In Arabic, both زَمَان (zamān) and وَقْت (waqt) translate to “time”, but they carry slightly different nuances and are used in distinct contexts.

• زمان (zamān) refers to time in a broad, abstract, or philosophical sense. It is used when discussing historical periods, eras, or the general passage of time. For example, “في زمن الحروب، كان الناس يعيشون في خوف” (In the time of wars, people lived in fear).
• وقت (waqt) is more specific and practical, referring to a particular moment or measurable interval. It is commonly used in daily conversations about schedules, appointments, or durations. For instance, “في أي وقت سيبدأ الاجتماع؟” (At what time will the meeting start?).

In other words:

زَمَان (zamān):

• Refers to time in a general, abstract, or extended sense. Think of it as encompassing eras, periods, ages, or the continuous flow of time.
• Often relates to historical periods or significant durations. For example, you might use زَمَان (zamān) when talking about “the time of the dinosaurs” (زَمَان الدَّيْناصورات – zamān ad-dīnāsūrāt) or “ancient times” (الزَّمَن القَدِيم – az-zaman al-qadīm).
• Can also refer to a long time ago in some dialects, especially when used with the preposition مِنْ (min), like مِنْ زَمَان (min zamān) meaning “a long time ago” or “long time no see.”
• In grammar, it can also refer to tense.

وَقْت (waqt):

• Indicates a specific point, moment, or duration of time. It’s more concrete and often tied to schedules, events, or activities.
• Used when referring to a particular time, such as “lunchtime” (وَقْت الْغَداء – waqt al-ghadā’), “meeting time” (وَقْت الْاِجْتِمَاع – waqt al-ijtima’), or “free time” (وَقْت الْفَراغ – waqt al-farāgh).
• Answers the question “متى؟” (matā?) – “When?”.

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Also in Persian, both زمان (zamān) and وقت (vaght) translate to “time” in English, but they are used in slightly different contexts, similar to the English words “time” and “moment”:

زمان (zamān)

• Refers to time in a broader, more abstract sense.
• Similar to the general concept of time passing, or when discussing the past, present, and future.
• Can be used in philosophical or historical contexts.
• Think of it as “time” in a general sense.

Examples:

• زمان هیچ‌گاه متوقف نمی‌شود. (Zamān hichgāh motevaghef nemishavad.) – Time never stops.
• در طول زمان. (Dar tole zamān.) – Over time.
• زمان ما به سرعت می‌گذرد. (Zamān-e mā be sor’at migozarad.) – Our time passes quickly.

وقت (vaght)

• Refers to a specific moment, period, or instance in time.
• Often used in relation to schedules, appointments, or specific activities.
• More akin to the English word “moment” or “time” when referring to a particular instance.

Examples:

• وقت ملاقات من ساعت سه بعد از ظهر است. (Vaght-e molāghāt-e man sā’at-e se ba’d az zohr ast.) – My appointment time is at three in the afternoon.
• من وقت زیادی برای این کار ندارم. (Man vaght-e ziyādi barāye in kār nadāram.) – I don’t have much time for this task.
• در وقت آزاد خود مطالعه می‌کنم. (Dar vaght-e āzād-e khod motāle’e mikonam.) – I read during my free time.
• در وقت مناسب با شما تماس خواهم گرفت. (Dar vaght-e monāseb bā shomā tamās khāham gereft.) – I will contact you at the appropriate time.

In essence:

Think of زمان (zamān) as the general concept of time, like the vast expanse of history or the continuous flow of existence. وقت (vaght) is a specific point or duration within that larger concept, like a particular hour of the day or the time you spend doing an activity.

Therefore, when you’re talking about time in a general, philosophical, or historical way, you would typically use زمان (zamān). When you’re referring to a specific moment, schedule, or duration, وقت (vaght) is the more appropriate choice.

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• زمان (zamān) refers to time in a broad, abstract sense—like historical periods, philosophical discussions, or the general passage of time. For example:
  • زمان به سرعت می‌گذرد. (Time passes quickly.)
  • در زمان قاجار، ایران تغییرات زیادی کرد. (During the Qajar era, Iran underwent many changes.)
• وقت (vaght) is used for specific moments or scheduled times—like appointments, free time, or a particular instance. For example:
  • وقت ملاقات من ساعت سه بعد از ظهر است. (My appointment time is at 3 PM.)
  • در وقت مناسب با شما تماس خواهم گرفت. (I will contact you at the appropriate time.)

• arab