Language/German/Vocabulary/Telling-Time

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German → Vocabulary → 0 to A1 Course → Numbers, Dates and Time → Telling Time

Introduction

In this lesson, we will learn how to express time in German and ask for the time. Time is an essential part of daily life, and being able to tell time is crucial for scheduling appointments, catching trains, and meeting friends. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to confidently ask for the time and understand the responses in German. So, let's dive in and learn how to tell time in German!

Basic Vocabulary

Before we dive into the specifics of telling time, let's start by learning some basic vocabulary related to time in German. This will help us better understand the examples and conversations in the later sections of this lesson.

Here are some important words and phrases related to time:

• Uhr (pronounced "oor") - clock
• Zeit (pronounced "tsayt") - time
• Stunde (pronounced "shtoon-duh") - hour
• Minute (pronounced "mee-noo-tuh") - minute
• Sekunde (pronounced "zay-koon-duh") - second

Now that we have familiarized ourselves with some basic time-related vocabulary, let's move on to the main topic of this lesson - telling time in German.

Telling Time in German

In German, there are two common ways to express time: the 12-hour clock and the 24-hour clock. Let's start with the 12-hour clock, as it is the most commonly used format in everyday conversations.

The 12-Hour Clock

In the 12-hour clock format, the day is divided into two periods: "AM" (morning and forenoon) and "PM" (afternoon and evening). The hours from 1 to 12 are used to tell time in this format.

To express time in the 12-hour clock format, follow this pattern:

"Es ist" + <hour> + <minutes> + "Uhr" + <period>

Let's break down each component of this pattern:

• "Es ist" (pronounced "ess ist") - This means "it is" and is used to introduce the time.
• <hour> - Replace this with the specific hour you want to express. For example, if it is 4 o'clock, you would say "vier" (pronounced "feer").
• <minutes> - Replace this with the specific number of minutes. For example, if it is 20 minutes past the hour, you would say "zwanzig" (pronounced "tsvan-tsikh").
• "Uhr" (pronounced "oor") - This word means "o'clock" and is used to indicate that you are talking about a specific hour.
• <period> - Replace this with either "morgens" (in the morning), "nachmittags" (in the afternoon), or "abends" (in the evening).

Here are some examples to help you understand:

German	Pronunciation	English
Es ist eins Uhr morgens.	ess ist eins oor mor-gens	It is 1 AM.
Es ist halb zwei nachmittags.	ess ist halb tsvai nahkh-mit-ags	It is half past 1 PM.
Es ist fünf vor zwölf abends.	ess ist fuenf for tsvelf ah-bends	It is five minutes to 12 AM.

The 24-Hour Clock

In addition to the 12-hour clock, Germans also commonly use the 24-hour clock format, especially in formal and written contexts. The 24-hour clock eliminates the need to specify "AM" or "PM" and uses the full range of hours from 0 to 23.

To express time in the 24-hour clock format, simply state the hour and the minutes without any additional words or periods. For example, if it is 14:30 (2:30 PM), you would say "14 Uhr 30" (pronounced "fohrtsayn oor dreessik").

Here are some examples to illustrate the 24-hour clock format:

German	Pronunciation	English
Es ist 8 Uhr 15.	ess ist acht oor fuenf-tseen	It is 8:15 AM.
Es ist 17 Uhr 45.	ess ist zee-ben-tseen oor fuenf-un-faer-tsee	It is 5:45 PM.
Es ist 23 Uhr 59.	ess ist drei-un-tsvantsik oor ne-un-un-fuenf-tsik	It is 11:59 PM.

Asking for the Time

Now that we know how to express time in German, let's learn how to ask for the time. Here are a few common phrases you can use to inquire about the time:

• "Wie spät ist es?" (pronounced "vee shpayt ist ess") - This means "What time is it?". It is a general and commonly used phrase to ask for the time.
• "Entschuldigung, haben Sie die Uhrzeit?" (pronounced "ent-shool-dee-goong, hah-ben zee dee oor-tsait") - This more formal phrase translates to "Excuse me, do you have the time?". It can be used in formal situations or when talking to strangers.

When someone tells you the time, you can respond with "Danke" (Thank you) or "Vielen Dank" (Thank you very much) to show your gratitude.

Practice Makes Perfect

To solidify your understanding of telling time in German, let's practice with some exercises. Fill in the blanks with the correct time in German based on the given context.

1. "Es ist ______ Uhr morgens." (It is 6 AM.) 2. "Es ist ______ Uhr 30." (It is 2:30 PM.) 3. "Es ist ______ vor 7 abends." (It is 6:45 PM.) 4. "Es ist ______ Uhr 15." (It is 9:15 AM.)

Now, let's check the answers:

1. "Es ist sechs Uhr morgens." 2. "Es ist vierzehn Uhr dreißig." 3. "Es ist sieben Uhr fünfundvierzig." 4. "Es ist neun Uhr fünfzehn."

Well done!

Summary

In this lesson, we have learned how to express time in German and ask for the time. We covered the 12-hour clock and the 24-hour clock formats, as well as common phrases for inquiring about the time. Remember to practice regularly to reinforce your understanding and become more comfortable with telling time in German.

Keep up the great work, and in the next lesson, we will continue to expand our German vocabulary and learn more about verbs and conjugation.

Table of Contents - German Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Basic Sentence Structures

• Subject and Verb
• Noun and Gender

  ---

Greetings and Introduction

• Greetings and Goodbyes
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Definite and Indefinite Articles

• Gender and Articles
• Plural Forms
• Cases: Nominative and Accusative

  ---

Numbers, Dates and Time

• Numbers 1-100
• Days of the Week and Months
• Telling Time

  ---

Verbs and Conjugation

• Verb Forms
• Present Tense
• Separable Verbs

  ---

Family and Friends

• Family Members
• Talking About Your Friends

  ---

Prepositions

• Using Prepositions
• Two-Way Prepositions

  ---

Food and Drinks

• Food and Meals
• Drinks and Beverages

  ---

Germany and German-Speaking Countries

• Geography and Landmarks
• Cuisine and Traditions

  ---

Pronouns and Possessives

• Personal Pronouns
• Possessive Pronouns

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Booking a Trip
• Public Transportation

  ---

Modal Verbs

• Expressing Abilities
• Talking About Obligations

  ---

Shopping and Clothes

• Shopping for Clothes
• Buying Groceries

  ---

Music and Entertainment

• Popular Musicians and Genres
• Movies, TV and Literature

  ---

Adjectives

• Descriptive Adjectives
• Comparative and Superlative Forms

  ---

Health and Body

• Talking About Health
• Body Parts

  ---

Time and Temporal Prepositions

• Using Time Expressions
• Temporal Prepositions

Sources

• How to Tell the Time in German: A Comprehensive Guide
• 36 Essential German Time Phrases and Expressions for Beginners ...
• German Time: How To Tell The Time in German

Other Lessons

• Airport
• Parts of the Body
• longest word
• Common Verbs
• Talking About Health
• Animal
• Time
• Verbs in German
• Jobs
• Talking About Your Friends

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