tempo

See also: Tempo and tempó

Languages (23)

English

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Catalan • Czech • Danish • Dutch • Esperanto • Finnish • French • Galician • Ido • Indonesian • Italian • Ligurian • Norwegian Bokmål • Norwegian Nynorsk • Papiamentu • Polish • Portuguese • Romanian • Serbo-Croatian • Spanish • Swedish • Turkish

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Page categories

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian tempo, from Latin tempus (“time”). Doublet of tense.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈtɛm.pəʊ/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛmpəʊ

Noun

tempo (plural tempos or tempi)

1. A frequency or rate.

   10 calls per hour isn't a bad start, but we'll need to up the tempo if we want to reach our target of selling insurance policies.

2. (chess) A move which is part of one's own plan or strategy and forces, e.g. by means of a check or attacking a piece, the opponent to make a move which is not bad but of no use (the player gains a tempo, the opponent loses a tempo), or equivalently a player achieves the same result in fewer moves by one approach rather than another.
3. (bridge) The timing advantage of being on lead, thus being first to initiate a strategy to develop tricks for one's side.
4. The timing of a particular event – earlier or later than in an alternative situation (as in chess example)
5. (music) The number of beats per minute in a piece of music; also, an indicative term denoting approximate rate of speed in written music (examples: allegro, andante)
6. (cycling) The steady pace set by the frontmost riders.
7. A small truck or cargo van with three or four wheels, commonly used for commercial transport and deliveries (particularly in Asian and African countries): a genericized trademark, originally associated with the manufacturer Vidal & Sohn Tempo-Werke GmbH.
8. (American football) A rapid rate of play by the offense resulting from reducing the amount of time which elapses after one play ends and the next starts.
9. A temporary carport.

Usage notes

The plural tempi is mostly used in the musical and chess worlds; other meanings generally have the plural tempos.

Derived terms

• high-tempo
• l'istesso tempo
• tempo mark

 

Translations

frequency or rate

• Afrikaans: tempo
• Belarusian: тэмп m (temp)
• Bulgarian: темпо (bg) n (tempo)
• Danish: tempo (da) n
• Finnish: tahti (fi), tempo (fi)
• French: tempo (fr) m
• German: Tempo (de) n
• Greek: ρυθμός (el) m (rythmós)
• Italian: ritmo (it) m
• Maori: tukituki, whakataki
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: tempo (no) n

  Nynorsk: tempo n

• Polish: tempo (pl) n
• Russian: темп (ru) m (tɛmp)
• Ukrainian: темп m (temp)

chess: type of move

• Finnish: tempo (fi)
• Spanish: tempo (es) m

bridge: timing advantage of being on lead

• Bulgarian: темпо (bg) n (tempo)

timing of a particular event

• Afrikaans: tempo
• Finnish: ajoitus (fi)

music: number of beats per minute

• Afrikaans: tempo
• Belarusian: тэмп m (temp)
• Bulgarian: те́мпо (bg) n (témpo)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 拍子 (zh) (pāizǐ), （音乐的）速度 (zh) (sùdù)

• Finnish: tempo (fi)
• French: tempo (fr) m
• German: Tempo (de) n
• Greek: ρυθμός (el) m (rythmós)
• Hebrew: קֶצֶב (he) m
• Hindi: लय (hi) (lay)
• Indonesian: tempo (id)
• Italian: tempo (it) m
• Japanese: テンポ (ja) (tenpo)
• Korean: 템포 (tempo)
• Latin: temporum intervalla n pl
• Malay: tempo
• Maori: taki
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: tempo (no) n

  Nynorsk: tempo n

• Polish: tempo (pl) n
• Russian: темп (ru) m (tɛmp)
• Spanish: tempo (es) m
• Swedish: tempo (sv) n
• Tamil: தாப்பு (ta) (tāppu)
• Thai: เทมโป (tem-bpoo)
• Ukrainian: темп m (temp)
• Vietnamese: nhịp độ (vi)

cycling: steady pace set by the frontmost riders

• Afrikaans: tempo
• Finnish: tempo (fi)

small truck or cargo van

• Finnish: tavaramopo

American football: rapid rate of play by the offense

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Dutch: (1,3) ^{(please verify)} tempo (nl) n
• German: (1,2,3) ^{(please verify)} Tempo (de) n

See also

• one step ahead

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian tempo. Doublet of temps.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central) [ˈtem.pu]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic, Valencia) [ˈtem.po]

Noun

tempo m (plural tempos)

1. (music) tempo

Czech

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian tempo.

Noun

tempo n

1. speed, pace, rate
2. (music) tempo
3. (swimming) stroke

Declension

This noun needs an inflection-table template.

