u koliko sati

Asking the Time of an Event

Level 1

U koliko sati asks at what time something happens. Koliko je sati? instead asks what time it is now.

How It Works

Ask U koliko sati počinje film? when you need the film’s starting time. A short answer can be U osam., with sati understood.

For the current time, use Koliko je sati? It does not ask for an event or require a following verb such as počinje. Keep the initial u when you mean at what time.

Clock-time expressions have numeral patterns: u jedan sat, u dva sata, u pet sati. Written timetables may use a 24-hour notation; learn the reading as a time expression rather than as an ordinal date.

Examples (4)

  1. U koliko sati počinje film?

    What time does the film start?

    U asks for the time of an event.

  2. Film počinje u osam sati.

    The film starts at eight o’clock.

    U osam sati gives its clock time.

  3. Koliko je sati?

    What time is it?

    This asks for the current time.

  4. Dolazim u jedan sat.

    I am arriving at one o’clock.

    The one-hour expression uses singular sat.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

u koliko satiLevel 1Asking the Time of an Event

Learn This First

The clock-time question extends the basic practice of asking for missing information.

Words in This Pattern

sat