Telling Time in German

Formal: English > German

100

10:00 AM

Was ist... "zehn Uhr"

200

6:30 AM

Was ist... "sechs Uhr dreißig"

300

11:10 PM

Was ist... 23 Uhr 11

400

5:15 PM

Was ist... 17 Uhr 15

500

9:25 PM

Was ist... "einundzwanzig Uhr fünfundzwanzig"

Formal: German > English

100

fünfzehn Uhr

What is... "15:00 or 3:00 PM"

200

zwölf Uhr vierzig

What is... "12:40

300

vierundzwanzig Uhr

What is... "12:00 AM or midnight"

400

zweiundzwanzig Uhr neunzehn

What is... "22:19 or 10:19 PM"

500

einundzwanzig Uhr sechsundfünfzig

What is... "21:56 or 9:56 PM"

Informal: German > English

100

Viertel vor zwölf

What is... "Quarter to twelve or 11:45"

200

Viertel nach drei

What is... "Quarter after three or 3:15"

300

fünf vor drei

What is... "2:55 or five to three"

400

 halb vier.

What is 3:30

500

es ist 5 vor 9

What is 8:55

Informal: English > German

100

6:55

Was ist... "fünf vor sieben"

200

2:30

Was ist... "halb drei"

300

8:45

Was ist... "Viertel vor neun"

400

5:48

Was ist... "zwölf vor sechs"

500

9:51

Was ist... "neun vor neun"

Important Terms

100

This is what you would say in German when you would like to know the time.

Was ist... "Wie spät ist es?"

200

This word means "to" or "before" the hour. i.e. "It's ten to/before six"

Was ist... "vor"

300

This word means "after" or "past" the hour. i.e. "It's ten after/past six"

Was ist... "nach" i.e. "Es ist zehn nach sechs"

400

This word means "quarter" to or after the hour i.e. "It's quarter after six" , "It's quarter to seven"

Was ist... "Viertel" i.e. "Es ist Viertel nach sechs" , "Es ist viertel vor sieben"

500

This word means "half passed" the hour i.e. "It's half passed seven" Explain the way this word works in German

Was ist... "halb" i.e. "Es ist halb acht"