Nachmittag
Nachmittag 30초 만에
- Refers to the time of day between 12:00 PM and approximately 6:00 PM.
- Always a masculine noun (der Nachmittag) and capitalized in written German.
- Use the prepositional phrase 'am Nachmittag' to express 'in the afternoon'.
- Can be combined with days of the week, like 'Sonntagnachmittag' (Sunday afternoon).
The German noun Nachmittag refers to the afternoon, the period of the day that directly follows noon and precedes the evening. In the traditional German understanding of time, this period generally spans from around 12:00 PM (Mittag) until roughly 6:00 PM (Abend). Understanding how to use this word is fundamental for anyone learning German, as it forms the basis of daily scheduling, greetings, and describing routines. The word is a compound of 'nach' (after) and 'Mittag' (noon), making its literal translation exactly the same as its English counterpart. When using this word, it is crucial to remember that it is a masculine noun (der Nachmittag) and that time expressions often use the preposition 'am' (am Nachmittag) to mean 'in the afternoon'. This section will explore the various nuances of the word, providing a deep dive into its grammatical behavior, cultural significance, and practical application in everyday German conversation. We will look at how it interacts with other time-related vocabulary and how you can seamlessly integrate it into your active vocabulary.
- Timeframe Definition
- Typically spans from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM in standard German usage.
- Grammatical Gender
- Masculine (der Nachmittag), requiring specific article declensions.
- Prepositional Usage
- Always paired with 'an' + 'dem' = 'am' for specifying 'in the' afternoon.
Ich habe am Nachmittag Zeit für ein Treffen.
Jeden Nachmittag trinke ich eine Tasse Kaffee.
Der gestrige Nachmittag war sehr entspannend.
Wir verbringen den Nachmittag im Park.
Ein sonniger Nachmittag ist perfekt für einen Spaziergang.
Using Nachmittag correctly involves understanding its grammatical properties and common collocations. As a masculine noun, it follows the standard declension patterns for masculine nouns in German. In the nominative case, it is 'der Nachmittag'. In the accusative, which is often used for direct objects or specific time durations (e.g., 'den ganzen Nachmittag'), it becomes 'den Nachmittag'. In the dative case, heavily used with the preposition 'an' to indicate a point in time, it becomes 'dem Nachmittag', which contracts to 'am Nachmittag'. The genitive form is 'des Nachmittags'. Furthermore, German allows for the creation of compound nouns. You can attach days of the week directly to the front: Sonntagnachmittag (Sunday afternoon), Freitagnachmittag (Friday afternoon). You can also use it to specify times, like 'heute Nachmittag' (this afternoon), 'morgen Nachmittag' (tomorrow afternoon), or 'gestern Nachmittag' (yesterday afternoon). Note that in these phrases, 'heute', 'morgen', and 'gestern' are adverbs and remain uncapitalized, while 'Nachmittag' remains capitalized as a noun. However, if you want to say 'afternoons' in a general, habitual sense (e.g., 'I work afternoons'), you use the adverbial form 'nachmittags', which is written entirely in lowercase and ends with an 's'.
- Nominative
- Der Nachmittag ist schön. (The afternoon is beautiful.)
- Accusative
- Ich genieße den Nachmittag. (I enjoy the afternoon.)
- Dative
- Am Nachmittag lese ich. (In the afternoon I read.)
Was machst du heute Nachmittag?
Morgen Nachmittag gehe ich einkaufen.
Er schläft den ganzen Nachmittag.
Wir treffen uns am Freitagnachmittag.
Gestern Nachmittag hat es geregnet.