Further reading

• “tempo”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
• “tempo”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989

Danish

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian tempo, from Latin tempus (“time”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /tɛmpo/, [ˈtˢɛmpʰo], [ˈtˢɛmb̥o]

Noun

tempo n (singular definite tempoet, plural indefinite tempoer or tempi)

1. pace
2. rate
3. tempo
4. stage

Inflection

Declension of tempo

neuter gender	Singular		Plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	tempo	tempoet	tempoer tempi	tempoerne tempiene
genitive	tempos	tempoets	tempoers tempis	tempoernes tempienes

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian tempo, from Latin tempus (“time”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtɛm.poː/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: tem‧po

Noun

tempo n (plural tempo's or tempi, diminutive tempootje n)

1. tempo (pace, relative speed)

   Synonym: snelheid

2. (music) tempo, time
3. (obsolete) moment in time

   Synonyms: ogenblik, tijdstip

Derived terms

• looptempo
• recordtempo
• sneltempo
• tempowinst
• wandeltempo

 

Related terms

• tempo doeloe
• temporaal
• temporeel

 

Descendants

• → Indonesian: tempo

Esperanto

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin tempus. Compare Italian tempo, French temps, Spanish tiempo, Russian темп (tɛmp). Doublet of tempesto.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈtempo]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -empo
• Hyphenation: tem‧po

Noun

tempo (accusative singular tempon, plural tempoj, accusative plural tempojn)

1. time
   • 1910, L. L. Zamenhof, Proverbaro Esperanta‎^[1]:

     La tempo ĉiam malkaŝas la veron.

     Time always reveals the truth.

2. (grammar) tense
   • 1903, Paŭlo Fruictier, Esperanta sintakso, page 49:

     Per estonta tempo (os) oni esprimas tion, kio okazos.

     One uses the future tense (os) to express what will happen.

Derived terms

• antaŭtempa (“premature, untimely”)
• nuntempe (“current, contemporary”)
• samtempe (“at the same time, simultaneously”)
• spactempo (“space-time”)
• tiutempe (“at that time”)

 

Related terms

• printempo

See also

• fojo

Finnish

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian tempo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtempo/, [ˈt̪e̞mpo̞]
• Rhymes: -empo
• Hyphenation^(key): tem‧po

Noun

tempo

1. (music) tempo

Declension

Inflection of tempo (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)
nominative		tempo	tempot
genitive		tempon	tempojen
partitive		tempoa	tempoja
illative		tempoon	tempoihin
		singular	plural
nominative		tempo	tempot
accusative	nom.	tempo	tempot
	gen.	tempon
genitive		tempon	tempojen
partitive		tempoa	tempoja
inessive		tempossa	tempoissa
elative		temposta	tempoista
illative		tempoon	tempoihin
adessive		tempolla	tempoilla
ablative		tempolta	tempoilta
allative		tempolle	tempoille
essive		tempona	tempoina
translative		tempoksi	tempoiksi
abessive		tempotta	tempoitta
instructive		—	tempoin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of tempo (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative temponi temponi accusative nom. temponi temponi gen. temponi genitive temponi tempojeni partitive tempoani tempojani inessive tempossani tempoissani elative tempostani tempoistani illative tempooni tempoihini adessive tempollani tempoillani ablative tempoltani tempoiltani allative tempolleni tempoilleni essive temponani tempoinani translative tempokseni tempoikseni abessive tempottani tempoittani instructive — — comitative — tempoineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative temposi temposi accusative nom. temposi temposi gen. temposi genitive temposi tempojesi partitive tempoasi tempojasi inessive tempossasi tempoissasi elative tempostasi tempoistasi illative tempoosi tempoihisi adessive tempollasi tempoillasi ablative tempoltasi tempoiltasi allative tempollesi tempoillesi essive temponasi tempoinasi translative tempoksesi tempoiksesi abessive tempottasi tempoittasi instructive — — comitative — tempoinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative tempomme tempomme accusative nom. tempomme tempomme gen. tempomme genitive tempomme tempojemme partitive tempoamme tempojamme inessive tempossamme tempoissamme elative tempostamme tempoistamme illative tempoomme tempoihimme adessive tempollamme tempoillamme ablative tempoltamme tempoiltamme allative tempollemme tempoillemme essive temponamme tempoinamme translative tempoksemme tempoiksemme abessive tempottamme tempoittamme instructive — — comitative — tempoinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative temponne temponne accusative nom. temponne temponne gen. temponne genitive temponne tempojenne partitive tempoanne tempojanne inessive tempossanne tempoissanne elative tempostanne tempoistanne illative tempoonne tempoihinne adessive tempollanne tempoillanne ablative tempoltanne tempoiltanne allative tempollenne tempoillenne essive temponanne tempoinanne translative tempoksenne tempoiksenne abessive tempottanne tempoittanne instructive — — comitative — tempoinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative temponsa temponsa accusative nom. temponsa temponsa gen. temponsa genitive temponsa tempojensa partitive tempoaan tempoansa tempojaan tempojansa inessive tempossaan tempossansa tempoissaan tempoissansa elative tempostaan tempostansa tempoistaan tempoistansa illative tempoonsa tempoihinsa adessive tempollaan tempollansa tempoillaan tempoillansa ablative tempoltaan tempoltansa tempoiltaan tempoiltansa allative tempolleen tempollensa tempoilleen tempoillensa essive temponaan temponansa tempoinaan tempoinansa translative tempokseen tempoksensa tempoikseen tempoiksensa abessive tempottaan tempottansa tempoittaan tempoittansa instructive — — comitative — tempoineen tempoinensa

Less common:

