давно vs долго

davno vs dolgo — long ago/for a long time vs for a long time

What it really means

Давно locates something far back from now: давно виделись, давно приехал. With a present-tense negative, давно не means “have not ... for a long time.” Долго measures duration: долго ждать, долгое время.

Thus давно is distance in time from the present, while долго is the length of an action or state.

Examples in natural speech

Я давно не видел брата.
I have not seen my brother for a long time.
Она давно работает здесь.
She has worked here for a long time.
Мы долго ждали автобус.
We waited for the bus for a long time.
Он долго говорил по телефону.
He talked on the phone for a long time.
Это было давно.
That was a long time ago.

Common mistakes

Я давно ждал means the waiting was long ago or began long ago depending on context; Я долго ждал clearly means I waited a long time. Do not substitute them automatically.

Memory tip

Давно looks back from now; долго stretches the action itself.

Frequently asked questions

How do I say long ago?

Давно.

How do I say wait a long time?

Долго ждать.

What does давно не mean?

It means have not done something for a long time: давно не звонил.

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