Kilo Lingo

/vit/

Line drawing of vite
Coloured illustration of vite
#226 of 5,000 Core 1000

Translation

quickly, fast

Word origin

Of debated origin. It is often traced to a Vulgar Latin form vitus or to the verb behind Old French viste, but no fully agreed Latin etymon exists, and a pre-Latin or expressive origin has also been proposed.

Origin
Old French

Other proposed origins

  • Often linked to a Vulgar Latin adjective behind Old French viste ('quick, lively'). (viste)
  • Other accounts treat the ultimate origin as uncertain, possibly expressive or pre-Latin.

Examples

Dépêche-, rater .

Hurry up, we need to go quickly if we don't want to miss the train.

.

Time goes by quickly when you really love your work.

durer .

She quickly realised that this situation couldn't last long.

bonne .

Time passes quickly when you are in good company.

, .

Come quickly, the meal is served on the table.

Vite est l'adverbe de vitesse le plus courant en français, invariable. Il se distingue de rapide (adjectif) et de rapidement (adverbe de registre légèrement plus soutenu) : vite est très naturel à l'oral. Au plus vite (as quickly as possible) est fréquent dans les demandes urgentes.

Vite fait (quickly done, in a flash) est familier : c'est vite fait de se tromper dans ce genre de situation. Avoir vite fait de + infinitif (to be quick to, to be fast about) exprime la rapidité d'une réaction. Faire vite (to hurry, to be quick) est un ordre ou une urgence. Trop vite (too fast, too quickly) exprime l'excès de vitesse.

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This word is part of lesson 5.