we talked for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "we talked for" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate the duration of a conversation or discussion between people. Example: "We talked for hours about our plans for the future."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

We talked for a while.

Forbes

We talked for several hours.

The New Yorker

We talked for hours.

The New York Times

"We talked for hours," Landau said.

The New Yorker

We talked for four hours.

The New York Times

So we talked for a while.

The Guardian - Tech

"We talked for an hour," she recalled.

The New York Times - Arts

We talked for more than 40 hours.

The Guardian

We talked for a long, long time.

The Washington Post

We talked for more than an hour.

The New York Times - Sports

We talked for hours over dinner.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When specifying the length of the conversation, be precise (e.g., "We talked for 30 minutes") or use descriptive terms (e.g., "We talked for a long time") to provide context.

Common error

Avoid overusing "talked" in formal writing; consider stronger verbs like "discussed", "conferred", or "debated" to convey a more professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "we talked for" functions as a verb phrase indicating a past action (talking) and specifying its duration. It combines a subject ("we"), a verb ("talked"), and a prepositional phrase ("for" + duration) to express the act of conversing over a period of time. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "we talked for" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression for indicating the duration of a conversation. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is most commonly found in news and media contexts. While versatile, it's essential to consider the level of formality required for your writing, opting for more precise or formal alternatives when appropriate. The best approach to using "we talked for" effectively involves providing enough context about the conversation's length and nature to meet your audience's needs.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

we conversed for

Replaces "talked" with "conversed", indicating a more formal discussion.

we chatted for

Replaces "talked" with "chatted", suggesting a more casual conversation.

our discussion lasted

Focuses on the duration of the discussion rather than the act of talking.

the conversation extended

Highlights the length of the conversation.

we spent time talking

Emphasizes the time spent in conversation.

we had a discussion that lasted

More formal way of saying that a discussion occurred and specifying how long it lasted.

we were in conversation for

Highlights that you and someone else were actively speaking to each other

we held a discussion for

Highlights that you and someone else held a discussion

we engaged in conversation for

Highlights that you and someone else actively engaged in a conversation

our dialogue continued for

Emphasizes the back-and-forth nature of the conversation and its duration.

FAQs

How can I use "we talked for" in a sentence?

You can use "we talked for" to describe the duration of a conversation, such as "We talked for hours about our future plans" or "We talked for a few minutes about the weather".

What are some alternatives to "we talked for"?

Alternatives include "we chatted for", "we conversed for", or "our discussion lasted", depending on the context and level of formality.

Is "we talked for" grammatically correct?

Yes, "we talked for" is grammatically correct. It's a common way to indicate the duration of a conversation.

What's the difference between "we talked for" and "we discussed for"?

"We talked for" is a general statement about having a conversation for a certain amount of time. "We discussed for" implies a more focused and detailed conversation about a specific topic. You can also use "we conversed for" as another alternative.