How do I say 'at 3 o'clock' in German?

Use 'um' + the time: 'um 3 Uhr'. For 3 PM, you can say 'um 15 Uhr' in 24-hour format or 'um 3 Uhr nachmittags' to be clear. Remember, 'um' is only for specific clock times, not for days or months.

What's the difference between 'seit' and 'vor' for time?

'Seit' means 'since' or 'for' and describes an action that started in the past and continues now (e.g., 'Ich lerne seit zwei Jahren Deutsch' – I have been learning German for two years). 'Vor' means 'ago' and refers to a completed action (e.g., 'Vor zwei Jahren war ich in Berlin' – Two years ago I was in Berlin).

How do I say 'on Monday' in German?

Use 'am' + the day: 'am Montag'. For 'on Mondays' (regularly), you can say 'montags' (lowercase, adverb). For example, 'Am Montag habe ich Schule' (This Monday) vs. 'Montags habe ich Schule' (Every Monday).

What is the correct order for saying dates in German?

German dates are written day.month.year (e.g., 3. Mai 2024). When speaking, say 'der dritte Mai zweitausendvierundzwanzig' or 'am dritten Mai'. Note that the day is ordinal and the month is capitalised. For 'on the 3rd of May', use 'am dritten Mai'.

How do I express 'half past' in German?

Use 'halb' + the next hour. For example, 'halb drei' is 2:30 (half to three). 'Halb vier' is 3:30. For quarter past, say 'Viertel nach' (e.g., 'Viertel nach drei' = 3:15). For quarter to, say 'Viertel vor' (e.g., 'Viertel vor vier' = 3:45).

Do I need to capitalise days and months in German?

Yes, all nouns in German are capitalised, including days of the week (Montag, Dienstag) and months (Januar, Februar). This is a key spelling rule. Also, seasons are capitalised (der Frühling, der Sommer).

General vocabulary: Expressions of time

AQA

GCSE

This topic covers the vocabulary required to express time, including seasons, months, telling the time, and various other temporal expressions used to describe when events occur.

Objectives

Exam Tips

Pitfalls

Key Terms

Mark Points

Topic Overview

This topic covers the essential German vocabulary for expressing time, including days of the week, months, seasons, clock times, and common time phrases like 'heute' (today), 'morgen' (tomorrow), and 'gestern' (yesterday). Mastering these expressions is crucial for everyday communication, as time references appear in nearly every conversation, from arranging meetings to describing routines. For AQA GCSE German, you'll need to use these accurately in both speaking and writing tasks, especially in the context of describing your daily life, holidays, or future plans.

Time expressions are a cornerstone of German grammar and vocabulary. They often interact with prepositions like 'um' (at), 'am' (on), and 'im' (in), which change depending on whether you're referring to a specific time, a day, or a month. Understanding these patterns helps you build more complex sentences and avoid common mistakes. This topic also links to verb tenses, as time phrases often determine whether you use present, past, or future tense.

In the AQA GCSE exam, time expressions frequently appear in role-plays, photo cards, and written tasks. For example, you might be asked to describe what you did 'letzten Samstag' (last Saturday) or plan a trip 'nächsten Sommer' (next summer). Being confident with these phrases allows you to add detail and accuracy to your answers, which is key to achieving higher marks. This topic is also foundational for later learning about time clauses and sequencing events.

Key Concepts

Core ideas you must understand for this topic

→Days of the week: Montag, Dienstag, Mittwoch, Donnerstag, Freitag, Samstag, Sonntag. Note: 'am' + day = 'on' (e.g., am Montag).
→Months and seasons: Januar, Februar, etc.; Frühling, Sommer, Herbst, Winter. Use 'im' + month/season (e.g., im Januar, im Sommer).
→Clock times: Use 'um' for specific times (e.g., um 8 Uhr). For 24-hour time, say '14 Uhr' for 2 PM. Half hours: 'halb' means half to the next hour (e.g., halb drei = 2:30).
→Common time phrases: heute, morgen, gestern, jetzt, später, früher, nächste Woche, letztes Jahr. These often go at the beginning of a sentence for emphasis.
→Prepositions with time: 'seit' (since/for), 'vor' (ago), 'in' (in/duration). For example, 'vor zwei Tagen' (two days ago), 'in einer Stunde' (in one hour).