The word Nachmittag is ubiquitous in German-speaking environments. You will hear it in casual conversations among friends planning a meetup, in professional settings scheduling meetings, in news broadcasts detailing events, and in weather forecasts predicting the climate for the later part of the day. A very common cultural context where you will hear this word is the traditional 'Kaffee und Kuchen' (coffee and cake), a beloved German custom that typically takes place on a Sunday afternoon. During this time, families and friends gather to socialize over sweet pastries and hot beverages. In the workplace, colleagues might say 'Schönen Nachmittag noch!' (Have a nice rest of the afternoon!) as they leave early or transition to different tasks. In schools, 'Nachmittagsunterricht' refers to afternoon classes, which are becoming more common in Germany. Retailers might advertise 'Nachmittagsangebote' (afternoon specials). It is a highly versatile word that bridges the gap between the busy morning and the relaxing evening. Whether you are listening to a podcast, watching a German television show, or simply walking down the street in Berlin, Vienna, or Zurich, 'Nachmittag' is a foundational vocabulary word that anchors the daily timeline.
- Social Plans
- Used constantly to arrange coffees, dates, or sports activities.
- Workplace
- Used for scheduling meetings and wishing colleagues a good day.
- Media
- Frequent in weather reports and event scheduling on TV/Radio.
Kommst du am Nachmittag auf einen Kaffee vorbei?
Das Meeting ist für heute Nachmittag angesetzt.
Am Nachmittag erwarten wir leichte Schauer.
Ich wünsche Ihnen einen schönen Nachmittag.
Der Nachmittagsfilm beginnt um 15 Uhr.
When learning the word Nachmittag, students frequently encounter a few specific stumbling blocks. The most common error is the incorrect use of prepositions. English speakers naturally want to say 'in the afternoon', which directly translates to 'in dem Nachmittag'. However, this is grammatically incorrect in German. The correct prepositional phrase is always 'am Nachmittag' (a contraction of 'an dem'). Another frequent mistake involves capitalization and compounding. When combining 'heute' (today) and 'Nachmittag', learners often write 'heute nachmittag' or 'Heute Nachmittag'. The correct form is 'heute Nachmittag' (adverb lowercase, noun capitalized). Furthermore, confusion arises between the noun 'der Nachmittag' and the adverb 'nachmittags'. If you are referring to a specific afternoon, use the noun (e.g., 'Der Nachmittag war schön'). If you are referring to a recurring habit that happens every afternoon, use the adverb (e.g., 'Ich arbeite nachmittags'). Using 'am nachmittags' is a double error, mixing the prepositional phrase for the noun with the adverbial form. Finally, learners sometimes struggle with the gender, mistakenly using 'das' or 'die' instead of the correct masculine article 'der', which throws off the entire sentence's case declension.
- Preposition Error
- Saying 'in dem Nachmittag' instead of the correct 'am Nachmittag'.
- Adverb vs Noun
- Confusing 'der Nachmittag' (specific) with 'nachmittags' (habitual).
- Capitalization
- Writing 'heute nachmittag' instead of 'heute Nachmittag'.
Falsch: In dem Nachmittag spiele ich Fußball.
Richtig: Am Nachmittag spiele ich Fußball.
Falsch: Ich lerne am nachmittags.
Richtig: Ich lerne nachmittags.
Richtig: Wir sehen uns heute Nachmittag.
To fully grasp Nachmittag, it is helpful to look at its place within the broader vocabulary of time in German. The day is divided into several segments: der Morgen (morning), der Vormittag (late morning/forenoon), der Mittag (noon), der Nachmittag (afternoon), der Abend (evening), and die Nacht (night). 'Vormittag' is the direct counterpart to 'Nachmittag', referring to the time before noon (roughly 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM). Understanding this relationship helps solidify the meaning of the prefix 'nach-' (after) versus 'vor-' (before). Another related concept is 'die Nachmittagsstunden', which translates to 'the afternoon hours' and is often used in formal contexts or literature to describe a duration of time. You might also encounter 'Spätnachmittag', meaning late afternoon, usually referring to the time between 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM, just before it transitions into 'Abend'. Expanding your vocabulary to include these variations allows for much more precise communication regarding time. Just like 'Nachmittag', all these times of day (except 'die Nacht') are masculine and use the preposition 'am' (am Morgen, am Vormittag, am Mittag, am Abend).
