Clock-time expressions

Level 2

To ask for the time, say Kolik je hodin? (What time is it?). To state the current time, use je jedna hodina (1:00), jsou dvě/tři/čtyři hodiny (2:00–4:00), or je pět hodin (5:00+). To say at what time an event happens (answering V kolik hodin?), use the preposition v or ve followed by the time.

How It Works

1. Vocalization of the preposition:
Use ve before numbers starting with difficult consonant clusters to ease pronunciation: ve dvě, ve tři, ve čtyři, ve dvanáct, ve třináct, ve čtrnáct, ve dvacet. Otherwise, use v: v jednu, v pět, v osm.

2. The 24-hour vs. 12-hour clock:
The fractional system is standard for casual, spoken language and uses a 12-hour clock looking ahead to the next hour. Half hours use the genitive ordinal (e.g., v půl třetí or o půl třetí for 2:30). Note that v půl is standard in Bohemia (including Prague), while o půl is standard in Moravia (including Brno). An exception is 12:30, which uses the genitive cardinal v půl jedné (or o půl jedné). Quarters use čtvrt na (literally "quarter onto") and tři čtvrtě na (literally "three quarters onto") followed by the accusative cardinal number of the upcoming hour (e.g., ve čtvrt na tři for 2:15, and ve tři čtvrtě na tři for 2:45). Note that the word hodina (or its forms) is usually omitted in casual speech with fractional time—you typically say ve čtvrt na tři rather than ve čtvrt na tři hodiny. For formal situations or schedules, use the 24-hour digital system: ve čtrnáct třicet (at 14:30). As a grammatically simple casual fallback, Czechs frequently use the 12-hour digital system: ve dvě třicet (at 2:30) or v pět patnáct (at 5:15).

3. Noon and midnight:
For 12:00 and 24:00, Czechs typically use specific vocabulary rather than numbers: v poledne (at noon) and o půlnoci (at midnight).

4. Exact minutes in the 12-hour system:
To express exact minutes, use za + [accusative minutes] + [nominative cardinal hour] for "minutes to" (e.g., za pět minut jedna for at 12:55, za pět minut dvě for at 1:55, za pět minut dvanáct for at 11:55). Note that while the numeral itself is in the accusative, the word for minutes takes the genitive plural form (minut) for numbers 5 and above. For "minutes past", use po + [locative ordinal hour] (e.g., pět minut po dvanácté for at 12:05). Note a mandatory exception for 1 o'clock: use the locative of the cardinal number jedna instead of the ordinal, making it pět minut po jedné (at 1:05). Just like the word hodina, the word minut (or minuty) is commonly dropped in spoken Czech. You will frequently hear za pět dvanáct (five to twelve) or pět po jedné (five past one). Crucially, when answering "At what time?" using these exact minute constructions, the preposition v/ve is dropped entirely. Do not say v za pět minut jedna; simply say Přijdu za pět minut jedna (I will come at 12:55).

5. Clarifying AM/PM:
Because the fractional system uses a 12-hour clock, you can specify the time of day to avoid ambiguity by adding adverbs like ráno (morning), dopoledne (late morning), odpoledne (afternoon), večer (evening), or v noci (at night). For example, ve tři odpoledne (at 3:00 PM).

6. Point in time vs. Duration:
Do not confuse ve dvě hodiny (at two o'clock) with za dvě hodiny (in two hours). The preposition changes the meaning entirely! Also, remember that answering "At what time?" requires the prepositional phrase, not just the nominative Jsou dvě hodiny (It is 2:00).

Examples (5)

  1. V kolik hodin začíná ten film? — V osm hodin večer.

    What time does the film start? — At eight o'clock in the evening.

    Word by Word: At how many hours starts that film? — At eight hours evening.

    A standard question and answer for a specific point in time.

  2. Sejdeme se v půl třetí.

    Let's meet at half past two.

    Word by Word: We will meet at half third.

    2:30 is expressed as 'half of the third hour' in Czech.

  3. Přijď ve dvě, začínáme přesně.

    Come at two, we're starting on the dot.

    Word by Word: Come at two, we start exactly.

    Notice the vocalized preposition 've' before 'dvě', and that the word 'hodiny' is naturally dropped.

  4. Vlak odjíždí ve čtrnáct třicet.

    The train leaves at 14:30.

    Word by Word: Train departs at fourteen thirty.

    The 24-hour digital format is used for transport and official schedules.

  5. Mám schůzku v jednu hodinu.

    I have a meeting at one o'clock.

    Word by Word: I have meeting at one hour.

    The number one (jedna) and the noun (hodina) must both be in the accusative case (jednu hodinu).

Common Mistakes

  • The 'Half Past' Trap: Translating English logic directly and saying 'v půl třetí' when you actually mean 3:30.

    Sejdeme se v půl třetí. (When meaning 3:30)
    Sejdeme se v půl čtvrté.

    Czech fractional time looks forward. 3:30 is half of the fourth hour, so it must be 'v půl čtvrté'.

  • Using the masculine form 'dva' instead of the feminine 'dvě' for the number two.

    Přijdu ve dva hodiny.
    Přijdu ve dvě hodiny.

    The word 'hodina' is feminine, so you must use the feminine form of the number two: 'dvě'.

  • Forgetting to vocalize the preposition 'v' to 've' before certain numbers.

    Končíme v dvě.
    Končíme ve dvě.

    To make pronunciation easier, 'v' becomes 've' before numbers like dvě, tři, čtyři, and dvanáct.

How It Connects

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Clock-time expressionsLevel 2

Learn This First

To express clock time, learners need to understand how numerals 2-4 behave differently from numerals 5+, specifically using the feminine forms for 'two' to agree with 'hodina'. They also need to be familiar with the preposition 'v/ve' used to indicate time.

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