Dicho español · Spanish proverb
«El tiempo no pasa en balde.»
¿Cómo se dice «El tiempo no pasa en balde» en inglés? Time doesn't pass in vain.
Word for word
Time doesn't pass in vain.
What it really means
The closest English equivalent: Time doesn't pass in vain.
Used to say that even during slow or difficult periods, something is being learned or gained. It encourages patience and reflection.
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Hear it in a sentence
Aunque no conseguí el trabajo, aprendí mucho; el tiempo no pasa en balde.
Although I didn't get the job, I learned a lot; time doesn't pass in vain.
More Spanish sayings
- Con el tiempo y una caña, todo se alcanza. — With time and patience, anything is possible.
- No hay mal que dure cien años. — Troubles don't last forever.
- Más vale paso que dure y no trote que canse. — Slow and steady wins the race.
- Sin esfuerzo no hay recompensa. — No pain, no gain.
- El que algo quiere, algo le cuesta. — Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
More: Spanish sayings about time and patience
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Why learn dichos?
Proverbs like this one are everywhere in spoken Spanish — dropped mid-conversation, usually just the first half, with the rest left for you to complete. Recognizing them is one of the fastest ways to sound less like a textbook and follow real speech. Every Lingocito edition signs off with the dicho del día, so you meet one a day next to news written at your level.