Inflection of tempo (Kotus type 1*H/valo, mp-mm gradation)
nominative		tempo	temmot
genitive		temmon	tempojen
partitive		tempoa	tempoja
illative		tempoon	tempoihin
		singular	plural
nominative		tempo	temmot
accusative	nom.	tempo	temmot
	gen.	temmon
genitive		temmon	tempojen
partitive		tempoa	tempoja
inessive		temmossa	temmoissa
elative		temmosta	temmoista
illative		tempoon	tempoihin
adessive		temmolla	temmoilla
ablative		temmolta	temmoilta
allative		temmolle	temmoille
essive		tempona	tempoina
translative		temmoksi	temmoiksi
abessive		temmotta	temmoitta
instructive		—	temmoin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of tempo (Kotus type 1*H/valo, mp-mm gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative temponi temponi accusative nom. temponi temponi gen. temponi genitive temponi tempojeni partitive tempoani tempojani inessive temmossani temmoissani elative temmostani temmoistani illative tempooni tempoihini adessive temmollani temmoillani ablative temmoltani temmoiltani allative temmolleni temmoilleni essive temponani tempoinani translative temmokseni temmoikseni abessive temmottani temmoittani instructive — — comitative — tempoineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative temposi temposi accusative nom. temposi temposi gen. temposi genitive temposi tempojesi partitive tempoasi tempojasi inessive temmossasi temmoissasi elative temmostasi temmoistasi illative tempoosi tempoihisi adessive temmollasi temmoillasi ablative temmoltasi temmoiltasi allative temmollesi temmoillesi essive temponasi tempoinasi translative temmoksesi temmoiksesi abessive temmottasi temmoittasi instructive — — comitative — tempoinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative tempomme tempomme accusative nom. tempomme tempomme gen. tempomme genitive tempomme tempojemme partitive tempoamme tempojamme inessive temmossamme temmoissamme elative temmostamme temmoistamme illative tempoomme tempoihimme adessive temmollamme temmoillamme ablative temmoltamme temmoiltamme allative temmollemme temmoillemme essive temponamme tempoinamme translative temmoksemme temmoiksemme abessive temmottamme temmoittamme instructive — — comitative — tempoinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative temponne temponne accusative nom. temponne temponne gen. temponne genitive temponne tempojenne partitive tempoanne tempojanne inessive temmossanne temmoissanne elative temmostanne temmoistanne illative tempoonne tempoihinne adessive temmollanne temmoillanne ablative temmoltanne temmoiltanne allative temmollenne temmoillenne essive temponanne tempoinanne translative temmoksenne temmoiksenne abessive temmottanne temmoittanne instructive — — comitative — tempoinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative temponsa temponsa accusative nom. temponsa temponsa gen. temponsa genitive temponsa tempojensa partitive tempoaan tempoansa tempojaan tempojansa inessive temmossaan temmossansa temmoissaan temmoissansa elative temmostaan temmostansa temmoistaan temmoistansa illative tempoonsa tempoihinsa adessive temmollaan temmollansa temmoillaan temmoillansa ablative temmoltaan temmoltansa temmoiltaan temmoiltansa allative temmolleen temmollensa temmoilleen temmoillensa essive temponaan temponansa tempoinaan tempoinansa translative temmokseen temmoksensa temmoikseen temmoiksensa abessive temmottaan temmottansa temmoittaan temmoittansa instructive — — comitative — tempoineen tempoinensa

Derived terms

compounds

• hidastempoinen
• nopeatempoinen
• tempomerkintä
• työtempo

 

Further reading

• “tempo”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[2] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-03

French

Noun

tempo m (plural tempos)

1. (music) tempo

References

• “tempo”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Galician

Etymology

From Old Galician-Portuguese tempo, from Latin tempus, from Proto-Indo-European *tempos (“stretch”), from the root *temp- (“to stretch, string”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (western) /ˈtempo/ [ˈt̪em.pʊ]
  • Rhymes: -empo
• IPA^(key): (eastern) /ˈtɛmpo/ [ˈt̪ɛm.pʊ]
  • Rhymes: -ɛmpo
• Hyphenation: tem‧po

Noun

tempo m (plural tempos)

1. time

   O noso tempo comezou co big-bang ― Our time did star with the big bang.

2. season

   É tempo de castañas! ― It's chestnut season!

3. age

   Que tempo che ten a meniña? ― How old is your little daughter?

4. period
5. weather

   Que tempo temos hoxe? ― What's the weather like today?

   • 1433, A. Rodríguez González & J. Armas Castro (eds.), Minutario notarial de Pontevedra (1433-1435). Santiago de Compostela: Consello da Cultura Galega, page 32:

     afreto de vos Juan de Bayona, marineiro, besiño da villa de Pontevedra, que sodes presente, a barcha que dizen por nome San Salvador, que Deus salve, de que vos sodes mestre, para que prasendo a Deus, carrege ẽna dita barcha tres mill çeramis de millo, medidos por la medida dereita da praça da dita villa de Pontevedra, para a costa de Biscaya, a qual dita barcha deve de ser cargada do dito millo doje ata quinse dias segintes et dende partir con a boa ventura do primeiro boo tenpo que lle Deus der et en segimento de seu biajen ata o porto de Laredo et ende pousar ancla et estar tres dias hũu en pos de outro et enton devo eu, o dito mercador de dar devisa se iremos descargar aa vila de Vermeu ou aa vila de San Sabastian

     I affreigt from you, Xoán de Baiona, sailor, citizen of the town of Pontevedra, here present, the ship called San Salvador, God bless her, whose master you are, for, if God pleases, loading aboard that ship three thousand bushels of millet, as measured by the right measure of the marketplace of the aforementioned town of Pontevedra, bound for the coast of Biscay; and the aforementioned ship must be loaded with the mentioned millet from today till fifteen next days, and then to depart with good winds during the first good weather God gives, and following her journey till the harbour of Laredo, and there to cast anchor and stay for three days in a row, and then I, the aforementioned merchant, should send a message of whether we should go unload at the town of Bermeo or at the town of San Sebastian.

