time flies when you're having fun

idiom

Meaning

You don't notice how long something lasts when it's fun

Origin

disputed origin

From the Latin 'tempus fugit' (time flees), from Virgil's Georgics; the 'having fun' addition is a 20th-century embellishment.

Examples

SIMPLE

The party is over already because time flies when you're having fun.

CONTEXTUAL

I cannot believe it is already midnight, but I guess time flies when you're having fun with friends.

COMPLEX

Although the vacation lasted two weeks, it felt like a single afternoon, proving the old saying that time flies when you're having fun.

Last updated June 7, 2026