Meaning
A common question to ask for the current time.
Cultural Background
Germans often use the 24-hour clock for appointments. If someone says 'Es ist 15 Uhr', they mean 3 PM. In Switzerland, punctuality is even more strictly observed than in Germany. Asking the time is often a prelude to apologizing for being 30 seconds late. Austrians might use 'Wie viel Uhr haben wir?' more frequently than North Germans.
Use 'Entschuldigung'
Always start with 'Entschuldigung' if asking a stranger to be polite.
Uhr vs. Stunde
Never say 'Wie viel Stunde'. It's a dead giveaway that you're translating from English.
Meaning
A common question to ask for the current time.
Use 'Entschuldigung'
Always start with 'Entschuldigung' if asking a stranger to be polite.
Uhr vs. Stunde
Never say 'Wie viel Stunde'. It's a dead giveaway that you're translating from English.
Test Yourself
Fill in the missing word to ask for the time.
Wie ____ Uhr ist es?
'Wie viel' is the standard quantifier for time in this phrase.
Which of these is a natural way to ask for the time?
Select the correct sentence:
This is the standard idiomatic expression.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Entschuldigung, ____? B: Es ist zwei Uhr.
The answer 'Es ist zwei Uhr' indicates a time question was asked.
Match the phrase to the context.
You are at a train station and your phone is dead.
You need to know the time for your train.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Time Vocabulary
Devices
- • {die|f} Armbanduhr
- • {die|f} Wanduhr
Concepts
- • {die|f} Zeit
- • {die|f} Verspätung
Practice Bank
4 exercisesWie ____ Uhr ist es?
'Wie viel' is the standard quantifier for time in this phrase.
Select the correct sentence:
This is the standard idiomatic expression.
A: Entschuldigung, ____? B: Es ist zwei Uhr.
The answer 'Es ist zwei Uhr' indicates a time question was asked.
You are at a train station and your phone is dead.
You need to know the time for your train.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
6 questionsYes, both are 100% correct and used equally often.
Because 'Uhr' is treated as an uncountable concept of time in this specific phrase.
In casual speech, people usually use 1-12. In official contexts, use 0-23.
Yes, all nouns in German are capitalized.
It is feminine: {die|f} Uhr.
In very informal settings, yes, but 'ist es' makes it a complete sentence.
Related Phrases
Wie spät ist es?
synonymHow late is it?
Um wie viel Uhr?
builds onAt what time?
Die Uhr schlägt.
similarThe clock strikes.
