Telling Time
Telling time in German revolves around key expressions and whether you use the 12-hour or 24-hour clock. This guide goes through the basic phrases and useful vocabulary so you can ask for and give times naturally.
Basic Expressions
German uses wie spät ist es? and wie viel Uhr ist es? interchangeably to ask for the time, and answers usually state the hour followed by minutes or use quarter and half expressions. Saying the hour with Uhr makes it clear you’re giving a time rather than a duration.
12-Hour vs 24-Hour Clock
The 24-hour clock (military time) is common for schedules, announcements, and written times, while the 12-hour clock is used in casual speech often with morgens, abends etc. to specify AM or PM. Learn to switch between them depending on context.
Key Vocabulary
Vocabulary for telling time includes words for minutes, quarters, and half, as well as expressions like vor and nach to indicate minutes before or after the hour. Familiarity with these terms lets you give times in natural rounded phrases rather than exact minute counts.
| German Word(s) | English Word(s) |
|---|---|
| die Minute | the minute |
| Viertel | quarter |
| halb | half |
| vor | before |
| nach | after |
| Uhr | o’clock / clock |
| morgens | in the morning |
| abends | in the evening |
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🕰️ Das Treffen ist um drei Uhr am Nachmittag. | The meeting is at three o’clock in the afternoon. |
| 🌅 Wir frühstücken um sieben Uhr morgens. | We have breakfast at seven o’clock in the morning. |
| 🌙 Der Zug fährt um zehn Uhr nachts ab. | The train leaves at ten o’clock at night. |
| 🕧 Die Pause beginnt um halb eins. | The break starts at half past twelve. |
| 🕓 Der Kurs endet um Viertel nach vier. | The class ends at quarter past four. |
Asking Time
Asking for the time uses set questions like Wie spät ist es? and Wie viel Uhr ist es?, and you can specify context with phrases like Wann... or add a time frame if needed. These questions work in both formal and informal situations.
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🕵️ Entschuldigung, wie spät ist es? | Excuse me, what time is it? |
| 🗣️ Können Sie mir sagen, wie viel Uhr es ist? | Can you tell me what time it is? |
| 📱 Hast du kurz gesehen, wie spät es ist? | Did you quickly see what time it is? |
| 🧑🏫 Wann beginnt der Unterricht? | When does the lesson start? |
| 🚌 Um wie viel Uhr fährt der nächste Bus? | At what time does the next bus leave? |
Giving Time
When giving the time, state the hour followed by minutes, use Viertel and halb for common fractions, and include Uhr for clarity in more precise contexts. You can also add morgens, nachmittags etc. to indicate part of the day when using the 12-hour clock.
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🕒 Es ist drei Uhr. | It is three o’clock. |
| 🕡 Heute ist halb sieben Treffpunkt im Café. | Today, meeting at half past six at the café. |
| 🕖 Der Film beginnt um Viertel vor acht. | The movie starts at quarter to eight. |
| 🕘 Wir sehen uns um neun Uhr. | We’ll see each other at nine o’clock. |
| 🕤 Das Konzert fängt um zwanzig Uhr dreißig an. | The concert starts at twenty thirty. |
Summary
Telling time in German relies on key questions like Wie spät ist es?, basic vocabulary for minutes and quarters, and choosing between the 12-hour and 24-hour formats depending on context. Practice common phrases aloud to get comfortable with natural expressions.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025