Learn Dutch Time Words: Essential Vocabulary Guide
When you learn Dutch time expressions, you unlock the ability to schedule meetings, make plans, and navigate daily life in the Netherlands. This comprehensive guide covers everything from telling the clock to discussing seasons and duration.
Essential Time Vocabulary
These core time words form the foundation for any conversation about when things happen. Mastering these basics will help you learn Dutch time concepts quickly and effectively.
| Word | Pronunciation | English | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| de tijd | duh tite | the time | De tijd vliegt voorbij. (Time flies by.) |
| het uur | het oor | the hour | Het duurt één uur. (It takes one hour.) |
| de minuut | duh mee-noot | the minute | Wacht even een minuut. (Wait a minute.) |
| de seconde | duh seh-kon-duh | the second | Het duurde maar een seconde. (It only took a second.) |
| de dag | duh dahkh | the day | Welke dag is het vandaag? (What day is it today?) |
| de week | duh wayk | the week | Volgende week ga ik op vakantie. (Next week I'm going on holiday.) |
| de maand | duh mahnt | the month | Deze maand is erg druk. (This month is very busy.) |
| het jaar | het yahr | the year | Gelukkig nieuwjaar! (Happy New Year!) |
| vandaag | vahn-dahkh | today | Vandaag is het mooi weer. (Today the weather is nice.) |
| morgen | mor-khuh | tomorrow | Tot morgen! (See you tomorrow!) |
| gisteren | khis-tuh-ruh | yesterday | Gisteren was ik ziek. (Yesterday I was sick.) |
| nu | noo | now | Ik moet nu gaan. (I have to go now.) |
| later | lah-ter | later | We praten later wel. (We'll talk later.) |
| vroeg | vrookh | early | Ik sta altijd vroeg op. (I always get up early.) |
| laat | laht | late | Sorry, ik ben te laat. (Sorry, I'm late.) |
| 's ochtends | sokh-tunts | in the morning | 's Ochtends drink ik koffie. (In the morning I drink coffee.) |
| 's middags | smih-dahkhs | in the afternoon | 's Middags ga ik wandelen. (In the afternoon I go walking.) |
| 's avonds | sah-vonts | in the evening | 's Avonds kijk ik televisie. (In the evening I watch television.) |
| 's nachts | snakhts | at night | 's Nachts slaap ik. (At night I sleep.) |
Common Time Phrases
These everyday expressions will help you discuss schedules, make appointments, and talk about when events occur.
| Phrase | Pronunciation | English | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hoe laat is het? | hoo laht is ut | What time is it? | Excuse me, hoe laat is het? |
| Het is drie uur. | het is dree oor | It is three o'clock. | Het is precies drie uur. (It's exactly three o'clock.) |
| half vier | hahf feer | half past three (3:30) | We ontmoeten om half vier. (We meet at half past three.) |
| kwart over | kwahrt oh-ver | quarter past | Het is kwart over twee. (It's quarter past two.) |
| kwart voor | kwahrt fohr | quarter to | Het is kwart voor vijf. (It's quarter to five.) |
| over een uur | oh-ver un oor | in an hour | De trein vertrekt over een uur. (The train leaves in an hour.) |
| een uur geleden | un oor khuh-lay-dun | an hour ago | Hij belde een uur geleden. (He called an hour ago.) |
| op tijd | op tite | on time | De bus is altijd op tijd. (The bus is always on time.) |
| de hele dag | duh hay-luh dahkh | all day | Ik heb de hele dag gewerkt. (I worked all day.) |
| elke dag | el-kuh dahkh | every day | Ik sport elke dag. (I exercise every day.) |
Usage Notes
Understanding Dutch time-telling conventions is essential when you learn Dutch time expressions, as they differ significantly from English.
- Half hours work differently: In Dutch, half vier means 3:30, not 4:30. The Dutch express half hours as "half toward" the next hour. This catches many learners off guard!
- The 24-hour clock is common: Official times (train schedules, appointments, TV listings) use the 24-hour format. Veertien uur (14:00) is standard, though casual speech often uses the 12-hour format.
- The apostrophe in time expressions: Words like 's ochtends, 's middags, and 's avonds use an apostrophe representing the old genitive des. This is a remnant of older Dutch grammar.
- Minutes before and after: For times like 2:10, Dutch speakers say tien over twee (ten past two). For 2:50, they say tien voor drie (ten to three).
- Punctuality matters: Dutch culture values being on time. Arriving late without notice is considered impolite. The expression op tijd komen (to arrive on time) reflects this cultural value.
- Days and months are not capitalized: Unlike English, Dutch does not capitalize days of the week (maandag, dinsdag) or months (januari, februari).
Practice Sentences
Use these sentences to practice Dutch time vocabulary in context. Try reading them aloud and creating your own variations.
- Hoe laat begint de film? — What time does the movie start?
- De winkel sluit om zes uur. — The shop closes at six o'clock.
- Ik heb over twintig minuten een vergadering. — I have a meeting in twenty minutes.
- Vorige week was ik in Amsterdam. — Last week I was in Amsterdam.
- We eten 's avonds om half zeven. — We eat in the evening at half past six.
- Het duurt ongeveer twee uur om daar te komen. — It takes about two hours to get there.
- Mijn verjaardag is volgende maand. — My birthday is next month.
- Ik werk van maandag tot vrijdag. — I work from Monday to Friday.
- De trein vertrekt om kwart over negen. — The train departs at quarter past nine.
- Hoelang duurt de les? — How long does the lesson last?
- Ik ben hier al drie jaar. — I have been here for three years already.
- Gisteravond heb ik een boek gelezen. — Last night I read a book.