to wait long for him vs to wait for him for a long time

Both phrases are correct and convey the same meaning, but the second one 'to wait for him for a long time' is more commonly used in English. The first phrase 'to wait long for him' is less common and may sound a bit awkward to native speakers.

Last updated: March 26, 2024 • 1302 views

This phrase is grammatically correct but less commonly used in English.

"to wait long for him"

This phrase means waiting for a long time for him. It is correct but less common than the alternative.

Show examples from the web [+]

Well, you won't have to wait long.
I do not think we will have to wait long for his reply.
He's clever, a bit serious but he's old, wouldn't have to wait long for the money.
But you won't have to wait long.
At our age we won't have to wait long.
TV: You won't have to wait long, it's a Drake.
But I want to wait long enough to prove to my mother I'm not pregnant.
We're still junior-high kids but we don't have to wait long.
Thank you, beloved, for not making us wait long for your return.
'We didn't have to wait long for an answer.'
You have to wait long enough for the drug to take effect, but not so long that you leave bodies on the ground.
You didn't have to wait long after all.
This directive must form an initial step in the development of a European framework in the field of electronic commerce, while bearing in mind that we cannot afford to wait long before having worldwide discussions on this subject.
The first is why they have to wait so long for relevant proposals.
But wait long enough and it will happen.
If you wait long enough, your thief will make a mistake.
He won't wait long to strike again.
You wait long enough, everything falls in your lap.
I'm sure if we wait long enough...
My contacts say they won't wait long.

Alternatives:

to wait for him for a long time
to wait a long time for him
to wait patiently for him
to wait eagerly for him
to wait for him patiently

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"to wait for him for a long time"

This phrase also means waiting for a long time for him. It is the more common way to express this idea.

Show examples from the web [+]

It would have been better if he asked me to wait for a long time to begin with.
They made me wait for a long time.
However, without the Member States' commitment to implementation, we will have to wait for a long time for a good social system, high education standards and competitive jobs.
But I had to wait a long time.
We have had to wait a long time for the new European Commission.
It is not right that genuine asylum seekers should have to wait around for a long time for their applications to be dealt with solely on account of bureaucracy.
I want to pay particular tribute to the Commission staff, who often come to the committee, wait for a long time and then sincerely and effectively deal with the issues before them.
I've got to wait a long time before I can enjoy you.
And you'll have to wait a long time to see another goal like that.
We'll have to wait a long time for you to become a saint, Gawain.
Sometimes they have to wait a long time.
In response to our questions, we received only inadequate information, for which we had to wait a long time.
Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, we have had to wait a long time to get this resolution on the agenda.
I'm afraid she may have to wait rather a long time.
Song Yi has waited for him for a long time.
Our education systems all work on the principle that there is a payoff, but you have to wait quite a long time.
However, I must say that, in terms of this legislation being forthcoming from the Commission, we have had to wait quite a long time.
Each time an epidemic breaks out, from avian flu to mad cow disease, you have to wait a long time to understand its origins and overcome them; now we are introducing new elements which have not been proved safe by scientific methods.
Fingerprinting would make it possible for find out quickly, without having to wait a long time, whether the person in question applied for asylum in the first host country.
Some of these countries have had to wait a long time; some perhaps longer than necessary.

Alternatives:

to wait a long time for him
to wait patiently for him
to wait eagerly for him
to wait for him patiently
to wait for him eagerly

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to wait long for him vs to wait for him for a long time