Conceito novo
Viertel, halb — and the big trap
In conversation, Germans mostly use the 12-hour clock with nach (past), vor (to), Viertel (quarter) and halb (half):
| Clock | German |
|---|---|
| 8:00 | acht (Uhr) |
| 8:05 | fünf nach acht |
| 8:15 | Viertel nach acht |
| 8:30 | halb neun |
| 8:45 | Viertel vor neun |
| 8:50 | zehn vor neun |
| 12:00 | Mittag — and midnight is Mitternacht |
The trap: halb neun means halfway to nine — 8:30. German counts towards the coming hour.
British English is the exact opposite: half nine means 9:30. So halb neun and half nine sound alike but sit an hour apart — a classic way to miss a train.