Learn to Tell Time in German

Telling time in German requires knowing three basic ingredients: the numbers from 1 to 59, the German words for to and after, and the fractions quarter and half (past). Heres How: Learn or review the German numbers from 1-59.An hour is divided up like a pie into quarters (viertel) and halves (halb).For half past, you say halb and the next hour. Halb acht 7:30, i.e., half (way to) eight.After is nach. Es ist zehn nach zwei 2:10 (Its ten after two).For quarter past, you say Viertel nach: Viertel nach neun 9:15.To or before is vor (FOR). Viertel vor zwei 1:45. Zehn vor elf 10:50.English oclock is Uhr in German. Es ist fà ¼nf Uhr 5:00 (five oclock).For precise times, you say Uhr between the hour and the minutes: zehn Uhr zwà ¶lf 10:12.For many common situations (timetables, TV guides), 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.Practice your German time-telling skills with every clock or schedule you see. Tips: Make sure you know your German numbers well. Watch out for eins. With time its ein Uhr (1:00).Accept the fact that there are different ways of telling time in different cultures, none of which is better or worse than the others.Remember that understanding the time is usually more important than being able to say it.