Grundlegende Zeitwörter: Heute, Morgen, Gestern
today, tomorrow und yesterday für klare Ansagen ohne komplizierte Präpositionen.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'Today', 'Tomorrow', and 'Yesterday' to anchor your sentences to the present, future, or past without needing specific dates.
- Use 'Today' for the current 24-hour period: 'Today is sunny.'
- Use 'Tomorrow' for the day after now: 'Tomorrow is Tuesday.'
- Use 'Yesterday' for the day before now: 'Yesterday was cold.'
Overview
today, tomorrow und yesterday.tomorrow sagst, meinst du den Dienstag. Sagst du es am Freitag, meinst du den Samstag.today, tomorrow und yesterday als Adverbien der Zeit. Ein Adverb gibt uns nähere Informationen darüber, *wann* eine Handlung stattfindet.on brauchen (on Monday), stehen today, tomorrow und yesterday völlig alleine.yesterday immer yesterday.Yesterday I studied. |Today I am tired. |Tomorrow I will call. |Did I study yesterday? |I) im Englischen vor dem Verb oder direkt nach dem Hilfsverb bei Fragen. Das ist eine der größten Umstellungen für uns Deutsche, da wir automatisch dazu neigen, das Verb nach vorne zu ziehen, sobald wir mit einem Zeitwort beginnen. Klingt logisch, oder?- Yesterday (Gestern): Bezieht sich auf den Tag vor dem heutigen.
- Today (Heute): Bezieht sich auf den aktuellen 24-Stunden-Zeitraum.
- Tomorrow (Morgen): Bezieht sich auf den Tag nach dem heutigen.
ereyesterday oder overmorrow, aber die benutzt heute niemand mehr).The day before yesterday |Yesterday |Today |Tomorrow |The day after tomorrow |today, tomorrow und yesterday kleingeschrieben, es sei denn, sie stehen am Satzanfang. Sie werden nicht wie Wochentage behandelt (die im Englischen immer großgeschrieben werden, z.B.Monday).- Richtig:
I will see you tomorrow. - Falsch:
I will see you Tomorrow.
yesterday benutzt, signalisierst du deinem Gegenüber sofort, dass du über etwas abgeschlossenes sprichst. Du kombinierst es daher fast immer mit dem Past Tense.- Situation im Büro:
I sent the email yesterday.(Ich habe die E-Mail gestern geschickt.) - Situation an der Uni:
The lecture was interesting yesterday.(Die Vorlesung war gestern interessant.)
yesterday auch mit Tageszeiten kombinieren, um präziser zu sein:yesterday morning(gestern Morgen)yesterday afternoon(gestern Nachmittag)yesterday evening(gestern Abend)- Achtung Ausnahme: Wir sagen nicht „yesterday night“, sondern meistens
last night.
Today ist ein kleiner Allrounder. Da der „heutige Tag“ sowohl das beinhaltet, was schon passiert ist, als auch das, was noch kommt, kannst du es mit verschiedenen Zeiten nutzen.- Aktueller Zustand:
I am busy today.(Ich bin heute beschäftigt.) - Bereits erledigt:
I finished my homework today.(Ich habe meine Hausaufgaben heute fertiggestellt.) - Geplante Zukunft:
I am meeting Sarah today.(Ich treffe Sarah heute.)
Tomorrow verlangt nach einer Zukunftsform, meistens will, going to oder das Present Progressive für feste Pläne.- Reise-Situation:
We will arrive in London tomorrow.(Wir werden morgen in London ankommen.) - WhatsApp-Chat:
I am going to call you tomorrow.(Ich werde dich morgen anrufen.)
on von Wochentagen auf diese Wörter.- Falsch:
I saw him on yesterday. - Richtig:
I saw him yesterday. - Warum?
Yesterday,todayundtomorrowsind im Englischen „eigenständige“ Adverbien. Sie brauchen keine Krücke wieonoderat. Denk daran: Nur bei echten Namen von Tagen (Monday,Tuesday) nutzt duon.