- der Vormittag
- The late morning or forenoon, the direct opposite of Nachmittag.
- der Spätnachmittag
- The late afternoon, specifically the hours just before evening.
- der Mittag
- Noon or midday, the anchor point that defines Vor- and Nachmittag.
Der Vormittag war stressig, aber der Nachmittag ist ruhig.
Wir treffen uns am Spätnachmittag gegen 17 Uhr.
Nach dem Mittagessen beginnt der Nachmittag.
Die Nachmittagssonne scheint warm durch das Fenster.
Er arbeitet von Vormittag bis Nachmittag.
How Formal Is It?
난이도
알아야 할 문법
Temporal prepositions (am, um, von... bis)
Capitalization of nouns
Compound nouns
Adverbs of time (heute, morgen, gestern)
Adverbial derivation with -s (nachmittags)
수준별 예문
Ich trinke am Nachmittag Tee.
I drink tea in the afternoon.
'am' is the contraction of 'an dem', required for times of day.
Guten Nachmittag!
Good afternoon! (Less common than Guten Tag, but understood)
A basic greeting, though 'Guten Tag' is more standard.
Der Nachmittag ist schön.
The afternoon is beautiful.
Nominative case, 'der' is the masculine definite article.
Wir spielen am Nachmittag.
We play in the afternoon.
Subject-verb-time structure.
Hast du am Nachmittag Zeit?
Do you have time in the afternoon?
Question structure with inverted subject and verb.
Am Nachmittag lerne ich.
In the afternoon I study.
Time element at the beginning forces the verb to the second position.
Er schläft am Nachmittag.
He sleeps in the afternoon.
Third-person singular conjugation of 'schlafen'.
Heute Nachmittag koche ich.
This afternoon I am cooking.
'heute Nachmittag' means 'this afternoon'.
Ich arbeite jeden Nachmittag im Garten.
I work in the garden every afternoon.
'jeden Nachmittag' uses the accusative case for time without a preposition.
Montagnachmittag gehe ich zum Arzt.
Monday afternoon I am going to the doctor.
Compound noun combining day and time of day.
Gestern Nachmittag habe ich einen Film gesehen.
Yesterday afternoon I watched a movie.
Perfekt tense used with a past time marker.
Wir treffen uns morgen Nachmittag um drei Uhr.
We are meeting tomorrow afternoon at three o'clock.
Combining 'morgen' (tomorrow) with 'Nachmittag'.
Nachmittags trinke ich immer Kaffee.
In the afternoons I always drink coffee.
'Nachmittags' with a lowercase 'n' and an 's' is an adverb meaning 'every afternoon'.
Der Unterricht endet am frühen Nachmittag.
The class ends in the early afternoon.
Adjective 'früh' declined in the dative case (frühen).
Was hast du am Sonntagnachmittag gemacht?
What did you do on Sunday afternoon?
Question in the Perfekt tense.
Ich bleibe den ganzen Nachmittag zu Hause.
I am staying home the whole afternoon.
'den ganzen Nachmittag' is accusative for duration.
Im Laufe des Nachmittags wird das Wetter besser.
Over the course of the afternoon, the weather will get better.
'Im Laufe des' requires the genitive case (des Nachmittags).
Wir haben den gesamten Nachmittag damit verbracht, das Haus zu putzen.
We spent the entire afternoon cleaning the house.
Infinitive clause with 'zu' attached to the main clause.
Gegen Nachmittag erwarte ich ein wichtiges Paket.
Towards the afternoon, I am expecting an important package.
'Gegen' used as a temporal preposition meaning 'around' or 'towards'.
Die Nachmittagsvorstellung im Kino ist meistens billiger.
The afternoon show at the cinema is usually cheaper.
Compound noun 'Nachmittagsvorstellung'.
Obwohl es schon Nachmittag war, fühlte ich mich noch müde.
