new language. Each variation changes how much 'value' the time has.
사용 참고사항
The phrase is universally understood and safe to use in any context. Just remember the irregular past tense 'spent'.
The 'Quality' Secret
Add the word 'quality' (quality time) to show that the time was very meaningful and focused, not just sitting in the same room.
Spend vs. Pass
Don't confuse 'spend time' with 'pass time'. 'Pass time' is what you do when you are bored or waiting for something else to happen.
Time is Money
Because English treats time like money, you can also 'invest time' in something if you think it will have a big benefit later!
예시
6I spend time gardening every Saturday morning.
I spend time gardening every Saturday morning.
Shows a regular routine or hobby.
I really love spending time with you.
I really love spending time with you.
A common way to show you enjoy someone's company.
We need to spend more time on the marketing project.
We need to spend more time on the marketing project.
Focuses on work tasks and resource allocation.
Wanna spend some time at the mall later?
Wanna spend some time at the mall later?
Very common for making informal plans.
I spend more time looking for my keys than actually driving.
I spend more time looking for my keys than actually driving.
Uses the phrase to highlight a funny frustration.
It is important to spend time alone sometimes.
It is important to spend time alone sometimes.
Refers to personal reflection and mental health.
셀프 테스트
Choose the correct preposition to complete the sentence.
I love spending time ___ my grandparents.
We use 'with' when referring to people.
Complete the sentence about a hobby.
She spends a lot of time ___ piano.
After 'spend time', we use the -ing form of the verb for activities.
🎉 점수: /2
시각 학습 자료
Formality of 'Spend Time'
Used with friends and family.
Let's spend time together!
Standard everyday use.
I spend time reading.
Used in reports or speeches.
The committee spent time deliberating.
Where to use 'Spend Time'
With Family
Dinner and movies
At Work
Focusing on a task
Hobbies
Painting or sports
Self-care
Meditation or rest
자주 묻는 질문
10 질문It is better to say spend time doing my hobby or spend time on my hobby. Use with mostly for people or pets.
Yes, but you might prefer dedicated time to or allocated time for to sound more professional. However, spent time developing skills is perfectly fine.
Spend time is neutral or positive. Waste time means you used your time on something useless or annoying.
Yes, you can say I spent a few minutes checking my email. It works for any length of time.
The past tense is spent. For example: Yesterday, I spent time at the park.
Not quite. Take time usually means an activity requires a certain amount of time to finish, like Learning English takes time.
Usually we say spend time with a person. If you say spend time on a person, it sounds like you are working on them, like a doctor or a coach.
It means you are choosing to be by yourself, usually for rest or thinking. It is generally a positive thing.
Not really, but people often just say hanging out in very casual texts instead of spending time.
Technically yes, but it sounds a bit strange. Usually, we just say I slept for eight hours rather than I spent time sleeping.
관련 표현
Hang out
To spend time informally with friends.
Kill time
To do something just to make time pass faster while waiting.
Make time
To find or create space in a busy schedule for something.
Waste time
To use time in a useless or unproductive way.
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