TELLING TIMEDeutsch INotizen

Asking the Time

Wie spät ist es? Literally means:

How late is it? Wieviel Uhr ist es?

Literally means: How much o’clock is it?

Important Vocabulary

vor = before/until nach = after halb = half Mittag =

midday/noon am Abend = in the

evening

Uhr = o’clock viertel = quarter Mittelnacht = midnight am Nachmittag = in

the afternoon am Morgen = in the

morning

Important Notes & Phrases

In German, when the hour is half, for example: “It is half past 10” (10:30), we say “Es ist halb elf.”

We say “Es ist ein Uhr” and NOT “Es ist eins Uhr.”

But, we would say “Es ist viertel vor eins.” (12:45) or “Es ist halb eins.” (12:30)

Important Notes & Phrases

Viertel vor = quarter to Viertel nach = quarter after Halb ________ = halfway to ________

Important Notes & Phrases

English “o’clock” is Uhr in German: 5:00 = fünf Uhr

For precise times, you say Uhr between the hour and the minutes: 11:44 = elf Uhr vierundvierzig

Important Notes & Phrases

For many common situations (timetables, TV guides, etc.), Germans use 24-hour (military) time.

Add 12 to a pm time to get the 24-hour form: 2 pm +12 = 14.00 (vierzehn Uhr)

To express 24-hour time, be precise: “zwanzig Uhr neun” = 20.09 = 8:09 pm