Even though it was already afternoon, I still felt tired.
Subordinate clause with 'obwohl'.
Er hat mir versprochen, bis zum späten Nachmittag fertig zu sein.
He promised me to be finished by late afternoon.
'bis zum' requires the dative case (späten Nachmittag).
Die Kinder haben nachmittags oft verschiedene Freizeitaktivitäten.
The children often have various leisure activities in the afternoons.
Use of the adverb 'nachmittags' in a broader context.
Ich rufe dich heute Nachmittag an, sobald ich Zeit habe.
I will call you this afternoon as soon as I have time.
Temporal clause with 'sobald'.
Die Nachmittagssonne tauchte das Zimmer in ein warmes, goldenes Licht.
The afternoon sun bathed the room in a warm, golden light.
Poetic/descriptive use of a compound noun.
Aufgrund eines unerwarteten Zwischenfalls musste die Sitzung auf den späten Nachmittag verschoben werden.
Due to an unexpected incident, the meeting had to be postponed to the late afternoon.
Passive voice with a modal verb in the Präteritum.
Viele Arbeitnehmer erleben am frühen Nachmittag ein spürbares Leistungstief.
Many employees experience a noticeable slump in performance in the early afternoon.
Formal vocabulary (Leistungstief, Arbeitnehmer).
Es ist ratsam, schwere körperliche Arbeit nicht in den heißen Nachmittagsstunden zu verrichten.
It is advisable not to perform heavy physical labor during the hot afternoon hours.
Infinitive construction with 'es ist ratsam'.
Der Roman beschreibt detailliert einen endlos scheinenden, schwülen Sommernachmittag.
The novel describes in detail a seemingly endless, humid summer afternoon.
Extended participial adjective phrase (endlos scheinenden).
Wir haben uns darauf geeinigt, die Verhandlungen am darauffolgenden Nachmittag fortzusetzen.
We agreed to continue the negotiations on the following afternoon.
Reflexive verb 'sich einigen auf' with an infinitive clause.
Nachmittagsbetreuung für Schulkinder ist ein wichtiges politisches Thema geworden.
Afternoon care for schoolchildren has become an important political issue.
Complex compound noun acting as the subject.
Er pflegte des Nachmittags einen ausgedehnten Spaziergang zu machen.
He used to take an extended walk in the afternoon.
Elevated style using the genitive 'des Nachmittags' and the verb 'pflegen zu'.
Die melancholische Stimmung des späten Nachmittags spiegelte seine innere Zerrissenheit wider.
The melancholic mood of the late afternoon reflected his inner turmoil.
Separable verb 'widerspiegeln' used in a metaphorical context.
Angesichts der fortgeschrittenen Nachmittagsstunden beschlossen wir, die Debatte zu vertagen.
Given the advanced afternoon hours, we decided to adjourn the debate.
Preposition 'angesichts' requiring the genitive case.
Das nachmittägliche Licht verlieh der Szenerie eine fast unwirkliche Qualität.
The afternoon light gave the scenery an almost unreal quality.
Use of the derived adjective 'nachmittäglich'.
In der bürgerlichen Gesellschaft des 19. Jahrhunderts war der Nachmittag oft streng ritualisiert.
In the bourgeois society of the 19th century, the afternoon was often strictly ritualized.
Historical and sociological vocabulary.
Ein plötzliches Gewitter unterbrach die drückende Schwüle des sommerlichen Nachmittags.
A sudden thunderstorm interrupted the oppressive humidity of the summery afternoon.
Genitive attribute 'des sommerlichen Nachmittags'.
Die Veranstaltung zog sich bis weit in den Nachmittag hinein, was zu allgemeiner Erschöpfung führte.
The event dragged on well into the afternoon, which led to general exhaustion.
Directional phrase 'bis weit in den ... hinein'.
Er ist ein Verfechter der nachmittäglichen Siesta zur Steigerung der kognitiven Leistungsfähigkeit.
