Meaning
Asking for the current time.
Cultural Background
Punctuality is a sign of respect. Arriving 5-10 minutes early is better than 1 minute late. The 24-hour clock is used for all official schedules, but people speak in 12-hour format. It is common to ask strangers for the time, especially older people who might not use smartphones. Time is often described in relation to the next hour (e.g., 'half of the eighth' for 7:30).
Use 'Dabar'
Adding 'dabar' (now) makes you sound more natural: 'Kelinta dabar valanda?'
Avoid 'Koks laikas'
Even though it sounds like English, no Lithuanian says 'Koks laikas?' to ask for the time.
Meaning
Asking for the current time.
Use 'Dabar'
Adding 'dabar' (now) makes you sound more natural: 'Kelinta dabar valanda?'
Avoid 'Koks laikas'
Even though it sounds like English, no Lithuanian says 'Koks laikas?' to ask for the time.
The 'Pusė' Rule
Lithuanians say 'half of the next hour'. 8:30 is 'pusė devintos' (half of the ninth).
Politeness
Always start with 'Atsiprašau' (Excuse me) when asking a stranger.
Test Yourself
How do you ask a stranger for the time politely?
Atsiprašau, _______ valanda?
'Kelinta' is the correct feminine ordinal form used with 'valanda'.
Complete the sentence to ask 'What time is it now?'
Kelinta ______ valanda?
'Dabar' means 'now', making the question 'What time is it now?'.
Match the Lithuanian phrase with its English meaning.
Match the pairs
These are the standard translations for time-related inquiries.
Fill in the missing part of the dialogue.
A: Atsiprašau, ar žinote, kelinta valanda? B: Taip, dabar yra _______ valanda.
The answer to 'Kelinta' must be an ordinal number in the nominative feminine form.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesAtsiprašau, _______ valanda?
'Kelinta' is the correct feminine ordinal form used with 'valanda'.
Kelinta ______ valanda?
'Dabar' means 'now', making the question 'What time is it now?'.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
These are the standard translations for time-related inquiries.
A: Atsiprašau, ar žinote, kelinta valanda? B: Taip, dabar yra _______ valanda.
The answer to 'Kelinta' must be an ordinal number in the nominative feminine form.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
12 questionsIt is neutral and can be used in any situation.
Yes, it is very common in spoken Lithuanian and means the same thing.
Use an ordinal number: 'Pirma' (1st), 'Antra' (2nd), etc.
You say 'Pusė šešių' (Half of the sixth).
No, you can just say 'Dabar penkta' (It's five now).
Because 'valanda' is a feminine noun.
Change it to 'Kelintą valandą?'.
Rarely. People usually say 'septinta vakaro' instead of 'devyniolikta valanda'.
It can mean 'What time is it?' or 'How much time?'.
Lygiai penkta valanda.
Yes, it's a very normal social interaction in Lithuania.
Saying 'Koks laikas?' which is a literal translation.
Related Phrases
Kiek valandų?
similarHow many hours? / What time is it?
Kelintą valandą?
builds onAt what time?
Kiek laiko?
similarHow much time?
Laikas eiti
relatedTime to go
Vėluoti
contrastTo be late