- Falsch:
I will see you morning.(wenn du den nächsten Tag meinst) - Richtig:
I will see you tomorrow. - Falsch:
I like the tomorrow.(wenn du den frühen Tag meinst) - Richtig:
I like the morning. - Merkhilfe: Wenn du „Next Day“ meinst, nimm
tomorrow. Wenn du „Sunrise/Early“ meinst, nimmmorning.
- Falsch:
Yesterday went I to the supermarket.(Gestern ging ich zum Supermarkt.) - Richtig:
Yesterday I went to the supermarket. - Warum? Im Englischen darf die Reihenfolge Subjekt + Verb (
I+went) fast nie getrennt werden, egal was davor steht. Stell dir vor, Subjekt und Verb sind mit Superkleber verbunden.
today, tomorrow, yesterday) | NEIN | I am working tomorrow. |Monday, Friday, etc.) | JA (on) | I am working on Monday. |January, July, etc.) | JA (in) | I start the job in July. |5 PM, noon, etc.) | JA (at) | The meeting is at 5 PM. |March 4th) | JA (on) | My birthday is on March 4th. |tomorrow und the next day.Tomorrownutzt du nur, wenn du vom *jetzt* aus sprichst.The next daynutzt du, wenn du eine Geschichte erzählst, die in der Vergangenheit spielt (z.B. „Ich kam am Mittwoch an und am nächsten Tag...“ ->I arrived on Wednesday and the next day...).
tomorrow aber dein wichtigster Partner für alle Pläne, die du heute schmiedest.tomorrow auch am Ende des Satzes benutzen?I will call you tomorrow klingt oft natürlicher als Tomorrow I will call you. Beides ist grammatikalisch richtig, aber am Ende des Satzes wirkt es im Englischen oft flüssiger.last night statt yesterday night?yesterday morning völlig normal ist, hat sich für die Nachtstunden last night (letzte Nacht) etabliert. Wenn du yesterday night sagst, wird man dich verstehen, aber es klingt für Muttersprachler ein bisschen „hölzern“.tonight oder this evening. Today evening wird selten verwendet.- Beispiel:
Are you free tonight?(Hast du heute Abend Zeit?)
tomorrow großschreiben?tomorrow ist und warum das Verb seinem Subjekt immer treu bleibt. Viel Erfolg beim Üben!Verb Agreement with Time Words
| Time Word | Common Verb | Tense | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Yesterday
|
was / did / went
|
Past Simple
|
Yesterday was fun.
|
|
Today
|
is / am / are
|
Present Simple
|
Today is Tuesday.
|
|
Tomorrow
|
is / will be / am going to
|
Future
|
Tomorrow will be sunny.
|
Meanings
Words used to identify a specific day relative to the moment of speaking.
Current Day
The day that is happening right now.
“Today is my birthday.”
“What is the weather today?”
Next Day
The day that will occur after the current day ends.
“See you tomorrow!”
“Tomorrow will be better.”
Previous Day
The day that occurred before the current day started.
“Yesterday was Sunday.”
“I saw him yesterday.”
Reference Table
| Wort | Bedeutung | Beispiel |
|---|---|---|
|
Today
|
Heute (der aktuelle Tag)
|
I have class `today`.
|
|
Tomorrow
|
Morgen (der nächste Tag)
|
We will meet `tomorrow`.
|
|
Yesterday
|
Gestern (der Tag davor)
|
She studied `yesterday`.
|
|
Today
|
Gegenwart
|
What are you doing `today`?
|
|
Tomorrow
|
Zukunft
|
Let's plan for `tomorrow`.
|
|
Yesterday
|
Vergangenheit
|
Did you see that movie `yesterday`?
|
|
Today
|
Keine Präposition
|
I'm busy `today`.
|
|
Tomorrow
|
Keine Präposition
|
He leaves `tomorrow`.
|
|
Yesterday
|
Keine Präposition
|
They arrived `yesterday`.
|
Formalitätsspektrum
Are you available for a meeting tomorrow? (Scheduling)
Are you free tomorrow? (Scheduling)
You free tomorrow? (Scheduling)
Link up tomorrow? (Scheduling)
Zeit-Navigator: Heute, Morgen, Gestern
Gegenwart
- Today The current day
Zukunft
- Tomorrow The day after today
Vergangenheit
- Yesterday The day before today
Zeitwörter: Schnellanleitung
Das richtige Zeitwort wählen
Passiert die Handlung JETZT?
