How to Say "longtime" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “longtime” is “viejo” — A1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Mi coche es muy viejo, pero todavía funciona.
My car is very old, but it still works.
Tengo una colección de libros viejos.
I have a collection of old books.
Juan es un viejo amigo de la universidad.
Juan is a longtime friend from college.
Matching the Noun It Describes
Like most Spanish adjectives, 'viejo' changes to match the person or thing it describes. Use 'vieja' for feminine things ('una casa vieja') and add an 's' for plural things ('los coches viejos', 'las casas viejas').
Placement Changes the Meaning
Where you put 'viejo' matters! Placed after, it means old in age: 'un amigo viejo' (an elderly friend). Placed before, it means longtime or of long standing: 'un viejo amigo' (a friend you've known for a long time).
Sounding a Little Rude
Mistake: “Calling an older person you don't know 'un viejo'.”
Correction: It's much more polite to say 'un señor mayor' or 'un anciano'. While not always offensive, 'viejo' can sound blunt, like calling someone 'an oldie'.
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