What You Need to Demonstrate

Key skills and knowledge for this topic

Correct use of time-related vocabulary in context
Accurate application of time expressions in both receptive and productive tasks
Ability to distinguish between different time frames (past, present, future) using appropriate temporal markers

Marking Points

Key points examiners look for in your answers

Correct use of time-related vocabulary in context
Accurate application of time expressions in both receptive and productive tasks
Ability to distinguish between different time frames (past, present, future) using appropriate temporal markers

Examiner Tips

Expert advice for maximising your marks

💡Learn the difference between 'Uhr' and 'Stunde' early on
💡Practice the 24-hour clock as it is frequently used in German-speaking countries
💡Pay attention to the position of time expressions in sentences (Time, Manner, Place rule)
💡Use the vocabulary lists provided in the specification to build a solid foundation
💡Use a variety of time expressions to show range. Instead of always saying 'heute', try 'heute Morgen', 'heute Nachmittag', or 'heute Abend'. This demonstrates a wider vocabulary and can boost your mark for language range.
💡In writing tasks, start sentences with time phrases to vary sentence structure. For example, 'Letztes Wochenende bin ich ins Kino gegangen' sounds more natural than starting with 'Ich' every time. This improves your score for sentence structure.
💡Practise telling the time in both 12-hour and 24-hour formats. In the speaking exam, you might be asked 'Wie spät ist es?' – being able to answer quickly and accurately shows confidence and fluency.

Common Mistakes

Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

Confusing 'Uhr' (o'clock/time) with 'Stunde' (hour duration)
Incorrect word order when placing time expressions at the start of a sentence
Misusing 'seit' with the present tense versus the imperfect tense
Confusing 'morgen' (tomorrow) with 'Morgen' (morning)
Mixing up 'um' and 'am': 'Um' is for clock times (um 7 Uhr), while 'am' is for days or parts of the day (am Montag, am Morgen). A common error is saying 'am 7 Uhr' instead of 'um 7 Uhr'.
Using 'halb' incorrectly: 'Halb drei' means 2:30, not 3:30. Students often think it means half past three, but it actually means half to three.
Forgetting capitalisation: In German, all nouns are capitalised, including days (Montag) and months (Januar). Writing 'montag' or 'januar' is a spelling mistake.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions students ask about this topic

Before You Start

Prior knowledge that will help with this topic

•Basic German greetings and introductions – you'll need to use time expressions in context.
•Numbers 1–31 for dates and times – essential for saying clock times and dates.
•Present tense verb conjugation – to describe routines and schedules using time phrases.

Key Terminology

Essential terms to know

Scheduling and Appointments - utilizing 24-hour clock and formal/informal conventions (e.g., 'um Viertel nach', 'um fünfzehn Uhr fünfzehn', 'gegen')
Frequency and Routine - employing adverbs of frequency (e.g., 'immer', 'manchmal', 'nie', 'ab und zu') to describe habitual actions and lifestyle patterns
Narrative Sequencing - applying temporal conjunctions and markers (e.g., 'zuerst', 'danach', 'schließlich', 'seitdem') to structure logical accounts of events

Likely Command Words

How questions on this topic are typically asked

Wann?

Wie spät ist es?

Um wie viel Uhr?

Wie lange?

Ready to test yourself?

Practice questions tailored to this topic

General vocabulary: Expressions of time

Topic Overview

Key Concepts

What You Need to Demonstrate

Marking Points

Examiner Tips

Common Mistakes

Frequently Asked Questions

Before You Start

Key Terminology

Likely Command Words

Ready to test yourself?

Related Topics in AQA GCSE German

Communication strategies

Communication strategies: Strategies for production

Communication strategies: Strategies for understanding

General vocabulary: Access

How to Revise General vocabulary: Expressions of time — AQA GCSE German

Examiner Tips for General vocabulary: Expressions of time

Common Mistakes in General vocabulary: Expressions of time

Key Marking Points

General vocabulary: Expressions of time

Topic Overview

Key Concepts

What You Need to Demonstrate

Marking Points

Examiner Tips

Common Mistakes

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I say 'at 3 o'clock' in German?

What's the difference between 'seit' and 'vor' for time?

How do I say 'on Monday' in German?

What is the correct order for saying dates in German?

How do I express 'half past' in German?

Do I need to capitalise days and months in German?

Before You Start

Key Terminology

Likely Command Words

Ready to test yourself?

Related Topics in AQA GCSE German

Communication strategies

Communication strategies: Strategies for production

Communication strategies: Strategies for understanding

General vocabulary: Access