manana
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- An indefinite time in the future: Refers to a vague, unspecified future time, often implying procrastination or a lack of urgency.
Usage
- The word "manana" is used to indicate a future point in time that is not clearly defined or committed to. It often carries a connotation of delay or a relaxed attitude toward deadlines.
- It is frequently used in informal contexts to express the idea of "later" in a non-specific way.
Examples
- Noun:
- He promised to fix the leak, but with him, it's always manana. (He promised to fix the leak, but with him, it's always some indefinite future time.)
- Don't worry about that task; we can deal with it manana. (Don't worry about that task; we can deal with it at some unspecified future time.)
Advanced Usage
- "The manana syndrome": A phrase describing a habitual tendency to postpone tasks.
- The project is suffering from the manana syndrome; nothing gets done on schedule.
- Used attributively (as a noun modifier):
- He has a manana attitude toward his responsibilities. (He has a procrastinating attitude toward his responsibilities.)
Variants and Related Words
- Procrastination (n): The action of delaying or postponing something.
- Indefinitely (adv): For an unlimited or unspecified period of time.
Synonyms
- Later: At a time in the future.
- Someday: At some unspecified time in the future.
- Eventually: In the end, especially after a long delay.
Related Idioms
- "Always tomorrow": Similar in meaning, suggesting something can always be put off until the future.
- He keeps saying "always tomorrow" instead of taking action today.