Telling Time in German

Telling time is pretty much the same in all languages right? Wrong. It can get pretty confusing for English speakers and can even result in a few missed appointments. Even though Germans use the 24 hour clock, things get a little confusing when you start getting into the fractions. Hopefully this short post will clear things up a bit.

A very crucial point to take note of is half past. They don't use half past. They always use half to. So when someone says "Wir treffen uns um halb vier." or "Let's meet at half four." They really mean 3:30 and not 4:30. English speakers will instinctively think 4:30 and that can lead to missed meetings or appointments.

I should also mention that this is the High German way of telling time. Once you get into Bavaria and Austria things get really messed up with 'three quarters after' and 'five after three quarters to'. If you stick to the table above, you'll be fine. Also, when in doubt, just use the full numerical time (Sixteen forty-five, nine twenty-two). It's less common but people will understand.

I hope you found this post helpful. Keep checking back for more tips.