Telling the Time

Level 2

Hvað er klukkan? – Klukkan er þrjú. hálf fjögur = 3:30 (half way to four). klukkan átta = at eight.

How It Works

Asking. Hvað er klukkan? (What time is it?) klukkan is "the clock".

Full hours. Use the neuter forms of one to four (numbers 1-4): Klukkan er eitt, tvö, þrjú, fjögur. From five to twenty the numbers do not change: Klukkan er fimm, tíu, tólf.

Half hours. Icelandic counts half hours toward the coming hour, like German:

  • hálf fjögur = 3:30 (half to four)
  • hálf tólf = 11:30

Quarters and minutes. yfir means past and í means to:

  • korter yfir þrjú = 3:15
  • korter í fjögur = 3:45
  • tíu mínútur yfir fimm = 5:10
  • tuttugu mínútur í sjö = 6:40

At a time. No preposition is needed: Ég kem klukkan átta (I'll come at eight). In writing this is shortened to kl., and the 24-hour clock uses a period: kl. 14.30. For morning and evening, add að morgni or að kvöldi, or just use the 24-hour clock.

Examples (6)

  1. Hvað er klukkan? – Hún er þrjú.

    What time is it? – It's three.

    Word by Word: What is the-clock? – She is three.

    hún stands for klukkan, which is feminine.

  2. Klukkan er hálf fjögur.

    It's half past three.

    Word by Word: The-clock is half four.

    Half hours count toward the next hour.

  3. Klukkan er korter yfir tvö.

    It's quarter past two.

    Word by Word: The-clock is quarter over two.

  4. Klukkan er tíu mínútur í sex.

    It's ten to six.

    Word by Word: The-clock is ten minutes in six.

  5. Tíminn byrjar klukkan átta.

    The class starts at eight.

    Word by Word: The-lesson begins the-clock eight.

  6. Búðin opnar kl. 10.30.

    The shop opens at 10:30.

    Word by Word: The-shop opens clock 10.30.

    Read klukkan hálf ellefu or klukkan tíu þrjátíu.

Common Mistakes

  • Reading hálf as "half past" the hour that is named.

    Klukkan er hálf fjögur. (intended: 4:30)
    Klukkan er hálf fimm. (4:30)

    hálf counts toward the next hour, so 4:30 is hálf fimm, and hálf fjögur is 3:30.

  • Using the masculine number for the hour.

    Klukkan er þrír.
    Klukkan er þrjú.

    Hours use the neuter forms: eitt, tvö, þrjú, fjögur.

  • Adding a preposition for "at".

    Ég kem á klukkan átta.
    Ég kem klukkan átta.

    klukkan + hour already means "at" that time.

How It Connects

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

Telling the TimeLevel 2

Learn This First

Telling the time builds on numbers and hvað.

Words in This Pattern

klukkanhvað er klukkankorterhálf-yfirþrjúfjögur