halb zwei
In German, the phrase for half past one is halb zwei.
This phrase is used to express the time that is thirty minutes after one o'clock.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'half two', where halb means 'half'. It signifies being halfway toward the next hour.
Which one should you use?
English speakers typically use 'past' to look back at the completed hour, whereas German speakers use halb to look forward to the hour that is currently being approached.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly say halb eins when they mean 1:30. However, because German uses halb to refer to the hour being approached, you must say halb zwei for 1:30.
Did you know?
- While zwei is the standard word for 'two', the form zwo is still used today to avoid confusion, particularly in contexts where the numbers zwei and drei might sound too similar.
- In some German dialects, the 'half-hour' mark is treated as the primary anchor for timekeeping. This creates a mental map of the day that focuses on the upcoming hour rather than the hour that has just passed.
- The German word halb is a direct linguistic relative of the English word 'half', as both descend from the Proto-Germanic root *halbaz.
Examples in context
- Es ist halb zwei.It's half past one.This sentence shows how to state that it is half past one.Tatoeba #3557521 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #3550808 by adamtrousers
- Es ist jetzt halb zwei.It's now half past one.This sentence is used to say that it is half past one right now.Tatoeba #3361979 by al_ex_an_der, translation #10713655 by sundown
- Es ist schon halb zwei.It's already half past one.This sentence expresses that it is already half past one.Tatoeba #13413742 by grbwsk, translation #13410203 by glossboss
- Wann findet die Sitzung statt?
Die Sitzung findet um halb zwei statt.When is the meeting?
The meeting is at half past one. - 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Felix and Laura are deciding when to meet for lunch.
- FelixWann treffen wir uns morgen?When are we meeting tomorrow?
- LauraKönnen wir uns um halb zwei treffen?Can we meet at half past one?
- FelixJa, halb zwei passt mir sehr gut.Yes, half past one works very well for me.
- LauraSuper, bis morgen dann!Great, see you tomorrow then!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries halb, zwei, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