Ist die Handlung schon passiert?
Zeitangaben, die du kennst
Bezug auf einzelne Tage
- • Today
- • Tomorrow
- • Yesterday
Tageszeiten (bald!)
- • morning
- • afternoon
- • evening
- • night
Wochentage (bald!)
- • Monday
- • Tuesday
- • Wednesday
Beispiele nach Niveau
Today is Monday.
I am happy today.
Yesterday was Sunday.
See you tomorrow!
It is hot today.
Tomorrow is my birthday.
I went to the park yesterday.
Are you working tomorrow?
Today is busier than yesterday.
I didn't see you yesterday.
What are we doing tomorrow?
I have a lot of work today.
Today's world is very digital.
I finished the project yesterday afternoon.
We need to prepare for tomorrow's presentation.
If it rains tomorrow, we will cancel the picnic.
Yesterday, I realized I forgot my keys.
I'll have the answer for you by tomorrow.
Yesterday's news is no longer relevant.
The decisions we make today will shape our tomorrow.
I was under the impression the deadline was yesterday.
Tomorrow marks the tenth anniversary of the company.
Having finished the work yesterday, I can relax today.
The weather forecast for tomorrow looks promising.
In the grand scheme of things, yesterday's failures are today's lessons.
The technology of tomorrow is being developed as we speak.
Should it rain tomorrow, the event will be moved indoors.
Yesterday saw a significant dip in the stock market.
We must not dwell on the ghosts of yesterday.
Today's youth are more socially conscious than ever.
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, creeps in this petty pace from day to day.
The ephemeral nature of 'today' makes every moment precious.
To speak of 'yesterday' is to invoke a temporal construct that no longer exists.
The project, originally slated for completion yesterday, has been deferred indefinitely.
One might argue that tomorrow is merely a projection of today's anxieties.
Yesterday's avant-garde is today's kitsch.
Leicht verwechselbar
Learners use 'today' when they mean the evening hours.
Using 'tomorrow' in stories about the past.
Using 'yesterday night' instead of the standard 'last night'.
Häufige Fehler
I go yesterday.
I went yesterday.
On tomorrow is my birthday.
Tomorrow is my birthday.
Today morning I eat.
This morning I ate.
Yesterday is Sunday.
Yesterday was Sunday.
I will see you in tomorrow.
I will see you tomorrow.
Yesterday I have seen him.
Yesterday I saw him.
The tomorrow will be better.
Tomorrow will be better.
He said he will come tomorrow (in a past story).
He said he would come the next day.
I am working until tomorrow morning.
I am working until tomorrow.
Yesterday's of the company were better.
The company's past was better.
Satzmuster
Today is ___.
I ___ yesterday.
Are you ___ tomorrow?
Yesterday, I should have ___.
Real World Usage
Free tomorrow?
I will send the file today.
Tomorrow: Partly Cloudy
Yesterday's vote changed everything.
Your appointment is tomorrow at 10.
Throwback to yesterday! #TBT
Die Position ist flexibel
I will see you tomorrow.
Kein 'On' oder 'In'!
I arrived home yesterday.
Kombiniere mit Tageszeiten
Perfekt für Small Talk
What did you do yesterday?
Smart Tips
Use 'tonight' instead of 'today evening'. It sounds much more natural.
Switch from 'tomorrow' to 'the next day' to keep the timeline consistent.
Add a comma to give the reader a small 'breath' and emphasize the time.
Remember: Yesterday = Was, Today = Is, Tomorrow = Will be.
Aussprache
Today
The 'o' is a schwa sound /təˈdeɪ/. Don't say 'TOO-day'.
Tomorrow
Stress the second syllable /təˈmɒroʊ/. The first 'o' is also a schwa.
Yesterday
Stress the first syllable /ˈjɛstərdeɪ/.
Time Emphasis
YESTERDAY, I went. (Rising on Yesterday)
Emphasizing that the time is the most important part of the sentence.
