⏳💲📊

How to Say ‘The waiting time is charged according to the tariff’ in German

Die Wartezeit wird nach Tarif berechnet

dee VAR-teh-tsyte virt nahkh ta-REEF be-REKH-net

[dee VAR-teh-tsyte virt nahkh ta-REEF be-REKH-net]

🇩🇪 In Germany: German taxi fares are set by the city, including a charge for time spent waiting or stuck in traffic. Drivers can't just invent a price, so pointing to the tariff is a real argument.

Phrase Breakdown

Die Wartezeit

dee VAR-teh-tsyte

The waiting time

A compound of 'warten' (to wait) and 'Zeit' (time). The 'z' sounds like 'ts'.

Example

Die Wartezeit ist lang.

The waiting time is long.

Words in this phrase

Die

[dee]

the

Definite article used to specify something already known.

Example

Die Katze ist süß.

The cat is cute.

Wartezeit

[VAR-teh-tsyte]

waiting time

Time spent waiting; feminine noun.

Example

Die Wartezeit ist kurz.

The waiting time is short.

wird nach Tarif berechnet

virt nahkh ta-REEF be-REKH-net

is charged according to the rate

This is passive voice: 'wird' plus a past participle. 'Nach Tarif' means 'according to the fixed rate'.

Example

Der Preis wird nach Gewicht berechnet.

The price is calculated by weight.

Words in this phrase

wird

[virt]

is (passive)

Form of 'werden' building the passive voice.

Example

Das Essen wird gekocht.

The food is being cooked.

nach

[nahkh]

according to

Means 'based on' here.

Example

Wir zahlen nach Stunden.

We pay by the hour.

Tarif

[ta-REEF]

tariff; rate

Official price scale.

Example

Der Tarif ist nachts höher.

The rate is higher at night.

berechnet

[be-REKH-net]

calculated; charged

Past participle of 'berechnen'.

Example

Die Fahrt wird pro Kilometer berechnet.

The ride is charged per kilometer.

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.

Get the Full Learning Experience

This lesson is just a preview. Download PrettyFluent to practice pronunciation, roleplay conversations, and master vocabulary with spaced repetition.

Pronunciation Feedback

AI-powered feedback on what you say out loud

Spaced Repetition

Retain vocabulary long-term with smart practice

Immersive Roleplaying

Practice real conversations with AI partners

Lessons for Your Situation

Request lessons tailored to your specific needs

Get Full Lesson

What Learners Are Saying

“Berlin bureaucracy requires real German. This app got me from zero to handling my Anmeldung appointment in three weeks. My coworkers couldn’t believe it.”

Emma L., 27, UX Researcher

“Relocated to Munich with my family. The everyday scenarios — grocery shopping, doctor visits, school meetings — are exactly what we needed to settle in.”

Marcus J., 40, Engineer

“Learning a language has never been as immediately impactful. Now I can charm the locals and navigate the food scene like a boss.”

Alex M., 42, Software Engineer