Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn key German time adverbs like jetzt, heute, morgen, and question words wann and wie lange. Understand their usage and sentence placement to improve everyday communication at A1 level.
  1. Time adverbs come after the verb or at the beginning of the sentence.
  2. Question adverbs like Wann and Wie lange are placed at the beginning of the sentence.
Adverb (Adverb)Beispiel (Example)
Jetzt (now)Ich lese jetzt ein Buch.
Heute (Today)Wir malen heute ein Gemälde.
Morgen (Tomorrow)Ich gehe morgen ins Kino.
Dann (then)Wir hören dann Musik.
Wann (When)Wann triffst du deinen Freund?
Bald (soon)Er wird bald wieder fotografieren.
Wie lange (How long)Wie lange spielst du schon ein Instrument?

Exercise 1: Wichtige Zeitadverbien für den Alltag

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

Wann, Morgen, Heute, heute, jetzt, Wie lange

1.
... zeichnest du pro Tag?
(How long do you draw per day?)
2.
... spielst du schon Klavier?
(How long have you been playing the piano?)
3.
Ich muss ... wirklich schlafen gehen, weil ich sehr müde bin.
(I really have to go to bed now because I am very tired.)
4.
... gehen wir zusammen in die Bibliothek. Heute ist sie geschlossen.
(Tomorrow we will go to the library together. Today it is closed.)
5.
Ich muss ... zur Bibliothek gehen, um ein Buch zu holen. Sonst ist es zu spät.
(I have to go to the library now to get a book. Otherwise, it will be too late.)
6.
... ist der perfekte Tag, um einen Film zu schauen. Es soll den ganzen Tag regnen.
(Today is the perfect day to watch a film. It is supposed to rain all day.)
7.
... bist du mit deinem Freund verabredet?
(When are you meeting your boyfriend?)
8.
Wir sollten ... Zeit mit der Familie verbringen. Morgen reist sie nämlich ab.
(We should spend time with the family today. She is leaving tomorrow.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Ich spiele ____ Gitarre.

(I am playing ____ guitar.)

2. ____ treffe ich meine Freunde im Park.

(____ I will meet my friends in the park.)

3. Ich male ____ ein Bild.

(I am painting ____ a picture.)

4. ____ besuchst du den Kurs?

(____ do you attend the course?)

5. Ich höre ____ Musik, wenn ich zu Hause bin.

(I listen to ____ music, when I am at home.)

6. ____ lernst du schon Deutsch?

(____ have you been learning German?)

Important Time Adverbs for Daily Life

This lesson introduces essential German time adverbs that are frequently used in everyday conversations. You will learn how to express moments in time, such as "jetzt" (now), "heute" (today), "morgen" (tomorrow), and other common adverbs like "dann" (then), "bald" (soon), as well as question adverbs including "wann" (when) and "wie lange" (how long).

Using Time Adverbs Correctly

In German, time adverbs typically follow the verb or can be placed at the beginning of the sentence to highlight the time aspect. For example, "Ich lese jetzt ein Buch" means "I am reading a book now." Question adverbs like "Wann" and "Wie lange" always start the question sentence.

Examples to Remember

  • Jetzt: Ich spiele jetzt Gitarre. (I play guitar now.)
  • Heute: Ich male heute ein Bild. (I am painting a picture today.)
  • Morgen: Morgen treffe ich meine Freunde im Park. (Tomorrow I meet my friends in the park.)
  • Dann: Ich höre dann Musik, wenn ich zu Hause bin. (I listen to music then when I am at home.)
  • Bald: Er wird bald wieder fotografieren. (He will soon take photographs again.)
  • Wann: Wann besuchst du den Kurs? (When do you attend the course?)
  • Wie lange: Wie lange lernst du schon Deutsch? (How long have you been learning German?)

Comparison with English Time Adverbs

German time adverbs are similar to English in meaning but often differ in position within the sentence. While English often puts time expressions at the end or beginning, German placement can be more flexible but usually comes immediately after the verb or at the sentence start for emphasis. The question words like "wann" and "wie lange" appear at the start in German, as in English.

Useful phrases include: "jetzt" (now), "heute" (today), "morgen" (tomorrow), "dann" (then), "wann?" (when?), and "wie lange?" (how long?). Understanding their placement helps you structure clear and natural sentences.

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Sophie Schmidt

International Administration Management

Würzburger Dolmetscherschule

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Last Updated:

Monday, 14/07/2025 20:29