Telling the time in Dutch means reading the time and saying it out loud the Dutch way. There are two styles for this. You use the informal style in everyday conversations: kwart over drie (quarter past three), half twee (half past one), kwart voor vijf (quarter to five). You use the formal style for timetables and announcements: vijftien uur (15:00), dertien uur vijftien (13:15). For the civic integration exam and the State Exam NT2, both administered by DUO, understanding and using time expressions is a concrete language skill you need.
Key takeaways from this blog
- Dutch has two systems for telling the time: informal (analogue, with quarters) and formal (digital, 24-hour notation).
- In Dutch, half means halfway towards the next hour, not halfway past the previous hour.
- Time expressions come back in listening and speaking exercises that match the exam.
- The terminology differs from many other languages: this is a concrete learning point, not something you can take for granted.
- With the right structure in your head, you can understand and use times quickly and reliably.
Why time expressions matter for your language level
You hear time expressions in almost every conversation. When does the appointment start? What time does the bus leave? What is on the schedule? Questions like these come up all the time, both in daily life and in the exam.
For the civic integration exam, administered by DUO, you need to understand when something takes place in the listening exercises. A speaker mentions a time and you need to process it correctly. If you are not familiar with the Dutch way of expressing time, you can easily miss that information.
Speaking goes further than understanding. You also need to say a time correctly yourself. Saying half drie when you mean half twee causes confusion straight away. Those are exactly the mistakes you can avoid once you know the system.
For A2 candidates, mainly family and labour migrants and voluntary learners who can finish at A2, this is a basic skill. You show that you understand the structure of time expressions and can apply it in simple situations. For status holders working towards B1, the same basis applies, but more accurate use is expected. At B1, DUO also looks at word order around time expressions in a sentence and at the correct use of articles and sentence structure. At A2 there is a little more leeway, at B1 there is not.
The two systems: informal and formal
In Dutch there are two ways to say the time. Which one you use depends on the situation. In an ordinary conversation you almost always use the informal system. In official contexts, such as a train timetable or a public announcement, you come across the formal system.
It is smart to know both. You can encounter either one in the listening exercises for the exam.
The informal system (analogue clock)
The informal system works with quarters and revolves around the next hour. That is exactly where many learners stumble: in Dutch you look forward, not back.
The four quarters work like this:
| Time on the clock | What you say in Dutch | Literal meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 3:00 | drie uur | three o’clock |
| 3:15 | kwart over drie | quarter past three |
| 3:30 | half vier | half (towards) four |
| 3:45 | kwart voor vier | quarter to four |
| 4:00 | vier uur | four o’clock |
The word half is the biggest stumbling block. In many languages, “half three” means something like half past three, so 3:30. In Dutch, half drie means halfway towards three o’clock, so 2:30. This is not an exception or a quirk: it is simply how the system works. Once you have that logic, the rest falls into place.
Besides the four quarters, you also use in-between times. Vijf over half (five past half), tien voor half (ten to half): you hear expressions like these in everyday conversations. They build on the same logic: you always name the distance to the nearest quarter or half hour.
A few examples to make the pattern clear: 2:10 is tien over twee, 2:20 is tien voor half drie, 2:40 is tien over half drie and 2:50 is tien voor drie. Everything revolves around the closest reference point.
The formal system (digital clock, 24 hours)
You use the formal system in timetables, at the station, in official announcements and sometimes in news reports. It works simply: you say the hour and then the minutes and you use the 24-hour clock.
13:15 is dertien uur vijftien. 20:30 is twintig uur dertig. 9:00 is negen uur. There are no quarters, no half, no voor or over. You simply read the numbers from left to right.
In the listening exercises for the exam you hear both systems. A radio announcement uses the formal system. A conversation between two people uses the informal one. It pays to recognise both without having to think about it.
Using time expressions in a sentence
Knowing a time is one thing. Fitting it correctly into a sentence is a second step, especially if you are working towards B1.
In Dutch, the time often comes early in the sentence, sometimes right at the start. If you put the time first, the verb moves: Om drie uur begint de les. (At three o’clock the lesson starts.) If you put the time at the end, the order stays normal: De les begint om drie uur. (The lesson starts at three o’clock.) Both are correct, but the word order changes with it.
For A2 candidates, it is already valuable to name and understand the time expression correctly. For status holders working towards B1, DUO also expects the sentence structure around those time expressions to be correct.
You use the little word om (at) for a specific time: om half vijf (at half past four), om negen uur (at nine o’clock). For a period or a general moment you use other words, such as in de ochtend (in the morning) or tegen het einde van de middag (towards the end of the afternoon). You hear these combinations in listening fragments and you also need to be able to use them yourself when speaking.
How to practise time expressions with a purpose
Practising time expressions works best when you link it to real situations. Listen to the news in easy Dutch (Journaal in makkelijke taal): speakers mention times in a context that helps you understand and the level is accessible without being too easy.
Authentic Dutch material, such as a regular radio broadcast or a podcast, is especially valuable. It may sound faster than what you come across in the exam, but that is exactly why your ear gets used to the real speaking pace. The exam level then feels calmer. Do not get frustrated if you do not catch every word. You do not have to. The point is that your ear gets used to how Dutch people really talk, including how they mention times in an ordinary sentence.
At Inburgering Online you practise with video explanations that show the structure of Dutch step by step. You see how time expressions are pronounced, how they fit into a sentence and what is expected of you in the exam. That applies both to those working at A2 and to those working towards B1.
Frequently asked questions about telling the time in Dutch
What does “half” mean in Dutch?
Half means halfway towards the next hour. So half drie is 2:30, not 3:30. This differs from many other languages and is a concrete learning point. Once you know that in Dutch you always look ahead to the next hour, the rest of the system falls into place.
When do you use the informal system and when the formal one?
You use the informal system in everyday conversations: kwart over, half, kwart voor. You use the formal system for timetables, train departures and official announcements, always with the 24-hour clock: dertien uur vijftien, twintig uur dertig. Both can appear in the listening exercises for the civic integration exam.
Do I need to know time expressions for the civic integration exam?
Yes. Time expressions come back in the listening and speaking tasks administered by DUO. You need to understand when something takes place and be able to say it yourself. For A2 candidates, such as family and labour migrants and voluntary learners who can finish at A2, this is a basic skill. For status holders taking the exam at B1 level with DUO, accurate sentence structure around time expressions is also expected.
How do I say 2:20 in Dutch?
2:20 is tien voor half drie (literally: ten before half three). At that moment you are ten minutes before the half hour on the way to three o’clock. This sounds complicated, but it follows the same logic as the rest of the system: you always name the distance to the nearest quarter or half hour.
Is there a difference between A2 and B1 when it comes to time expressions?
The basic knowledge is the same: you need to understand and say times. At B1, the level DUO uses for status holders, word order in a sentence with a time expression is also assessed. At A2 there is a little more leeway for small mistakes in sentence structure and articles. At B1 there is not.
How to continue
Time expressions are a concrete piece of language that you can simply learn. The logic is clear once you know what to look out for and practising with real sentences and listening fragments makes it stick.
At Inburgering Online you will find practice material with clear video explanations, focused on what DUO asks in the exam. Working towards A2? You will find the right material on the A2 page. Working towards B1 as a status holder? Then start on the B1 page. For 13.95 euros per month you get access to all the material you need to start your exam well prepared.