6. (grammar) tense

Related terms

• tempero

 

References

• Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, Ana Isabel Boullón Agrelo (2006–2022) “tempo”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Xavier Varela Barreiro, Xavier Gómez Guinovart (2006–2018) “tempo”, in Corpus Xelmírez - Corpus lingüístico da Galicia medieval (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: ILG
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, editor (2006–2013), “tempo”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, editors (2003–2018), “tempo”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Rosario Álvarez Blanco, editor (2014–2024), “tempo”, in Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega, →ISSN

Ido

Etymology

Borrowed from Esperanto tempo, English tempo, French temps, German Tempus, Italian tempo, Russian темп (temp), Spanish tiempo, from Latin tempus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtempo/

Noun

tempo (plural tempi)

1. time

Indonesian

Etymology

From Malay tempoh, timpo, from Dutch tempo from Italian tempo, or from Portuguese tempo, ultimately from Latin tempus (“time”), from Proto-Indo-European *tempos (“stretch”), from the root *temp- (“to stretch, string”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtem.po/
• Hyphenation: tém‧po

Noun

témpo

1. tempo.
2. time

   Synonyms: masa, waktu

3. when

   Synonyms: ketika, saat

4. opportunity

   Synonym: kesempatan

5. deadline

   Synonyms: batas waktu, tenggat

Alternative forms

• tempoh (Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore)

Derived terms

• tempo dulu
• tempo hari
• tempo-tempo

 

Further reading

• “tempo” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.

Italian

Etymology

From Latin tempus (“time”), from Proto-Indo-European *tempos (“stretch”), from the root *temp- (“to stretch, string”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtɛm.po/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛmpo
• Hyphenation: tèm‧po

Noun

tempo m (plural tempi)

1. (uncountable) time
   • 13^th century, Guittone d'Arezzo, “O dolce terra aretina”, in [3], collected in Le rime di Guittone d'Arezzo, Bari: Laterza, published 1940, page 92, line 105:

     fugge tempo, sí che mai non riede

     Time escapes, such that it never returns

   • 1300s–1310s, Dante Alighieri, “Canto V”, in Inferno [Hell]‎^[4], lines 64–66; republished as Giorgio Petrocchi, editor, La Commedia secondo l'antica vulgata [The Commedia according to the ancient vulgate]‎^[5], 2^nd revised edition, Florence: publ. Le Lettere, 1994:

     Elena vedi, per cui tanto reo
     tempo si volse, e vedi 'l grande Achille,
     che con amore al fine combatteo.

     You see Helen, for whom so much ruthless time passed; and you see the great Achilles, who in the end fought against Love.

   • 1475, Angelo Poliziano, “Libro Ⅰ”, in Stanze de messer Angelo Politiano cominciate per la giostra del magnifico Giuliano di Pietro de Medici‎^[6], collected in Poesie Italiane by Saverio Orlando, Bologna: Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli, published 1988, section 1, page 41:

     sì che i gran nomi e i fatti egregi e soli
     fortuna o morte o tempo non involi

     So that the illustrious names, and the simple, distinguished facts are not taken away by Fate, or Death, or Time

   • 1807, Ugo Foscolo, Dei Sepolcri‎^[7], Molini, Landi e comp., published 1809, page 8:

     […] e l'uomo e le sue tombe
     E l'estreme sembianze e le reliquie
     Della terra e del ciel traveste il Tempo.

     Time changes man, his tombs, his final appearance, and the relics of the Earth and Heaven.

   • 1835, Giacomo Leopardi with Alessandro Donati, “ⅩⅩⅡ. Le ricordanze [22. Remembrances]”, in Canti‎^[8], Bari: Einaudi, published 1917, page 84, lines 79–81:

     […] per andar di tempo,
     Per variar d’affetti e di pensieri,
     obbliarvi non so […]

     Despite the time, the changes in feelings and thoughts, I cannot forget you

   • 1904, Luigi Pirandello, “Premessa”, in Il fu Mattia Pascal [The Late Mattia Pascal]‎^[9], published 1919, page 2:

     Potrei qui esporre, di fatti, in un albero genealogico, l’origine e la discendenza della mia famiglia e dimostrare come qualmente non solo ho conosciuto mio padre e mia madre, ma e gli antenati miei e le loro azioni, in un lungo decorso di tempo, non tutte veramente lodevoli.

     I could indeed explain here, through a genealogic tree, the origin and descent of my family, and prove how not only I knew my father and mother, but also my ancestors and their deeds in a long stretch of time, not all of them quite honorable.

