Finest Suggestions for Telling Time in German Like a Native

How one can inform time in Germany by the hours and minutes

So, how do you inform time in German? When you’re snug counting in German numbers, you’ve executed many of the laborious work. To say what hour of the day it’s, you simply comply with the variety of the hour with Uhr (clock, pronounced “oohr”), which is analogous to utilizing “o’clock” in English. When you’re an early riser who likes to greet the day at 5 o’clock a.m., then you definately would confer with this time as fünf Uhr in German. You may make clear a step additional and say fünf Uhr morgens (5 o’clock a.m.) or fünf Uhr abends (5 o’clock p.m.), for the reason that German language doesn’t use the phrases “a.m.” or “p.m.”

If precision is vital and you might want to inform somebody the precise minute, simply tack on the variety of minutes after the quantity + Uhr. You don’t even want so as to add Minuten (minutes) afterward, as you’ll be understood with out it.

For instance, if somebody requested you when your practice arrives, you could possibly inform them it arrives at elf Uhr siebenunddreißig (eleven thirty-seven or 11:37). Observe that since Uhr is taken into account a German noun, it can at all times be capitalized even when it’s in the course of a sentence.

Follow this new talent with the instance sentences telling time in German right here:

• Es ist dreizehn Uhr dreißig. = It’s 1:30 p.m.
• Um elf Uhr gehen wir los. = We’ll go away at eleven o’clock.
• Der Flug startet um achtzehn Uhr fünfundvierzig. = The flight departs at 6:45 p.m.

Understanding the distinction between Morgen, morgen, and morgens

Whereas the three phrases look very comparable, Morgen (morning), morgen (tomorrow), and morgens (each morning) every have their very own particular which means. Morgen is a noun you need to use to confer with the early hours of the day and is at all times capitalized. For instance, Der Morgen ist kalt means “The morning is chilly.” 

Then again, morgen with a lowercase “m” is a German adverb, which means “tomorrow,” and isn’t capitalized except it’s initially of the sentence. So if you happen to say Ich komme morgen (I’m coming tomorrow), then you definately’re letting them know you’ll be there the subsequent day, somewhat than within the morning.

The time period morgens is one other adverb, so it received’t at all times be capitalized both. It’s used to explain one thing that occurs commonly within the mornings or each morning. Because it’s extra common, you need to use it to speak about your typical schedule, somewhat than what you propose to do on a particular day. For instance, Ich trinke morgens Kaffee (I drink espresso within the mornings) lets the listener know that you just take pleasure in espresso most  mornings—not simply on one specific morning. The identical sample applies to different instances of day, equivalent to abends (within the evenings), mittags (at midday), and nachts (at night time).

German methods to say ‘half previous,’ ‘quarter to,’ and extra

Studying time in German additionally means getting used to the on a regular basis language used to talk the time, somewhat than simply by the hours and minutes. In the identical approach that we are able to say “It’s twenty previous 9” to confer with 9:20, you possibly can say es ist zwanzig nach neun. Nach means “after” or “previous,” whereas vor means “earlier than” or “till” on this context.

• Es ist zehn vor fünf. = It’s ten earlier than 5. (It’s ten to 5.)

The time ideas of “quarter” and “half” present up within the German language as effectively. You need to use viertel (quarter) alongside vor or nach to explain 15-minute increments throughout the hour.

• Es ist Viertel nach sechs. = It’s a quarter previous six
• Wir gehen am viertel nach Sieben. = We’re going at 1 / 4 previous seven.

Halb, alternatively, is much less versatile and can normally imply “thirty minutes earlier than the hour talked about.” For instance, halb zwölf refers to 11:30 a.m. somewhat than 12:30 p.m., so it’s vital to grasp the distinction so that you don’t present up an hour late!

Consult with the desk beneath to learn the way these German phrases are pronounced:

The fitting technique to ask for the time in German

Think about that you just lose observe of time whereas admiring the distinctive structure of the Cologne Cathedral and wish to search out out if you may make it to the practice station in time. How will you ask for the time in German? The reply is dependent upon to whom you’re talking. When you ask somebody older than your self, somebody in an expert context, or only a random stranger on the road, you’ll want to make use of one of many formal variations of “What time is it?” beneath:

• Haben Sie die Uhrzeit, bitte? = Do you’ve gotten the time, please?
• Wissen Sie zufällig, wie viel Uhr es ist? = Do you occur to know what time it’s?
• Darf ich Sie nach der Uhrzeit fragen? = Could I ask you for the time?

In any other case, if you happen to’re asking a good friend, cherished one, or somebody youthful than your self, you need to use considered one of these casual German phrases:

• Wie viel Uhr ist es? = What time is it?
• Wie spät ist es? = How late is it?
• Hast du die Uhrzeit? = Do you’ve gotten the time?

Study the phrases for common instances of day in German

Telling time in German also can revolve round common intervals of time somewhat than a particular hour and minute of the day. For instance, you could possibly inform your good friend that you just like occurring a run simply after Sonnenaufgang (dawn). Get snug saying and referring to those instances of day in German with the vocabulary chart beneath.

Whilst you follow saying these phrases, take a while to overview how umlauts in German work to completely perceive how a few of these phrases ought to sound.

Steadily requested questions on telling time in German

Listed below are the three am häufigsten gestellten Fragen (most incessantly requested questions) and their solutions about telling time in German.

What does dreiviertel imply?

The time period dreiviertel instantly interprets to “three quarters.” It’s used for telling time in German when the time is 45 minutes previous the hour. Saying dreiviertel fünf as an example means “three quarters of 5,” which refers to 4:45. 

Nonetheless, you wouldn’t say zweiviertel (two quarters), since that will imply half-hour, and halb (half) is already in use for this period of time. You’re most probably to listen to this time period utilized in Western Germany in addition to Switzerland and Western Austria.

Why do some Germans say null Uhr as a substitute of Mitternacht?

Some Germans say null Uhr (zero o’clock) as a substitute of Mitternacht (midnight) as a result of the 24-hour clock is extra generally utilized in Europe than the 12-hour clock. Since midnight is written because the zero hour throughout the 24-hour clock, it’s potential that you just’ll hear 12:00 a.m. referred to null Uhr, particularly in writing.

How do Germans categorical approximate instances, like “round 5” or “simply earlier than six”?

Germans have some ways to say the approximate time relying on how common or informal they wish to be. When speaking with associates to determine when to fulfill up for an evening in town, you would possibly hear gegen acht (round eight o’clock) or so um vier (someplace round 4). Nonetheless, if you happen to’re organising a tentative lunch assembly for a brand new enterprise shopper, one thing like circa (ca.) or ungefähr (roughly) can be extra acceptable, nevertheless it’s normally finest to be exact when planning a proper event in German. 

If one thing occurs simply earlier than or shortly after a sure time, you need to use kurz vor (simply earlier than) or kurz nach (simply after) as in Ich komme kurz vor neun (I’ll come simply earlier than 9).