ages
word
/ˈeɪdʒəz/
AY-jiz
/ˈeɪdʒɪz/
AY-jiz
Definition
"Ages" can mean very long periods of history or life stages, but in everyday speech it often means a very long time. People use it to emphasize that something feels long.
Usage & Nuances
Very common in informal speech for time: 'I waited for ages.' In historical contexts, it means long periods ('the Stone Ages'). Don't confuse it with the verb 'ages' from 'age' in sentences like 'Cheese ages well.'
Spanish: siglos - muchísimo tiempoPortuguese (BR): eras - um tempãoPortuguese (PT): eras - imenso tempoChinese (Simplified): 时代 - 很长时间Chinese (Traditional): 時代 - 很長時間Hindi: युग - बहुत लंबा समयArabic: عصور - وقت طويل جدًاBengali: অনেক সময় - যুগ (ঐতিহাসিক কাল)Russian: целая вечность - века (исторические эпохи)Japanese: すごく長い時間 - 時代Vietnamese: rất lâu - thời đạiKorean: 아주 오랜 시간 - 시대Turkish: çok uzun zaman - çağlar (tarihsel dönemler)Urdu: بہت طویل وقت - ادوار (تاریخی دور)Indonesian: waktu yang sangat lama - zaman (periode sejarah)
Example Sentences
It feels like ages since we had a proper holiday.
natural
Sorry I'm late — the meeting went on for ages.
natural
We spent ages choosing a place to eat and still couldn't agree.
natural
We waited for ages at the bus stop.
basic
People lived differently in the ages before modern medicine.
basic
I haven't seen my cousin in ages.
basic