Latency time circuit for an S-DRAM (1), which is clocked by a high-frequency clock signal (CLK), for producing a delayed data enable signal for synchronous data transfer through a data path (38) of the S-DRAM (1), having a controllable latency time generator (57) for delaying a decoded external data enable signal (PAR) with an adjustable latency time, which a comparison circuit (60) which compares a cycle time (tcycle) of the high-frequency clock signal (CLK) with a predetermined signal delay time of the data path (38), and reduces the latency time of the latency time generator (57) by the cycle time if the signal delay time of the data path (38) is greater than the cycle time (tcycle) of the clock signal (CLK)