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How to Say ‘What time is it?’ in German

Wie spät ist es?

VEE shpeht ist es

[VEE shpeht ist es]

💬 Usage Tip: Literally "how late is it?". spät is the normal way to ask the time, not a hint that it's late.

Phrase Breakdown

Wie spät

VEE shpeht

How late

'Wie' sounds like 'vee'. 'spät' sounds like 'shpayt', because 'sp' at the start of a word is said 'shp'.

Example

Wie spät kommst du?

How late are you coming?

Words in this phrase

Wie

[VEE]

how

In what way or manner.

Example

Wie geht es dir?

How are you?

spät

[shpeht]

late

After the expected or usual time.

Example

Es ist spät am Abend.

It is late in the evening.

ist es?

ist es

is it?

Completes the question 'What time is it?'. Raise your voice slightly at the end.

Example

Wie kalt ist es?

How cold is it?

Words in this phrase

ist

[ist]

A form of the verb 'sein' used for singular subjects.

Example

Für viele Bewerber Ist ein gutes Teamklima entscheidend.

For many applicants, a good team climate is crucial.

[es]

A neutral pronoun used to refer to a thing previously mentioned.

Example

Es ist ein schöner Tag.

It is a beautiful day.

Guides for German learners

Duolingo vs Pimsleur: Tapping on a Screen or Talking Out Loud?Duolingo vs Pimsleur: five minutes of tapping versus thirty minutes of speaking. What each is good at, what each costs, and which to pick for your goal.

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