In German
Wie spät ist es?
Meaning: what time is it
Formal or informal? “Wie spät ist es?” and “Wie viel Uhr ist es?” both mean what time it is. Both are polite and used in everyday speech.
Example sentences
Entschuldigung,wiespätistes?
Excuse me, what time is it?
Esisthalbdrei.
It's half past two.
WievielUhristes?
What time is it?
Grammar note
“Wie spät ist es?” uses “es” as the subject, and “spät” (late) is an adjective here. “Halb drei” means half past two, not half to three.
Common mistake
“Halb drei” means 2:30, not 3:30. In German, “halb” points to the next hour, so “halb drei” is half way to three.
Quick check
Which German question asks what time it is?
More words on this topic
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Practise it in a lesson →Frequently asked questions
How do you answer “wie spät ist es?”
Say the time, for example “Es ist halb drei” (It's 2:30) or “Es ist drei Uhr” (It's 3:00).
What is the difference between “wie spät” and “wie viel Uhr”?
Both mean what time it is, and they're used interchangeably in everyday speech.