2. time, age, period

   bei tempi! ― those were the days! (literally, “beautiful times!”)

   • 1300s–1310s, Dante Alighieri, “Canto V”, in Inferno [Hell]‎^[10], lines 121–123; republished as Giorgio Petrocchi, editor, La Commedia secondo l'antica vulgata [The Commedia according to the ancient vulgate]‎^[11], 2^nd revised edition, Florence: publ. Le Lettere, 1994:

     […] Nessun maggior dolore
     che ricordarsi del tempo felice
     ne la miseria; e ciò sa ’l tuo dottore

     There's no greater sorrow than remembering a happy time in misery, and your teacher knows that

   • 1433–1440, Leon Battista Alberti, “Libro quarto [Fourth book]”, in I libri della famiglia‎^[12], page 274; collected in Cecil Grayson, editor, Leon Battista Alberti - Opere volgari‎^[13], volume 1, Bari: Gius. Laterza e figli, 1960:

     Erano in que’ tempi gli animi de’ dotti astronomi solliciti e pieni di varia espettazione

     In those days, the souls of learned astronomers were heedful, and full of various expectations

   • 1567, Ricettario fiorentino [Florentine Cookbook]‎^[14], page 112:

     delle quali si scriveranno quelle, che sono più in uso de Medici de nostri tempi

     of these [infusions], we will write of those that are most used by physicians of our time

   • 1605 [1304–1309], “Libro nono, Cap. Ⅰ. Dell'età de' cavalli, e delle cavalle. [Ninth book, Chapter 1 - About the age of horses and mares]”, in Bastiano de' Rossi, transl., Trattato dell'agricoltura [Treatise on agriculture]‎^[15], Florence: published by Cosimo Giusti, translation of Ruralium commodorum libri Ⅻ by Pietro De' Crescenzi, page 397:

     un certo savio huomo esperto ne' nostri tempi, mi disse, che 'l cavallo ha dodici denti, cioè sei di sopra, e sei di sotto

     A knowledgeable, expert man of our time told me that a horse has twelve teeth, that is, six on the upper part, and six on the lower part

   • 1619, Michelangelo Buonarroti the Younger, La fiera‎^[16], published 1726, page 181:

     Fabbricar gli uomin saggi e santi i tempi,
     Gli distrussero gli empj.

     Wise and holy men built the times, wicked ones destroyed them.

   • 1764, Cesare Beccaria, “Introduzione [Introduction]”, in Dei delitti e delle pene [On Crimes and Punishments]‎^[17], Paris: Dal Molini, published 1780, page 6:

     Qual è la miglior maniera di prevenire i delitti? Le medesime pene sono elleno egualmente utili in tutti i tempi? Qual’influenza hanno esse su i costumi?

     What is the best way of preventing crimes? Are the same punishments equally useful at all times? What influence do they have on the customs?

   • 1799, Vittorio Alfieri, Misogallo [The French-Hater]‎^[18], London, page 130, lines 2–5:

     Fatto già del lor Re vedovo il Trono,
     E la salica legge,
     Che avean dai tempi del barbato Giove,
     Scartata anch'essa […]

     Having already widowed the Throne of their King, and also discarded the Salic law they had had since the time of bearded Jove

   • 1827, Giacomo Leopardi, Operette morali [Small Moral Works]‎^[19], Florence: Guglielmo Piatti, published 1834, page 158:

     Non è dubbio che il genere umano a questi tempi […] non vada procedendo innanzi continuamente nel sapere.

     There is no doubt that mankind, in these times, does not continuously proceed forward in knowledge.

   • 1894, Gabriele D'Annunzio, Elegie romane‎^[20], page 107:

     Ai tempi eroici, quando gli dei e le dee amavano, il desio seguiva lo sguardo, il godimento seguiva il desio.

     In heroic times, when gods and goddesses loved, desire followed the glance, [and] pleasure followed desire.

   • 1898, Giosuè Carducci, Rime e ritmi [Rhymes and rhythms]‎^[21], collected in Poesie, Nicola Zanichelli, published 1906, page 1008:

     Italia Dio in tua balía consegna
     Sí che tu vegli spirito su lei
     Mentre perfezïon di tempi vegna.

     God leaves Italy at your mercy, so that you watch over her in spirit, until the perfection of times arrives.

3. part (of a film, show, etc.)

   primo tempo, secondo tempo ― first part, second part (of a film)

   • 1922, La cultura musicale, volume 1‎^[22], Bologna: Stabilimento tipografico Luigi Parma, page 225:

     Ritornando dunque, alla Sonata di Agostini, si tratta appunto di una sonata di contenuto musicale italiano. Il primo tempo, ch'è più organico e concreto, s'inizia con un bel tema sereno e festoso

     Getting back to Agostini's sonata, it is a sonata of italian musical content. The first part, which is more organic and concrete, starts off with a nice theme, serene and festive

   • 1931 January, Vita nova‎^[23], Bologna, page 1104:

     L'Italia ha giocato un primo tempo superbo ed una ripresa poverissima.

     Italy has played an excellent first half, and a very poor second one.

