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How to Say ‘About twenty minutes.’ in German

Etwa zwanzig Minuten.

ET-vah TSVAN-tsikh mee-NOO-ten

[ET-vah TSVAN-tsikh mee-NOO-ten]

🇩🇪 In Germany: Give a realistic time and stick to it. Running over is noticed in German meetings, and colleagues may have the next appointment booked right after.

Phrase Breakdown

Etwa

[ET-vah]

about, approximately

Used to give a rough number or estimate.

Example

Wir kommen etwa um acht Uhr.

We'll arrive at about eight o'clock.

zwanzig

[TSVAN-tsikh]

twenty

The number 20.

Example

Ich habe zwanzig Euro.

I have twenty euros.

Minuten

[mee-NOO-ten]

minutes

Plural of 'die Minute'.

Example

Warte zehn Minuten.

Wait ten minutes.

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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