Einprägen
Eselsbrücke
Y-T-T: Yesterday (Back), Today (Here), Tomorrow (Front).
Visuelle Assoziation
Imagine a sun. Yesterday, the sun set (behind you). Today, the sun is high (above you). Tomorrow, the sun will rise (in front of you).
Rhyme
Yesterday is gone and past, Today is here and moving fast, Tomorrow comes to us at last.
Story
I woke up Yesterday and felt old. I woke up Today and felt bold. I will wake up Tomorrow and be gold.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Write three sentences: one thing you did yesterday, one thing you are doing today, and one thing you will do tomorrow.
Kulturelle Hinweise
In US/UK business culture, 'tomorrow' is a strict deadline. If someone says 'by tomorrow,' they usually mean by 9:00 AM the next day.
The concept of 'Mañana' (tomorrow) can sometimes be more fluid in certain cultures, meaning 'in the future' rather than 'the literal next day'. In English, 'tomorrow' is almost always literal.
The phrase 'That is so yesterday' is a common idiom meaning something is out of style or no longer cool.
From Old English 'to dæge' (today), 'to morgenne' (tomorrow), and 'geostran dæg' (yesterday).
Gesprächseinstiege
What did you do yesterday?
What are your plans for tomorrow?
How is your day going today?
If you could change one thing you did yesterday, what would it be?
Tagebuch-Impulse
Häufige Fehler
Test Yourself
I will visit my grandma ___.
tomorrow die richtige Wahl.Wähle den korrekten Satz:
Yesterday braucht kein 'on'. Die Vergangenheitsform 'went' passt perfekt zum gestrigen Tag.Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
today am Ende.Score: /3
Ubungsaufgaben
8 exercisesI ___ a movie yesterday.
Today is Wednesday. ___ was Tuesday.
Find and fix the mistake:
I will see you on tomorrow.
busy / I / today / am
1. Yesterday, 2. Today, 3. Tomorrow
Select the natural sentence.
Are you going to the party ___?
___ weather is very cold.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesThe store is closed ___, so I can't buy groceries.
We had a meeting on tomorrow.
Welcher Satz ist korrekt?
Übersetze ins Englische: 'Ich arbeite heute.'
Bringe die Wörter in die richtige Reihenfolge:
Verbinde die Handlungen mit den passenden Zeitwörtern:
Did you watch the game ___ night?
Tomorrow I went to the beach.
Welcher dieser Sätze ist am natürlichsten?
Übersetze ins Englische: 'Sie wird morgen lernen.'
Bringe die Wörter in die richtige Reihenfolge:
Ordne die Zeitwörter ihren Kategorien zu:
Score: /12
FAQ (8)
It is better to say `last night`. While people will understand you, `last night` is the standard expression.
It can be both! In 'Tomorrow is Monday,' it is a noun. In 'I will go tomorrow,' it is an adverb.
Yes, it is common to put a comma after a time word at the beginning: `Yesterday, I went to the store.`
Yes, in a general sense, it can mean 'nowadays' or 'in this era'. Example: `Today, technology is everywhere.`
In English, relative time words like `today`, `tomorrow`, and `yesterday` act as adverbs that already include the 'on' meaning within them.
There isn't a single common word like 'tomorrow'. We just say `the day after tomorrow`.
We say `the day before yesterday`. Some old books use 'ereyesterday,' but no one says that now!
No. `Tomorrow` is for the future. You must use a future verb like 'will' or 'is going to'.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Hoy, Mañana, Ayer
English never uses 'the' with these words (e.g., not 'the tomorrow').
Aujourd'hui, Demain, Hier
French doesn't use prepositions either, making the transition to English easy.
Heute, Morgen, Gestern
English distinguishes 'tomorrow' from 'morning' clearly.
Kyō, Ashita, Kinō
Japanese doesn't require verb tense changes as strictly as English does.
Al-yawm, Ghadan, Ams
Arabic speakers often try to say 'in the tomorrow' because of the preposition 'fi'.
Jīntiān, Míngtiān, Zuótiān
English requires tense agreement (was/is/will be).