4. weather

   Synonym: clima — proscribed

   tempo da lupi ― lousy weather (literally, “wolf-like weather”)

   • c. 1226, Francis of Assisi, Cantico delle creature [Canticle of the Creatures]‎^[24], Biblioteca del Sacro Convento di San Francesco, page 2:

     Laudato si mi signore per frate vento et per aere et nubilo et sereno et onne tempo

     Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Wind, and through the air, cloudy and serene, and every kind of weather

   • c. 1477, Lorenzo de' Medici, Rime, collected in Opere, page 258:

     E’ segni in cielo, al dolce tempo avversi,
     fará dolci e benigni il novo sole:
     e la dura stagion frigida e tarda
     non si conoscerá, s’ella si guarda.

     And the new sun will make the signs in the sky, hostile to the sweet weather, sweet and benign; and the hard, cold, late season will not recognize itself, were she to look at itself

   • 1567, “Del provedere, eleggere, et conservare le medicine semplici, e prima dell’acque [About Providing, Choosing, and Storing Simple Medicaments, and First About the Water]”, in Ricettario fiorentino [Florentine Cookbook]‎^[25], page 8:

     quando fusse tempo asciutto, e senza pioggia, tolgasi di quella delle cisterne ben tenute, che conservino l’acqua pura, e senza alcuna qualità estranea

     Were the weather to be dry, without rain, [water] is to be taken from well-kept tanks, maintaining the water pure, and without any foreign qualities

   • 1605 [1304–1309], “Libro nono, Cap. ⅬⅩⅩⅩⅧ. Delle nuove colombaie, e colombi. [Ninth book, Chapter 88 - On new dovecotes, and doves]”, in Bastiano de' Rossi, transl., Trattato dell'agricoltura [Treatise on agriculture]‎^[26], Florence: published by Cosimo Giusti, translation of Ruralium commodorum libri Ⅻ by Pietro De' Crescenzi, page 481:

     Dopo il detto tempo, s'apra loro, a tempo nuvoloso, o vero sereno; ma meglio è a tempo piovoso; imperocchè allora escono, e ritornan dentro, e non subito volano a lungi

     After that time, open it [the dovecote] for them, with either cloudy or fair weather; although rainy weather is better, because that's when they go out, to return inside, without making long flights right away

   • 1840, Alessandro Manzoni, “Capitolo ⅩⅩⅩⅣ [Chapter 34]”, in I promessi sposi‎^[27], Tip. Guglielmini e Redaelli, page 650:

     Il tempo era chiuso, l’aria pesante, il cielo velato per tutto da una nuvola o da un nebbione uguale, inerte, che pareva negare il sole, senza prometter la pioggia

     The weather was suffocating, the air was oppressive, the sky completely covered by a neverending cloud, or fog, that seemed to deny the sun without promising rain

   • 1883, Carlo Collodi, “Capitolo ⅩⅩ [Chapter 20]”, in Le avventure di Pinocchio [The Adventures of Pinocchio]‎^[28], published 1892, page 100:

     A cagione del tempo piovigginoso, la strada era diventata tutta un pantano e ci si andava fino a mezza gamba.

     Because of the rainy weather, the road had turned into a quagmire, and one could sink down to the half of a leg.

5. (music) time, tempo, rhythm, beat, pulse
   • 1820, Pietro Giannelli, “Lezione Ⅵ. Del tempo e del movimento. [Lesson 6 - On tempo and movement]”, in Grammatica ragionata della musica [Reasoned grammar of music]‎^[29], 2nd edition, Venice: Tipografia Andrea Santini e figlio, page 25:

     Presto. significa un grado di movimento più celere dell'allegro. […] Oltre […] vi sono, il tempo giusto che indica un movimento moderato, nel quale le note esser devono ben marcate, ma con un grado di forza proporzionato alla diversa figura

     Presto indicates a faster degree of movement than allegro. There is also tempo giusto, which indicates a moderate movement, wherein the notes are to be distinct, but with a degree of force proportional to different lengths

6. (grammar) tense

   tempo passato ― past tense

   • 1526, Niccolò Liburnio, Le tre fontane‎^[30], pages 112–113:

     Ultimatamente concessa è licenza per la maggior parte al componitore di verso volgare in diversi tempi delli verbi lasciar à banda l’ultima lettera finiente esso verbo

     Lastly, who composes vulgar verses is largely allowed, in different tenses of verbs, to leave out the last letter ending the verb

   • 1540, Francesco Priscianese, Della lingua romana‎^[31], page 177:

     Et cosi vedete i tempi nel Verbo essere cinque, come di sopra si disse.

     And thus you can see that the tenses of the verb are five, as said above.

