Prepositions and articles before a noun can make a difference in meaning. In this case, we are talking about the noun il tempo. It's an important noun, especially because it can be the subject of everyday, casual conversation. Il tempo can mean "the weather." Che tempo fa (what's the weather like)?

Or, it can just mean "time" with no article. 

Vedo che non perdi tempo.

I see you're not wasting time.

I see you don't waste any time.

Caption 13, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone S2 EP1 Cuccioli - Part 16

 Play Caption

 

È successo un sacco di tempo fa,

It happened a long time ago,

Caption 54, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone S2 EP1 Cuccioli - Part 18

 Play Caption

 

To be more specific, we can add an article. 

Il tempo era scaduto.

The time was up.

Caption 39, JAMS S1 EP9 - Part 6

 Play Caption

 

banner2 PLACEHOLDER

When we add a preposition, things can get a little more complex. At first glance, the following example might mislead us into assuming that the Higgs boson (a particle important to particle physics) would be punctual, or that it would arrive in time to be counted. But that wouldn't be right. With the addition of a preposition combined with a definite article (in this case, the preposition in, with the article il), it means, instead, "over time."

For more about prepositions combined with definite articles, called preposizioni articolate, see this lesson.  

E che il bosone di Higgs sarebbe arrivato nel tempo. Avrebbe preso anni per essere scoperto.

And that the Higgs boson would come over time. It would have taken years to be discovered.

Captions 8-11, Ritratti Fabiola Gianotti - Part 16

 Play Caption

 

If the speaker, Fabiola Gianotti, had said in tempo instead of nel tempo, what would she have meant? She'd have meant it would arrive in time for something, or it would have arrived in orario (on time). To mean "in time," the article isn't used. It's just in tempo. 

Ci dica subito dov'è Suo figlio, che forse siamo ancora in tempo.

Tell us immediately where your son is because maybe we're still in time.

Captions 36-37, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone S1 EP6 Buio - Part 22

 Play Caption

 

Fabiola had been envisioning a long timeline. She added: Avrebbe preso anni per essere scoperto (it would take years to be discovered). She is reiterating her point. That something would have taken a long time to happen. Here's another example.

È bello, diciamo, assaggiarlo e sentire quelle sensazioni che però possono cambiare nel tempo.

It's nice, let's say, to taste it and to feel those sensations which, however, can change over time.

Captions 42-43, Pomodori Vulcanici Pomodori del Vesuvio - Part 3

 Play Caption

Another way to express "over time" is nel corso del tempo. Here, we have two prepositions combined with a definite article, in other words, preposizioni articolati.

Poi ossidazioni possono essere anche le cortecce degli alberi, perché, eh, è una trasformazione che avviene nel corso del tempo.

Then, oxidation can also be the bark of trees, because, uh, it's a transformation that comes about over time.

Captions 52-54, Armando Casali Ossidazioni, Cose dell'altro mondo - Part 2

 Play Caption

Here is a chart of common preposizioni and their corresponding articolate forms, that is, combined with articles. 

Thanks for reading. You can write to us with questions and/or suggestions at [email protected].

banner4 PLACEHOLDER