In times past Meaning in English
expression
in-TIMEZ-PAST
in-TIMEZ-PAHST
Definition
A formal way to say 'a long time ago' or 'in the past'; used when telling stories or describing things that happened many years before now.
Usage & Nuances
Very formal and a bit old-fashioned; mostly used in storytelling, historical writing, or speeches. Usually at the start of a sentence. Similar to 'long ago' or 'once upon a time', but not used in casual conversation.
Spanish: en tiempos pasados - antañoPortuguese (BR): no passado - antigamentePortuguese (PT): no passado - antigamenteChinese (Simplified): 过去 - 往昔Chinese (Traditional): 過去 - 往昔Hindi: पुराने समय मेंArabic: في العصور الماضيةBengali: অতীতেRussian: в прежние времена - в былые временаJapanese: 昔は - 過去にはVietnamese: ngày xưa - thời xưaKorean: 옛날에는 - 예전에는Turkish: eski zamanlardaUrdu: پرانے وقتوں میںIndonesian: di masa lalu - dulu
Example Sentences
People believed in many old stories in times past.
basic
Farming was different in times past.
basic
There were no cars in times past.
basic
In times past, people wrote letters instead of sending emails.
natural
Things were much slower in times past—no internet, no smartphones.
natural
Holidays meant something very different in times past than they do today.
natural