   • 1578, Breve institutione della grammatica italiana‎^[32], Venice: Paolo Megietto, page 31:

     B si raddoppia in queste, come dubbio, subbio, debbo, che fa deggio, subbia, scabbia, et habbia verbo che haggia si dice. Gabbia, rabbia, obietto, che altramente oggetto, et i tempi de Verbi come amarebbe, leggerebbe

     The B is doubled in these [words], like dubbio, subbio, debbo – giving deggio – subbia, scabbia and abbia, verb that also gives aggia. Gabbia, rabbia, obietto, also oggetto, and the tenses of verbs such as amarebbe or leggerebbe

   • 1625, Pietro Durante, “Il Verbo, ie suis”, in La grammatica italiana per imparare la lingua francese [The Italian Grammar to Learn the French Language]‎^[33], Rome: Francesco Corbelletti, pages 16–17:

     Notate che ogni volta che voi mettete un de’ tempi del verbo sono in italiano co’l partecipio stato, in Francese s'hà da usare del tempo corrispondente del verbo havere a quel del verbo sono

     Notice how every time you use one of the tenses of the verb sono with the participle stato in Italian, in French you have to use the tense of the verb avere corresponding to that of the verb sono

   • 1744, Jacopo Angelo Nelli, “De’ tempi del verbo: quanti, e quali sieno [About the tenses of verbs: how many and which ones there are]”, in Grammatica italiana: per uso de' giovanetti [Italian Grammar: for use by young people]‎^[34], Torino: Stamperia Reale, page 43:

     Le osservazioni state fatte sopra di ciò sono, che in ciascuno di questi modi si può fare, e soffrire l'azione in cinque tempi differenti

     The remarks above say that in each of these moods, the action can be performed, or experienced, in five different tenses

Derived terms

• a tempo
• a tempo perso
• al tempo stesso
• allo stesso tempo
• attempare
• in tempo
• maltempo
• nello stesso tempo
• per tempo
• un tempo

 

Related terms

• contemporaneo
• estemporaneo
• temporale
• temporaneo
• temporeggiare
• temporizzare

 

Descendants

Descendants

• → Catalan: tempo
• → Czech: tempo
• → Danish: tempo
• → Dutch: tempo
  • → Malay: tempo
    • → Indonesian: tempo
• → English: tempo
• → Finnish: tempo
• → French: tempo
• → German: Tempo
• → Hungarian: tempó
• → Japanese: テンポ
• → Korean: 템포 (tempo)
• → Norwegian Bokmål: tempo
• → Polish: tempo
• → Romanian: tempo
• → Russian: темп (temp)
• → Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: темпо

  Latin script: tempo

• → Spanish: tempo
• → Turkish: tempo
• → Ukrainian: темп (temp)

See also

• crono-

Further reading

• tempo in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana

Ligurian

Etymology

From Latin tempus (“time”), from Proto-Indo-European *tempos (“stretch”), from the root *temp- (“to stretch, string”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtɛŋpʊ/

Noun

tempo m (plural tempi)

1. (uncountable) time
2. time, age, period
3. (uncountable) weather
4. (grammar) tense

Related terms

• temporanio

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Italian tempo (“time, age, period, tense”), from Latin tempus (“portion or period of time”), either from Proto-Indo-European *tempos (“to stretch, extend”), from *temp- (“to stretch, extend”), or from Proto-Indo-European *temh₂- (“to cut”).

Pronunciation

• (noun) IPA^(key): /tɛmpʊ/, (adverb) IPA^(key): /tɛmpɔ/

• Audio; “tempo” (noun):

  (file)

• Audio; “tempo” (adverb):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛmpʊ, -ɛmpɔ
• Hyphenation: tem‧po

Noun

tempo n (definite singular tempoet, indefinite plural tempi or tempo or tempoer, definite plural tempiene or tempoa or tempoene)

1. a tempo
2. pace

Adverb

tempo

1. Only used in a tempo (“in time”)

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian tempo.

Noun

tempo n (definite singular tempoet, indefinite plural tempo, definite plural tempoa)

1. a tempo
2. pace

Papiamentu

Alternative forms

• tempu (alternative spelling)

Etymology

From Portuguese tempo and Kabuverdianu tempu.

Noun

tempo

1. time
2. weather
3. season

Polish

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian tempo, from Latin tempus, from Proto-Indo-European *tempos.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtɛm.pɔ/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛmpɔ
• Syllabification: tem‧po
• Homophone: tępo

Noun

tempo n

1. tempo (frequency or rate)
2. (music) tempo (number of beats per minute)

Declension

Declension of tempo

	singular	plural
nominative	tempo	tempa
genitive	tempa	temp
dative	tempu	tempom
accusative	tempo	tempa
instrumental	tempem	tempami
locative	tempie	tempach
vocative	tempo	tempa

Derived terms

adjective

• tempowy

 

noun

• tempowiec

 

Further reading

• tempo in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• tempo in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Portuguese

Alternative forms

• tẽpo (obsolete, abbreviation)

Etymology

From Old Galician-Portuguese tempo, from Latin tempus (“time”), from Proto-Indo-European *tempos (“stretch”), from the root *temp- (“to stretch, string”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtẽ.pu/

• Hyphenation: tem‧po

Noun

tempo m (plural tempos)

2. (uncountable) time (the progression from the present into the future)
   • 2005, J. K. Rowling, translated by Lia Wyler, Harry Potter e o Enigma do Príncipe [Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince] (Harry Potter; 6), Rio de Janeiro: Rocco, →ISBN, page 135:

     Não vi o tempo passar.

     I didn't notice the time passing.

   • 2008, Sonia Coutinho, Uma certa felicidade, 7Letras, →ISBN, page 70:

     Sim, o tempo passando desfoca devagar as lentes da memória, embala-nos pouco a pouco, ao sabor dos incidentes cotidianos, deixo a firma, arranjo outro emprego e outro(s) homem(ns), as cenas antigas vão perdendo seu brilho, mas ainda lembro Rodrigo.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

4. (uncountable) time (quantity of availability of duration)

   Não há tempo para explicar, entra no carro! ― There is no time to explain, get in the car!

