German Numbers, Time, Days of the Week, and the Calendar

1. German Numbers (Zahlen)

Cardinal Numbers (0-19) - The Basics

These are the foundation. You need to memorize these.

Cardinal Numbers (20+)

The pattern is logical: it's "one-and-twenty" instead of "twenty-one."

Note: When counting, "eins" becomes "ein-" in compounds (einundzwanzig). When alone, it's "eins".

Ordinal Numbers (1st, 2nd, 3rd...)

These are like adjectives and often require an ending. For dates, you add -te (up to 19) or -ste (20 and above).

• 1. = der erste (the first) - irregular

• 2. = der zweite

• 3. = der dritte - irregular

• 4. = der vierte

• 7. = der siebte (note: no -en)

• 8. = der achte

• 20. = der zwanzigste

• 101. = der hunderterste

2. Telling Time (Die Uhrzeit)

Official Time (Offizielle Zeit) - The 24-hour clock

Used for schedules, TV programs, official announcements. Simple and direct.

• 13:00 = dreizehn Uhr (13 o'clock)

• 17:30 = siebzehn Uhr dreißig

• 20:15 = zwanzig Uhr fünfzehn

Informal Time (Inoffizielle Zeit) - The 12-hour clock

Used in everyday conversation.

Key Vocabulary:

• Uhr - o'clock

• vor - to / before

• nach - past / after

• Viertel - quarter

• halb - half (It means "half to the next hour"!)

How it works:

• Full Hour: Es ist drei Uhr. (It is three o'clock.)

• Past the Hour (use nach):

  • 2:05 = fünf nach zwei

  • 4:15 = Viertel nach vier (common) OR viertel fünf (regional)

  • 7:25 = fünfundzwanzig nach sieben

• To the Hour (use vor):

  • 1:50 = zehn vor zwei

  • 5:45 = Viertel vor sechs (common) OR dreiviertel sechs (regional)

• The "Half" Trap (use halb):

  • 2:30 = halb drei (It is half to three, meaning the next hour is 3!)

  • 9:30 = halb zehn

Asking and Answering:

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

• Es ist... (It is...)

• um acht Uhr (at eight o'clock)

3. Days of the Week (Die Wochentage)

All days are masculine (der). To say "on Monday," you use "am Montag."

Related Phrases:

• am Montag (on Monday)

• montags (on Mondays / every Monday)

• heute (today)

• gestern (yesterday)

• morgen (tomorrow)

• übermorgen (the day after tomorrow)

4. The Calendar (Der Kalender)

Months (Die Monate)

All months are masculine (der). To say "in January," you use "im Januar."

Seasons (Die Jahreszeiten)

• der Frühling (Spring) - im Frühling

• der Sommer (Summer) - im Sommer

• der Herbst (Autumn/Fall) - im Herbst

• der Winter (Winter) - im Winter

Saying the Date

The format is: der + [ordinal number] + [month]

• Welches Datum ist heute? (What is the date today?)

• Heute ist der erste Mai. (Today is the first of May.)

• Heute ist Montag, der 6. April. (Today is Monday, April 6th.)

Note: When writing a letter, you use the format: Berlin, den 6. April 2024

Practice Examples

1. What time is 6:15 PM in informal German?

   • Viertel nach sechs (or, regionally, viertel sieben).

2. How do you say "on Fridays"?

   • freitags

3. How do you write "the 3rd of November"?

   • der dritte November

4. Translate: "We are coming on the twenty-fifth of December."

   • Wir kommen am fünfundzwanzigsten Dezember.

Summary Cheat Sheet

The numbers 0-19, and the rest become logical. Remember the "half-to" logic for telling time. For all calendar-related "on/in" phrases, use am (days), im (months/seasons), and der for the specific date.