Language/German/Vocabulary/Telling-Time

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German → Vocabulary → 0 to A1 Course → Telling Time

Welcome to the lesson on telling time in German! Understanding how to express time is crucial for everyday conversations, whether you're planning an appointment, meeting friends, or just chatting about your day. Knowing how to tell time can greatly enhance your ability to navigate social situations and manage your schedule in a German-speaking environment.

In this lesson, we'll cover the following topics:

The basics of telling time in German

How to ask for the time

Common expressions related to time

Examples to clarify each point

Practice exercises for you to apply what you've learned

By the end of this lesson, you will feel more confident in using time expressions in German conversations. So, let's get started!

The Basics of Telling Time in German

Telling time in German is relatively straightforward once you get the hang of it. Here are the essential phrases and structures you will need:

Saying the Time

In German, the phrase "Es ist" (It is) is used to indicate the time. The structure is as follows:

Es ist [hour] Uhr (It is [hour] o'clock)

For example:

Es ist 3 Uhr. (It is 3 o'clock.)

When the minutes are involved, you can use the following structures:

Es ist [hour] Uhr [minutes] (It is [hour] [minutes])

Es ist [hour] Uhr [minutes] nach (It is [hour] minutes past [hour])

Es ist [hour] Uhr [minutes] vor (It is [hour] minutes to [hour])

For example:

Es ist 3 Uhr 15. (It is 3:15.)

Es ist 3 Uhr 15 nach drei. (It is 15 minutes past 3.)

Es ist 3 Uhr 45 vor vier. (It is 15 minutes to 4.)

Hours and Minutes

Below is a table illustrating how to express different hours and minutes in German:

German	Pronunciation	English
1 Uhr	aɪn uːr	1 o'clock
2 Uhr	tsvaː uːr	2 o'clock
3 Uhr	driː uːr	3 o'clock
4 Uhr	fiːr uːr	4 o'clock
5 Uhr	faɪf uːr	5 o'clock
6 Uhr	zɛks uːr	6 o'clock
7 Uhr	ziːbən uːr	7 o'clock
8 Uhr	aχt uːr	8 o'clock
9 Uhr	noɪn uːr	9 o'clock
10 Uhr	tsɛn uːr	10 o'clock
11 Uhr	elf uːr	11 o'clock
12 Uhr	tsvaːlf uːr	12 o'clock

You can build upon this foundation by adding the minutes. For instance:

10:05 in German is: Es ist 10 Uhr 5.

10:25 in German is: Es ist 10 Uhr 25.

Asking for the Time

When you're curious about the time, you can ask in a few different ways:

Wie spät ist es? (What time is it?)

Könnten Sie mir sagen, wie spät es ist? (Could you tell me what time it is?)

These are polite and common ways to inquire about the time.

Here’s how to respond to these questions, using the previous structures we've discussed.

Common Expressions Related to Time

In addition to telling time, it's useful to know some common expressions related to time. Here are a few:

Um wie viel Uhr...? (At what time...?)

Heute um 3 Uhr. (Today at 3 o'clock.)

Morgen um 5 Uhr. (Tomorrow at 5 o'clock.)

Gestern um 7 Uhr. (Yesterday at 7 o'clock.)

In einer Stunde. (In one hour.)

These phrases will help you communicate more effectively about time in various contexts.

Examples of Telling Time

To further clarify how to tell time in German, here’s a table with different examples:

German	Pronunciation	English
Es ist 1 Uhr.	ɛs ɪst aɪn uːr	It is 1 o'clock.
Es ist 2 Uhr 30.	ɛs ɪst tsvaː uːr dɛʁ t͡siː	It is 2:30.
Es ist 4 Uhr 15.	ɛs ɪst fiːr uːr fɪfˈt͡siːn	It is 4:15.
Es ist 6 Uhr 45.	ɛs ɪst zɛks uːr fɔʁ fɛʁt͡siː	It is 6:45.
Es ist 9 Uhr 5.	ɛs ɪst noɪn uːr faɪf	It is 9:05.
Es ist 11 Uhr 20.	ɛs ɪst elf uːr t͡svɑn͡tɪg	It is 11:20.
Es ist 12 Uhr.	ɛs ɪst tsvaːlf uːr	It is 12 o'clock.
Es ist 3 Uhr 10.	ɛs ɪst driː uːr tsɛn	It is 3:10.
Es ist 5 Uhr 30.	ɛs ɪst faɪf uːr dɛʁ t͡siː	It is 5:30.
Es ist 8 Uhr 5.	ɛs ɪst aχt uːr faɪf	It is 8:05.

