Time expressions in German are essential for communicating when an action takes place. They can indicate the past, present, or future, and understanding how to use them correctly will improve both your comprehension and speaking skills. This lesson will cover various types of time expressions and how to use them in sentences.
What You Will Learn
- The different types of time expressions in German.
- How to position time expressions in sentences.
- Common phrases for days, weeks, months, and years.
- Using prepositions with time expressions.
- Practice exercises to master time expressions.
1. Types of Time Expressions
1.1 Specific Points in Time
These expressions refer to specific times, dates, or events:
| German | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| heute | today | Ich arbeite heute. (I am working today.) |
| morgen | tomorrow | Wir gehen morgen ins Kino. (We are going to the cinema tomorrow.) |
| gestern | yesterday | Er war gestern hier. (He was here yesterday.) |
| um 8 Uhr | at 8 o’clock | Der Zug kommt um 8 Uhr. (The train arrives at 8 o’clock.) |
| am Montag | on Monday | Am Montag habe ich einen Termin. (I have an appointment on Monday.) |
| im Juli | in July | Wir fahren im Juli nach Italien. (We are traveling to Italy in July.) |
| letztes Jahr | last year | Ich habe letztes Jahr Deutsch gelernt. (I learned German last year.) |
| nächstes Jahr | next year | Nächstes Jahr machen wir Urlaub. (We are going on vacation next year.) |
1.2 Duration
These expressions describe how long something lasts or lasted:
| German | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| eine Stunde | an hour | Wir haben eine Stunde gewartet. (We waited for an hour.) |
| zwei Wochen | two weeks | Ich bleibe zwei Wochen in Berlin. (I’m staying in Berlin for two weeks.) |
| einen Monat | a month | Sie arbeitet seit einem Monat hier. (She has been working here for a month.) |
| vier Jahre | four years | Er studiert seit vier Jahren. (He has been studying for four years.) |
1.3 Frequency
These expressions indicate how often something happens:
| German | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| jeden Tag | every day | Ich gehe jeden Tag joggen. (I go jogging every day.) |
| einmal pro Woche | once a week | Wir treffen uns einmal pro Woche. (We meet once a week.) |
| manchmal | sometimes | Manchmal lese ich Bücher. (Sometimes I read books.) |
| selten | rarely | Ich esse selten Fast Food. (I rarely eat fast food.) |
| nie | never | Er kommt nie zu spät. (He is never late.) |
2. Positioning Time Expressions in Sentences
German follows the Time-Manner-Place (TMP) rule for sentence structure when multiple elements are present. The time expression comes before manner (how) and place (where).
Examples:
- Ich gehe morgen mit meinem Freund ins Kino. (I am going to the cinema tomorrow with my friend.)
- Time: morgen
- Manner: mit meinem Freund
- Place: ins Kino
- Wir haben letztes Jahr in Italien Urlaub gemacht. (We went on vacation in Italy last year.)
- Time: letztes Jahr
- Place: in Italien
3. Common Phrases for Days, Weeks, Months, and Years
Days of the Week
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Montag | Monday |
| Dienstag | Tuesday |
| Mittwoch | Wednesday |
| Donnerstag | Thursday |
| Freitag | Friday |
| Samstag/Sonnabend | Saturday |
| Sonntag | Sunday |
Example:
- Am Freitag habe ich frei. (I am off on Friday.)
Months of the Year
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Januar | January |
| Februar | February |
| März | March |
| April | April |
| Mai | May |
| Juni | June |
| Juli | July |
| August | August |
| September | September |
| Oktober | October |
| November | November |
| Dezember | December |
Example:
- Ich bin im Dezember geboren. (I was born in December.)
4. Prepositions with Time Expressions
Different prepositions are used with time expressions depending on the context.
Prepositions and Their Usage
| Preposition | Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|
| am | for days and parts of the day | Am Montag gehe ich schwimmen. (On Monday, I go swimming.) |
| um | for specific times | Der Bus kommt um 9 Uhr. (The bus arrives at 9 o’clock.) |
| im | for months, seasons, or years | Im Sommer fahren wir ans Meer. (In summer, we go to the sea.) |
| seit | for actions starting in the past and continuing | Ich lerne seit einem Jahr Deutsch. (I have been learning German for a year.) |
| ab | for actions starting in the future | Ab nächster Woche arbeite ich hier. (From next week, I will work here.) |
| bis | until | Ich bleibe bis morgen. (I am staying until tomorrow.) |
5. Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
Complete the sentences with appropriate time expressions:
- Ich gehe ________ (on Monday) ins Fitnessstudio.
- Wir bleiben ________ (for two weeks) in Österreich.
- Der Film beginnt ________ (at 8 o’clock).
- ________ (Last year) haben wir ein Haus gekauft.
Exercise 2: Translate the Sentences
Translate the following sentences into German:
- I will visit my parents next weekend.
- She has been working here since last month.
- We are going on vacation in July.
- The train leaves at 7 o’clock.
Exercise 3: Correct the Word Order
Rewrite these sentences with the correct positioning of the time expression:
- Wir gehen ins Kino morgen.
- Ich habe meine Hausaufgaben gemacht gestern.
- Er fährt nach Berlin nächste Woche.
Exercise 4: Match the Preposition
Match the correct preposition to the time expression:
- ________ Montag
- ________ 9 Uhr
- ________ Sommer
- ________ einem Jahr
a) um
b) seit
c) am
d) im
Summary
In this lesson, you learned:
- Common German time expressions and their meanings.
- How to position time expressions correctly in sentences.
- The use of prepositions with time expressions.
- Days, months, and time-related vocabulary to expand your skills.
Homework
- Write 5 sentences describing your plans for next week using different time expressions.
- Translate a short paragraph about your daily routine into German, incorporating time expressions.
- Listen to a short German podcast or video and note any time expressions you hear.