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Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn how to tell time in Dutch with essential expressions like 'Kwart over', 'Half', and 'Kwart voor'. Understand how to ask 'Hoe laat is het?' and respond naturally using 'Het is...'. This beginner-level lesson explains Dutch time phrases, highlighting differences from English, to help you master everyday time-telling conversations.
  1. Asking about the time with 'Hoe laat is het?'.
  2. Say the time with 'Het is...' followed by the time.
TijdNederlandse uitdrukking
12:00Het is twaalf uur
12:05Het is vijf over twaalf
12:10Het is tien over twaalf
12:15Het is kwart over twaalf
12:30Het is half één
12:45Het is kwart voor één
12:50Het is tien voor één
12:55Het is vijf voor één

Exceptions!

  1. For 'quarter past' and 'quarter to', use the nearest hour.

Exercise 1: Hoe zeg je de tijd?

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

half drie, vijf voor twaalf, kwart voor vijf, tien over twee, vier uur, tien voor vier, half acht

1. 14:10:
De afspraak is om ... in de middag.
(The appointment is at ten past two in the afternoon.)
2. 16:00:
Het is ... en de les is afgelopen.
(It is four o'clock and the lesson is over.)
3. 16:45:
Om ... begint de film.
(The film starts at quarter to five.)
4. 11:55:
Het is nu ..., bijna tijd voor lunch.
(It is now five to twelve, almost time for lunch.)
5. 15:50:
Mijn vlucht vertrekt om ....
(My flight leaves at ten to four.)
6. 14:30:
We vertrekken om ... naar het feest.
(We are leaving at half past two for the party.)
7. 7:30:
De trein vertrekt om ... 's ochtends.
(The train departs at half past seven in the morning.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Hoe laat is het? Het is ______.

(What time is it? It is ______.)

2. Hoe laat is het? Het is ______.

(What time is it? It is ______.)

3. Hoe laat is het? Het is ______.

(What time is it? It is ______.)

4. Hoe laat is het? Het is ______.

(What time is it? It is ______.)

5. Hoe laat is het? Het is ______.

(What time is it? It is ______.)

6. Hoe laat is het? Het is ______.

(What time is it? It is ______.)

How to Tell Time in Dutch

This lesson focuses on learning how to tell and express time in Dutch, suitable for beginners (A1 level). You will become familiar with common phrases and vocabulary used to ask and state the time, such as "Hoe laat is het?" (What time is it?) and responding with "Het is..." (It is...).

Key Expressions for Telling Time

  • twaalf uur – twelve o'clock
  • vijf over twaalf – five past twelve
  • kwart over twaalf – quarter past twelve
  • half één – half past twelve (literally, half to one)
  • kwart voor één – quarter to one
  • vijf voor één – five minutes to one

Understanding Dutch Time Expressions

Unlike English, Dutch uses expressions like "kwart over" (quarter past), "kwart voor" (quarter to), and "half" followed by the next hour to describe the time. For example, "half één" means 12:30, or literally ‘half to one’, which may seem inverted compared to English.

Useful Practice Tips

Practice responding to the question "Hoe laat is het?" using the structures you learn here. Pay special attention to how the nearest hour changes after "kwart voor" and "kwart over". Listening to native pronunciation of these phrases will also help contextualize the usage.

Additional Notes on Dutch Time Format

In Dutch, it's common to say the near hour after “quarter to” and “quarter past,” unlike English, where you say the current hour. For example, 12:45 is "kwart voor één" (quarter to one), not "kwart voor twaalf". The phrase "half" refers to the half hour before the upcoming hour, which is different from English "half past".

Practice phrases like:

  • Hoe laat is het? Het is kwart over twaalf.
  • Hoe laat is het? Het is half één.
  • Hoe laat is het? Het is kwart voor één.

This foundation will help you confidently tell and understand time in Dutch conversations.

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This content has been designed and reviewed by the coLanguage pedagogical team: About coLanguage

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Kato De Paepe

Business and languages

KdG University of Applied Sciences and Arts Antwerp

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Last Updated:

Monday, 07/07/2025 16:54