hva er klokka?
The English phrase "what time is it?" is translated into Norwegian as hva er klokka?
This phrase is used to ask for the current time of day. When answering, you can use the 24-hour format, such as Klokken er 15. for 3:00 PM, or use traditional phrasing like Klokken er halv tre. for 2:30 or Klokken er kvart over fire. for 4:15.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase hva er klokka? literally translates to "what is the clock?"
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Northern parts of Norway, the expression Koss' klokka e'? is used to mean "what time is it?"
How does it change in a sentence?
You can specify the current moment by adding the word nå (now) to the end of the phrase, as in Hva er klokka nå?
Did you know?
- The term klokke comes from the Latin clocca, which originally referred to the bells used to signal the hours in monasteries.
- In Norway, saying halv tre does not mean 'half past two' as in English, but 'halfway to three', meaning 2:30.
- The word hva is a relative of the English word 'what', both descending from the Proto-Indo-European root *kʷod.
Examples in context
- Unnskyld, hva er klokka?Excuse me, what time is it?
Example conversation
Ingrid and Andreas are waiting for a bus at a station.
- IngridAndreas, hva er klokka?Andreas, what time is it?
- AndreasDen er halv åtte.It is half past seven.
- IngridÅ nei, bussen er sen.Oh no, the bus is late.
- AndreasVi må vente litt til.We have to wait a little longer.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hva, CC BY-SA 4.0.
