Days, months and telling the time in Dutch (half drie is 2:30)
The days of the week, the months, the seasons and how to tell the time in Dutch — with the trap every learner falls into: half drie is half past two.
Updated · 2 min read
Days of the week
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| maandag | Monday |
| dinsdag | Tuesday |
| woensdag | Wednesday |
| donderdag | Thursday |
| vrijdag | Friday |
| zaterdag | Saturday |
| zondag | Sunday |
Days and months take no capital in Dutch: op maandag, in mei. Het weekend — the weekend; door de week — on weekdays.
Months and seasons
januari, februari, maart, april, mei, juni, juli, augustus, september, oktober, november, december. Seasons: de lente (or het voorjaar), de zomer, de herfst (or het najaar), de winter.
Telling the time
| You say | It is | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Het is drie uur. | 3:00 | uur — hour |
| kwart over drie | 3:15 | a quarter past |
| half vier | 3:30 | half towards four |
| kwart voor vier | 3:45 | a quarter to |
| tien voor half vier | 3:20 | ten before half four |
| vijf over half vier | 3:35 | five past half four |
Hoe laat is het? — Het is half drie.
Literally: What time is it? — It’s half past two.
Meaning: half drie = 2:30, not 3:30 — the classic trap in the listening exam
Dates and appointments
De afspraak is op dinsdag vijf november om kwart over tien.
Literally: The appointment is on Tuesday 5 November at a quarter past ten.
Meaning: zijn — day, date, om + time
- vandaag, morgen, overmorgen — today, tomorrow, the day after
- gisteren, eergisteren — yesterday, the day before
- volgende week, vorige week — next week, last week
- over twee weken — in two weeks; twee weken geleden — two weeks ago
Numbers for dates and times: Dutch numbers. Verbs you will use: beginnen, duren, wachten, komen.
Numbers and times, drilled
16Word’s numbers-and-time topic drills dates, times and numbers with audio and a game of Blocks between answers. Free to start.
Keep learning
- Dutch numbers
- Dutch on the phone
- The listening exam
- Spelling rules
- Verb tables: hebben, gaan, kunnen, moeten, willen, mogen, zullen, worden, wonen, werken, leren, lezen, schrijven, spreken, luisteren, begrijpen, zeggen, vragen, maken, doen, geven, nemen, zien, kijken
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Frequently asked questions
How do you tell the time in Dutch?
Het is drie uur (3:00), kwart over drie (3:15), half vier (3:30), kwart voor vier (3:45). Half counts towards the next hour.
What does half drie mean?
Half past two (2:30) — Dutch counts the half towards the next hour.
Are Dutch days capitalised?
No: maandag, dinsdag, mei, juni — days and months take no capital.
How do you say the days of the week in Dutch?
Maandag, dinsdag, woensdag, donderdag, vrijdag, zaterdag, zondag.
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