Learning numbers, time, and dates in German is a key part of A1 German. These basics help you talk about your daily routine, understand appointments, and communicate clearly in everyday situations.

If you are completely new to German, it’s best to first build a foundation with A1 German basics for beginners before focusing on numbers and time.

Why Numbers, Time and Dates Matter at A1 Level

At A1 level, learners should be able to:

• Talk about schedules and routines
• Say when something happens
• Understand simple dates and times

These skills are essential for everyday communication and also appear frequently in beginner lessons and exams.

German Numbers 0–20 (A1)

Start by learning numbers from 0 to 20. These numbers appear very often in daily life.

Number	German
0	null
1	eins
2	zwei
3	drei
4	vier
5	fünf
6	sechs
7	sieben
8	acht
9	neun
10	zehn
11	elf
12	zwölf
13	dreizehn
14	vierzehn
15	fünfzehn
16	sechzehn
17	siebzehn
18	achtzehn
19	neunzehn
20	zwanzig

📌 Tip: Numbers from 13 to 19 usually end in -zehn.

German Numbers 21–100 (A1)

German numbers follow a clear pattern.

Structure:

one + und + twenty/thirty/etc.

Examples:

• 21 → einundzwanzig
• 34 → vierunddreißig
• 58 → achtundfünfzig

Number	German
30	dreißig
40	vierzig
50	fünfzig
60	sechzig
70	siebzig
80	achtzig
90	neunzig
100	hundert

Learning this structure helps you understand many numbers quickly.

How to Tell the Time in German (A1)

At A1 level, you should focus on official clock time.

Using „um“ for time

Use um before the time.

Examples:

• Ich arbeite um acht Uhr.
• Der Kurs beginnt um neun Uhr.

Understanding time expressions is especially useful when talking about your A1 German daily routine vocabulary.

Half Hours in German

German uses halb differently from English.

Time	German
2:30	halb drei
7:30	halb acht

📌 halb drei means half to three, not half past three.

Quarter Hours and Everyday Time in German (A1)

In everyday German, people often talk about time in a natural way, especially when describing A1 German daily routine vocabulary such as work, meals, or free time.

Quarter Hours

• 7:15 → Viertel nach sieben
• 7:45 → Viertel vor acht

Example:

Der Kurs beginnt um Viertel nach neun.

Shortly Before and Shortly After

German also uses kurz vor (shortly before) and kurz nach (shortly after). These expressions fit easily into simple German sentence structure.

Examples:

• 7:55 → kurz vor acht
• 8:05 → kurz nach acht

Useful Time Expressions (A1)

German	English
am Morgen	in the morning
am Nachmittag	in the afternoon
am Abend	in the evening
in der Nacht	at night
heute	today
morgen	tomorrow
jetzt	now

Official Time vs Spoken Time (A1)

Understanding different ways of telling time is part of A1 German basics for beginners.

Official Time (24-hour clock)

• 20:00 → zwanzig Uhr

Used for schedules and appointments.

Spoken Time (12-hour clock + time of day)

Germans often say:

• 20:00 → acht Uhr abends
• 15:00 → drei Uhr nachmittags

So:

acht Uhr abends = zwanzig Uhr

Time expressions like these are often used together with numbers and clock times in everyday German.
To practise them more, see A1 German vocabulary by topic.

Days of the Week in German

All days of the week use der Tag.

German	English
Montag	Monday
Dienstag	Tuesday
Mittwoch	Wednesday
Donnerstag	Thursday
Freitag	Friday
Samstag	Saturday
Sonntag	Sunday

Example:

Ich arbeite am Montag.

Months of the Year in German (A1)

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

How to Say Dates in German

Basic structure:

am + ordinal number + month

Example:

• am dritten Mai

Dates are often written like this:

• 03.05.2026

These expressions follow the same simple German sentence structure used throughout A1.

Talking About Appointments (A1 Examples)

• Der Termin ist am Montag.
• Ich habe am Freitag frei.
• Der Kurs beginnt um zehn Uhr.

These short sentences are typical for beginner-level communication.

Practice Section

✍️ Exercise 1: Write the Number in German

1. 12
2. 25
3. 47

Answers:

1. zwölf
2. fünfundzwanzig
3. siebenundvierzig

✍️ Exercise 2: Translate into German

1. I work at seven o’clock.
2. The course is on Monday.
3. I sleep at ten o’clock.

Possible answers:

1. Ich arbeite um sieben Uhr.
2. Der Kurs ist am Montag.
3. Ich schlafe um zehn Uhr.

If you want more practice like this, try A1 German practice exercises.

Common Beginner Mistakes

• Forgetting um before the time
• Confusing halb
• Translating English time logic directly

Practising regularly helps avoid these mistakes.

Final Thoughts

Numbers, time, and dates are essential building blocks at A1 level. Once you master them, you can talk about your routine, plans, and appointments with confidence.

If you are still at the beginning of your learning journey, return to A1 German basics for beginners to strengthen your foundation before moving on to higher levels.