How to Tell the Time in German

Learning how to tell time in a new language is a valuable skill. Still, even advanced learners need help with it or underestimate the importance of being able to express it. Talking about time is an essential part of daily conversations, so this is a lesson you shouldn’t skip.

A great way to start is by watching the following video, in which Jenny gives an overview of how telling time in German works, what you need to memorize, and how pronunciation works.

How to Tell the Time On the Hour

In German, telling the time on the hour is pretty straightforward. You use the structure “Es ist” (It is) followed by the hour. For example:

• Es ist elf Uhr (It is eleven o’clock).
• Es ist zwei Uhr (It is two o’clock).
• Es ist sechs Uhr (It is six o’clock).

Make sure to have a good grasp of German numbers between zero and fifty-nine, as you will be using those numbers to talk about time in German.

The 24-Hour-Clock

In German, the 24-hour clock is commonly used in formal contexts such as timetables, schedules, radio or TV programs, formal written communication, and business hours. This format makes it easy to make sure the time of day is clear. It is often referred to as military time in English-speaking countries, particularly in the US.

Unlike the 12-hour format, the 24-hour system doesn’t require specifying “AM” or “PM” since the day is divided into 24 hours, starting at midnight. For example, 3:00 p.m. is written as 15.00 Uhr in the 24-hour format, and 7:30 p.m. becomes 19.30 Uhr.

• Es ist 16 Uhr. In spoken language, you would say: Es ist sechzehn Uhr. (It is sixteen o’clock / It is 4 p.m.)
• Es ist 14.30 Uhr. You would say: Es ist vierzehn Uhr dreißig. (It is fourteen hours and thirty minutes / it is 2:30 p.m.)
• Um 18 Uhr beginnt der Deutschkurs. You would say: Um achtzehn Uhr beginnt der Deutschkurs. (The German class begins at eighteen o’clock / The German class begins at 6 p.m.)
• Um 22 Uhr gehe ich ins Bett. You would say: Um zweiundzwanzig Uhr gehe ich ins Bett. (I go to bed at twenty-two o’clock. / I go to bed at 10 p.m.)
• Die Fernsehsendung fängt um 20.15 Uhr an. You would say: Die Sendung fängt um zwanzig Uhr fünfzehn an. (The TV show starts at twenty hours and fifteen minutes / The TV show starts at 8:15 p.m.)

How to Say Half Past and Quarter Past/Quarter To

When expressing half and quarter hours, German uses specific terms:

Half past

In German, half an hour before the next hour is expressed by using the word halb (half). For example:

• Es ist halb drei means It is half past two (literally: half three). This is either 2:30 a.m. or 2:30 p.m.
• Es ist halb fünf means It is half past four. This is either 4:30 a.m. or 4:30 p.m.
• Es ist halb neun means It is half past eight. This is either 8:30 a.m. or 8:30 p.m.

Quarter past

To say quarter past the hour, you use Viertel nach (quarter past):

• Es ist Viertel nach vier means It is a quarter past four. This is either 4:15 a.m. or 4:15 p.m.
• Es ist Viertel nach sechs means It is a quarter past six. This is either 6:15 a.m. or 6:15 p.m.
• Es ist Viertel nach elf means It is a quarter past eleven. This is either 11:15 a.m. or 11:15 p.m.

Quarter to

To express a quarter to the next hour, use Viertel vor (quarter to).

• Es ist Viertel vor fünf means It is a quarter to five. This is either 4:45 a.m. or 4:45 p.m.
• Es ist Viertel vor zehn means It is a quarter to ten. This is either 9:45 a.m. or 9:45 p.m.
• Es ist Viertel vor zwölf means It is a quarter to twelve. This is either 11:45 a.m. or 11:45 p.m.