Now that you have a solid foundation in telling time, let's put your skills to the test with some exercises!

Exercises for Practice

Here are some exercises to help you practice what you've learned in this lesson. Try to answer them before checking the solutions at the end.

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences with the correct time expressions.

1. Es ist ___ Uhr. (It is ___ o'clock.)

2. ___ wie viel Uhr ist es? (What time is it?)

3. Es ist ___ Uhr ___ (It is ___ hour ___ minutes.)

4. Heute um ___ Uhr. (Today at ___ o'clock.)

5. Es ist ___ Uhr ___ nach ___ (It is ___ o'clock ___ past ___)

Exercise 2: Translate the Sentences

Translate the following sentences into German.

1. It is 3:15.

2. What time is it?

3. It is 6:45.

4. Today at 5:00.

5. It is 10:05.

Exercise 3: Ask for the Time

Formulate questions using the phrases learned in this lesson.

1. You want to know the time from a friend.

2. You are in a store and want to know the time from the cashier.

3. You are at a bus stop and want to know the time from a stranger.

Exercise 4: Match the Time with the German Expression

Match the time on the left with the correct German expression on the right.

| Time | German Expression |

|------------|--------------------------------|

| 1:00 | a) Es ist 3 Uhr 30. |

| 3:30 | b) Es ist 1 Uhr. |

| 4:15 | c) Es ist 4 Uhr 15. |

| 2:45 | d) Es ist 2 Uhr 45. |

Exercise 5: Create Your Own Sentences

Use the times provided to create sentences in German.

1. 7:00

2. 9:15

3. 12:30

4. 10:45

5. 11:05

Solutions and Explanations

Now, let's take a look at the solutions for the exercises. This will help reinforce your learning and clarify any misunderstandings.

Solutions to Exercise 1

1. Es ist 3 Uhr.

2. Wie spät ist es?

3. Es ist 5 Uhr 15.

4. Heute um 4 Uhr.

5. Es ist 2 Uhr 30 nach 1.

Solutions to Exercise 2

1. Es ist 3 Uhr 15.

2. Wie spät ist es?

3. Es ist 6 Uhr 45.

4. Heute um 5 Uhr.

5. Es ist 10 Uhr 5.

Solutions to Exercise 3

1. Wie spät ist es?

2. Könnten Sie mir sagen, wie spät es ist?

3. Entschuldigung, wie spät ist es?

Solutions to Exercise 4

| Time | German Expression |

|------------|--------------------------------|

| 1:00 | b) Es ist 1 Uhr. |

| 3:30 | a) Es ist 3 Uhr 30. |

| 4:15 | c) Es ist 4 Uhr 15. |

| 2:45 | d) Es ist 2 Uhr 45. |

Solutions to Exercise 5

1. Es ist 7 Uhr.

2. Es ist 9 Uhr 15.

3. Es ist 12 Uhr 30.

4. Es ist 10 Uhr 45.

5. Es ist 11 Uhr 5.

Congratulations on completing the lesson on telling time in German! With practice, you'll become more comfortable with these expressions. Make sure to review the exercises and examples regularly to reinforce your learning.

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further clarification. Happy learning!

Table of Contents - German Course - 0 to A1

Course Presentation

Basic Sentence Structures

Greetings and Introduction

Definite and Indefinite Articles

Numbers, Dates and Time

Verbs and Conjugation

Family and Friends

Prepositions

Food and Drinks

Germany and German-Speaking Countries

Pronouns and Possessives

Travel and Transportation

Modal Verbs

Shopping and Clothes

Music and Entertainment

Adjectives

Health and Body

Time and Temporal Prepositions

Videos

Telling The Time | Learn German for Beginners | Lesson 09 - YouTube

Sources

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