He is an advocate of the afternoon siesta for increasing cognitive performance.
Highly academic vocabulary and structure.
Das nachmittags ausgestrahlte Fernsehprogramm richtet sich primär an eine spezifische demografische Zielgruppe.
The television program broadcast in the afternoon is primarily aimed at a specific demographic target group.
Extended participial attribute 'Das nachmittags ausgestrahlte Fernsehprogramm'.
Der Autor evoziert meisterhaft die lähmende Langeweile eines provinziellen Sonntagnachmittags.
The author masterfully evokes the paralyzing boredom of a provincial Sunday afternoon.
Literary vocabulary (evozieren, lähmend, provinziell).
Es war einer jener flüchtigen Nachmittage, an denen die Zeit stillzustehen schien.
It was one of those fleeting afternoons when time seemed to stand still.
Poetic construction 'einer jener... an denen'.
Die nachmittägliche Kaffeetafel fungierte als Mikrokosmos familiärer Machtkämpfe.
The afternoon coffee table functioned as a microcosm of familial power struggles.
Sociological analysis terminology.
Man kann die sozioökonomischen Veränderungen auch an der Umstrukturierung des nachmittäglichen Zeitbudgets ablesen.
One can also read the socio-economic changes in the restructuring of the afternoon time budget.
Highly abstract, academic discourse.
In den späten Nachmittagsstunden verflüchtigte sich der anfängliche Enthusiasmus zusehends.
In the late afternoon hours, the initial enthusiasm visibly dissipated.
Sophisticated verb choice (sich verflüchtigen).
Das Dämmerlicht des schwindenden Nachmittags hüllte die Ruinen in einen Mantel des Vergessens.
The twilight of the fading afternoon wrapped the ruins in a cloak of oblivion.
Highly poetic and metaphorical language.
Die strikte Trennung von Vormittags- und Nachmittagsschichten war ein Relikt der frühen Industrialisierung.
The strict separation of morning and afternoon shifts was a relic of early industrialization.
Historical and industrial terminology.
Er kultivierte eine geradezu ostentative Müßiggang-Attitüde, besonders an sonnigen Nachmittagen.
He cultivated a downright ostentatious attitude of idleness, especially on sunny afternoons.
Use of foreign-derived academic words (ostentativ, Attitüde).
자주 쓰는 조합
자주 쓰는 구문
자주 혼동되는 단어
관용어 및 표현
혼동하기 쉬운
문장 패턴
사용법
Do not confuse 'heute Nachmittag' (this afternoon) with 'nachmittags' (in the afternoons generally).
- Saying 'in dem Nachmittag' instead of 'am Nachmittag'.
- Writing 'heute nachmittag' with a lowercase 'n'.
- Using 'das Nachmittag' instead of the correct masculine 'der Nachmittag'.
- Confusing 'Vormittag' (morning) with 'Nachmittag' (afternoon).
- Saying 'am nachmittags' (mixing the prepositional phrase and the adverb).
팁
Preposition 'am'
Always use 'am' with Nachmittag to say 'in the afternoon'.
Capitalization
As a noun, Nachmittag must always start with a capital 'N'.
Compound Words
Combine it with days: Sonntagnachmittag, Montagnachmittag.
Stress the Prefix
The emphasis is on the first syllable: NACH-mit-tag.
Kaffee und Kuchen
Associate the word with the German tradition of afternoon coffee and cake.
Adverbial Form
Add an 's' and make it lowercase (nachmittags) to mean 'every afternoon'.
This Afternoon
Use 'heute Nachmittag' for 'this afternoon', not 'diesen Nachmittag'.
Weather Reports
Listen for it in weather forecasts, as weather often changes 'am Nachmittag'.
Formal Emails
Use 'am Nachmittag' when proposing meeting times in business emails.
Literal Translation
Remember it literally means 'after' (nach) 'noon' (Mittag).
