Telling the Time

Level 2

Cik ir pulkstenis? asks the time: Pulkstenis ir trīs (It is three). Cikos? asks at what time, and the answer uses the locative: pulksten trijos (at three).

How It Works

1. What time is it? Cik ir pulkstenis? or, more briefly, Cik pulkstenis? Answer with the masculine number: Pulkstenis ir viens / divi / trīs ... divpadsmit. See numbers one to ten and numbers above ten.

2. At what time? Ask Cikos? or Pulksten cikos? The hour takes the locative plural ending -os:

  • vienos, divos, trijos, četros, piecos, sešos
  • septiņos, astoņos, deviņos, desmitos, vienpadsmitos, divpadsmitos

Pulksten is optional and never changes: Koncerts sākas (pulksten) septiņos. Add a part of the day when needed: sešos no rīta (at six in the morning), astoņos vakarā (at eight in the evening). See time with the locative.

3. Half hours count forward. Pus- joins the next hour: pusviens (12:30), pusdivi (1:30), pusčetri (3:30), pusdeviņi (8:30). For at, use the locative: pusčetros, pusdeviņos. Stundas sākas pusdeviņos. (Lessons start at half past eight.)

4. Minutes.

  • Past the hour: desmit minūtes pāri trijiem (ten past three), ceturksnis pāri diviem (a quarter past two)
  • To the hour: bez desmit minūtēm astoņi (ten to eight)
  • Hour first, as on a digital clock: deviņi piecpadsmit or deviņi un piecpadsmit minūtes (9:15)

Timetables use the 24-hour clock, written with a full stop: pulksten 17.30.

5. From, until and around. After a preposition, the hour takes the dative plural (see numbers in other cases): no deviņiem līdz pieciem (from nine to five), līdz pulksten sešiem (until six), ap trijiem (around three). See also līdz.

Examples (6)

  1. Cik ir pulkstenis? — Pulkstenis ir trīs.

    What time is it? — It is three o'clock.

  2. Veikals atveras pulksten deviņos.

    The shop opens at nine.

    Deviņi → deviņos: the locative means at nine.

  3. Tiekamies pusčetros!

    See you at half past three!

    Pusčetri is 3:30, halfway to four; pusčetros means at 3:30.

  4. Es strādāju no deviņiem līdz pieciem.

    I work from nine to five.

    After no and līdz, the hours take the dative: deviņiem, pieciem.

  5. Pulkstenis ir bez desmit minūtēm astoņi.

    It is ten to eight.

    Bez desmit minūtēm means ten minutes short of eight.

  6. Vilciens atiet pulksten 17.45.

    The train leaves at 17:45.

    Timetables use the 24-hour clock and a full stop between hours and minutes.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the plain number to say at what time.

    Koncerts sākas septiņi.
    Koncerts sākas septiņos.

    Pulkstenis ir septiņi tells the time. For at seven, the number takes the locative: septiņos.

  • Counting the half hour from the hour that has passed.

    Tiekamies pustrijos.
    Tiekamies pusčetros.

    This mistake is about meeting at 3:30. Pustrijos means at 2:30, because pus- counts toward the next hour. For 3:30, say pusčetros.

  • Leaving the hour in the nominative after no and līdz.

    Es strādāju no deviņi līdz pieci.
    Es strādāju no deviņiem līdz pieciem.

    After a preposition, the hour takes the dative plural: no deviņiem līdz pieciem.

How It Connects

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Telling the TimeLevel 2

Learn This First

Telling the time uses numbers in the locative plural.

Words in This Pattern

pulksteniscik