How to Tell the Exact Time

When giving the exact minute, Germans use nach (past) and vor (to) to describe time in relation to the hour. This is used frequently by native speakers. Here’s how:

• Es ist zehn nach drei means It is ten past three. This is either 3:10 a.m. or 3:10 p.m.
• Es ist zwanzig nach fünf means It is twenty past five. This is either 5:20 a.m. or 5:20 p.m.
• Es ist zwanzig vor vier means It is twenty to four. This is either 3:40 a.m. or 3:40 p.m.
• Es ist zehn vor zwei means It is ten to two. This is either 1:50 a.m. or 1:50 p.m.

For exact times, just state the minute:

• Es ist drei Uhr fünfzehn means It is three fifteen.
• Es ist fünf Uhr dreiundvierzig means It is five forty-three.
• Es ist fünfzehn Uhr sechsundzwanzig means It is 3:26 p.m.
• Es ist acht Uhr sieben means It is 8:07 a.m.

How to Say the Time of Day in German

When speaking, Germans often use the 12-hour format with phrases like “morgens” (in the morning), “nachmittags” (in the afternoon), “abends” (in the evening), or “nachts” (at night). Let’s take a look at a few examples:

• morgens (morning)
• vormittags (late morning)
• mittags (noon)
• nachmittags (afternoon)
• abends (evening)
• nachts (night)
• um Mitternacht (at midnight)

Examples:

• Es ist zehn Uhr morgens (It is ten in the morning).
• Wir treffen uns vormittags um 11 Uhr. (We are meeting in the morning at 11.)
• Wir gehen mittags essen. (We are going out to eat at noon.)
• Wir essen um vier Uhr nachmittags Kuchen. (We are having cake at 4 p.m.)
• Es ist sieben Uhr abends (It is seven in the evening).
• Wir werden um Mitternacht das Feuerwerk anschauen. (We’ll look at the fireworks at midnight.)
• Um zwei Uhr nachts hat der Hund meiner Nachbarin gebellt. (My neighbor’s dog barked at two at night.)

Ways To Express the Time in German

In addition to the formal ways of telling the time, Germans use colloquial expressions, too. Some examples include:

Kurz vor (just before)

This expression is used to indicate a time slightly before the hour:

• Es ist kurz vor drei (It’s just before three).
• Wir fahren um kurz vor vier los (We are leaving just before four).

Kurz nach (just after)

This expression is used to indicate a time slightly after the hour:

• Es ist kurz nach eins (It’s just after one).
• Um kurz nach sieben hat er angerufen (He called just after seven).

Gleich (almost)

This expression indicates an approximate time:

• Es ist gleich vier Uhr (It’s almost four o’clock).

These expressions can make you sound more like a native speaker.

How to Ask for The Time in German

To ask someone for the time in German, the most common phrase is:

• Wie spät ist es? (What time is it?)

Alternatively, you can ask:

• Wie viel Uhr ist es? (What time is it?)

Both are interchangeable and commonly used in daily conversation.

Games to Make Time Learning More Fun

Learning the time doesn’t have to be boring! Here are two fun game ideas to help reinforce your knowledge:

Memory Game

Create a set of cards with different times written on them in German. On matching cards, include images of clocks showing the corresponding time. Mix them up and play a memory game by finding matching pairs. This is a great way to reinforce both written and visual recognition of the time.

Pronunciation Fun

Try some time-related tongue twisters to improve fluency. For example, practice saying Viertel vor vier (a quarter to four) or Halb sieben (half-past six) repeatedly and gradually increase the speed. These fun pronunciation drills will help you get faster and more accurate at telling the time in German.

Daily Clock Practice

Throughout the day, look at your watch or a clock and say the time out loud in German. Use different formats: military time, precise time, or phrases combining time with the time of day (e.g., morgens, nachmittags). This regular practice will help you become comfortable with the various ways to express time.

Everyday Conversation

Remember to include this new skill in your German conversations by occasionally asking native speakers for the time in German. This will help you get used to hearing and using time expressions, making you feel more confident and less overwhelmed.

In Closing

Learning to tell time in the German language is an important skill, but it can also be fun, especially with interactive games and resources. From mastering the basics of on-the-hour time to understanding half and quarter hours and asking for the time, you’re now equipped with the skills to tell time in German confidently.