암기하기
기억법
Think of 'NACH' as 'Next After' and 'MITTAG' as 'Midday'. Next After Midday is the Nachmittag.
어원
Middle High German
문화적 맥락
'Schönen Nachmittag' is a polite, standard greeting or parting phrase used in both formal and informal contexts after 12:00 PM.
In some southern regions or Austria, the exact hours considered 'Nachmittag' might slightly vary, but generally, it is universally understood as 12 PM to 6 PM.
실생활에서 연습하기
실제 사용 상황
대화 시작하기
"Was hast du heute Nachmittag vor?"
"Hast du am Nachmittag Zeit für einen Kaffee?"
"Wie war dein Nachmittag?"
"Sollen wir uns morgen Nachmittag treffen?"
"Arbeitest du jeden Nachmittag?"
일기 주제
Beschreibe deinen perfekten Nachmittag.
Was hast du gestern Nachmittag gemacht?
Warum magst du den Nachmittag (nicht)?
Schreibe über die Tradition 'Kaffee und Kuchen' an einem Sonntagnachmittag.
Wie unterscheidet sich dein Nachmittag am Wochenende von einem Wochentag?
자주 묻는 질문
10 질문It is always 'am Nachmittag'. German uses the preposition 'an' (contracted with 'dem' to 'am') for days and parts of the day.
'Nachmittag' is a noun, and all nouns are capitalized in German. 'nachmittags' is an adverb describing a recurring time, and adverbs are lowercase.
You say 'heute Nachmittag'. Literally, it translates to 'today afternoon'.
The plural is 'die Nachmittage'. For example: 'Die Nachmittage im Sommer sind lang.'
Yes, you can create compound nouns like 'Montagnachmittag' (Monday afternoon) or 'Freitagnachmittag' (Friday afternoon).
Generally, it is the time between 12:00 PM (noon) and 6:00 PM (evening).
It means 'late afternoon', usually referring to the hours between 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM.
It is masculine: 'der Nachmittag'.
You say 'gestern Nachmittag'.
The direct opposite is 'der Vormittag', which means late morning or forenoon (roughly 9 AM to 12 PM).
셀프 테스트 180 질문
/ 180 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
The word 'Nachmittag' is essential for daily scheduling in German. Remember that it is a masculine noun, requires the preposition 'am' for specific times, and forms the basis of the cultural 'Kaffee und Kuchen' tradition.
- Refers to the time of day between 12:00 PM and approximately 6:00 PM.
- Always a masculine noun (der Nachmittag) and capitalized in written German.
- Use the prepositional phrase 'am Nachmittag' to express 'in the afternoon'.
- Can be combined with days of the week, like 'Sonntagnachmittag' (Sunday afternoon).
Preposition 'am'
Always use 'am' with Nachmittag to say 'in the afternoon'.
Capitalization
As a noun, Nachmittag must always start with a capital 'N'.
Compound Words
Combine it with days: Sonntagnachmittag, Montagnachmittag.
Stress the Prefix
The emphasis is on the first syllable: NACH-mit-tag.
예시
Am Nachmittag gehe ich spazieren.
관련 콘텐츠
general 관련 단어
ab
A1〜부터. '내일부터 공부할 거야.' (Ab morgen werde ich lernen.)
abends
A2저녁에 / 저녁마다. '저녁에 책을 읽어요.'
aber
A1'aber'는 영어의 'but'에 해당하는 단어로, '하지만' 또는 '그러나'라는 뜻입니다.
abgelegen
B1remote
ablehnen
A2제안이나 초대를 거절하다. 그녀는 그의 초대를 거절했다.
abschließen
A2열쇠로 잠그다. 학업을 마치거나 계약을 체결하다.
abseits
A2abseits는 주요 장소나 평소 다니는 길에서 떨어진 곳에 있다는 뜻이에요.
acht
A1숫자 8 (여덟).
Achte
A1여덟 번째 (서수).
achten
A2주의를 기울이다 (auf와 함께) 또는 존경하다.