A1 · GRAMMAR
Time and Time Expressions
Appointments, work, school: time expressions are very important in daily life. In German, you can tell the time in two ways: formal (14:30 – vierzehn Uhr dreißig) and informal (halb drei). The most common mistake: 'halb drei' means 2:30, not 3:30!
In this lesson
1. Formal Time
Hour + Uhr + minute.
Es ist vierzehn Uhr dreißig.
It is 2:30 PM.
2. halb = half to the next hour
halb drei = 2:30 (half past two, literally 'half to three').
Es ist halb drei.
It is half past two.
3. Viertel nach / vor
Viertel nach = past, Viertel vor = to.
Es ist Viertel vor neun.
It is a quarter to nine.
4. um / am / im
um + hour, am + day/part of day, im + month/season.
am Montag um 8 Uhr
on Monday at 8 o'clock
5. von ... bis / ab
Start and end.
von 9 bis 17 Uhr
from 9 to 5 PM
💡 When you see 'halb', always go back one hour: halb sieben = 6:30. This rule is often confusing in the first few weeks; repeat it aloud a few times.