6. a duration of time, especially a long one

   Ficara muito tempo na cadeia. ― He had spent a lot of time in jail.

8. (uncountable) weather (state of the atmosphere at a specific time and place)
10. time; era; period

    Synonyms: época, era

    O tempo dos dinossauros. ― The time of the dinosaurs.

12. season (part of a year when something particular happens)

    Synonyms: época, temporada

    É tempo de colheita. ― It is harvest season.

14. (grammar) tense (forms of a verb which distinguish when an action occurs)
16. (sports) a subdivision of the duration of a match (such as halves in football, quarters in basketball)

Derived terms

• a tempo
• a todo tempo
• dar um tempo
• de tempos em tempos
• fechar o tempo
• ganhar tempo
• há tempos
• lutar contra o tempo
• matar tempo
• meio-tempo
• passar tempo
• perder tempo
• tempão (augmentative)
• tempinho, tempozinho (“diminutives”)
• tempo absoluto
• tempo astronómico
• tempo de vacas gordas
• tempo de vacas magras
• tempo integral
• tempo real
• tempo relativo
• tempo solar
• tudo a seu tempo

 

Related terms

• atempar
• temperatura
• tempestade
• temporal
• temporalidade
• temporalização
• temporalizar
• temporâneo
• temporário
• temporizar

 

Interjection

tempo!

1. (sports) time out (call for a time-out)

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian tempo or French tempo.

Noun

tempo n (plural tempouri)

1. tempo

Declension

	singular			plural
	indefinite	definite		indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	tempo	tempoul		tempouri	tempourile
genitive-dative	tempo	tempoului		tempouri	tempourilor
vocative	tempoule			tempourilor

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian tempo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /těmpo/
• Hyphenation: tem‧po

Noun

tèmpo m (Cyrillic spelling тѐмпо)

1. tempo

Declension

Declension of tempo

	singular	plural
nominative	tempo	tempi
genitive	tempa	tempa
dative	tempu	tempima
accusative	tempo	tempa
vocative	tempo	tempa
locative	tempu	tempima
instrumental	tempom	tempima

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian tempo. Doublet of tiempo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtempo/ [ˈt̪ẽm.po]
• Rhymes: -empo
• Syllabification: tem‧po

Noun

tempo m (plural tempos)

1. (music) tempo
2. (chess) tempo

Further reading

• “tempo”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10

Swedish

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian tempo, from Latin tempus (“time”).

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

tempo n

1. pace, tempo
2. (music) tempo
3. (chess) tempo
4. (bridge) tempo

Declension

Declension of tempo

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	tempo	tempos
	definite	tempot	tempots
plural	indefinite	tempon	tempons
	definite	tempona	temponas

References

• tempo in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• tempo in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• tempo in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)

Turkish

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian tempo.

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: tem‧po

Noun

tempo (definite accusative tempoyu, plural tempolar)

1. (music) tempo

Declension

Inflection
Nominative	tempo
Definite accusative	tempoyu
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	tempo	tempolar
Definite accusative	tempoyu	tempoları
Dative	tempoya	tempolara
Locative	tempoda	tempolarda
Ablative	tempodan	tempolardan
Genitive	temponun	tempoların
Possessive forms Nominative Singular Plural 1st singular tempom tempolarım 2nd singular tempon tempoların 3rd singular temposu tempoları 1st plural tempomuz tempolarımız 2nd plural temponuz tempolarınız 3rd plural tempoları tempoları Definite accusative Singular Plural 1st singular tempomu tempolarımı 2nd singular temponu tempolarını 3rd singular temposunu tempolarını 1st plural tempomuzu tempolarımızı 2nd plural temponuzu tempolarınızı 3rd plural tempolarını tempolarını Dative Singular Plural 1st singular tempoma tempolarıma 2nd singular tempona tempolarına 3rd singular temposuna tempolarına 1st plural tempomuza tempolarımıza 2nd plural temponuza tempolarınıza 3rd plural tempolarına tempolarına Locative Singular Plural 1st singular tempomda tempolarımda 2nd singular temponda tempolarında 3rd singular temposunda tempolarında 1st plural tempomuzda tempolarımızda 2nd plural temponuzda tempolarınızda 3rd plural tempolarında tempolarında Ablative Singular Plural 1st singular tempomdan tempolarımdan 2nd singular tempondan tempolarından 3rd singular temposundan tempolarından 1st plural tempomuzdan tempolarımızdan 2nd plural temponuzdan tempolarınızdan 3rd plural tempolarından tempolarından Genitive Singular Plural 1st singular tempomun tempolarımın 2nd singular temponun tempolarının 3rd singular temposunun tempolarının 1st plural tempomuzun tempolarımızın 2nd plural temponuzun tempolarınızın 3rd plural tempolarının tempolarının

Further reading

• “tempo”, in Turkish dictionaries, Türk Dil Kurumu
• Ayverdi, İlhan (2010) “tempo”, in Misalli Büyük Türkçe Sözlük, a reviewed and expanded single-volume edition, Istanbul: Kubbealtı Neşriyatı