Luxembourgish A1 : Class 12📚

Comprehensive Guide to Telling Time in Luxembourgish

Introduction

Telling time in Luxembourgish (Lëtzebuergesch) follows a unique structure that differs from other European languages. This guide will help you understand and master the Luxembourgish time-telling system.

Basic Time Vocabulary

The Numbers 1-12

Key Concept: The “hallwer” Rule

IMPORTANT: When using “hallwer” in Luxembourgish, you always refer to the NEXT hour!

For example:

• hallwer dräi = 2:30 (half [to] three)
• hallwer véier = 3:30 (half [to] four)

This is different from English, where “half past two” means 2:30, referring to the current hour.

Time Structure Overview

Hour                     Half Hour                    Next Hour
2:00    →    2:15    →    2:30    →    2:45    →    3:00
zwou         Véierel      hallwer      Véierel      dräi
            op zwou       dräi        vir dräi
   |-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
     "op"        "hallwer"      "vir"

The hour is divided into three segments:

1. “op” segment (minutes past the hour): 2:01-2:29
2. “hallwer” segment (around half hour): 2:30-2:39
3. “vir” segment (minutes to the next hour): 2:40-2:59

Detailed Time Expressions

Full Hours (00 minutes)

• 1:00 = eng Auer
• 2:00 = zwou Auer
• 3:00 = dräi Auer
• 4:00 = véier Auer
• 5:00 = fënnef Auer
• 6:00 = sechs Auer
• 7:00 = siwen Auer
• 8:00 = aacht Auer
• 9:00 = néng Auer
• 10:00 = zéng Auer
• 11:00 = eelef Auer
• 12:00 = zwielef Auer

Minutes Past the Hour (“op” segment: XX:01-XX:29)

• 2:05 = fënnef op zwou (five past two)
• 2:10 = zéng op zwou (ten past two)
• 2:15 = Véierel op zwou (quarter past two)
• 2:20 = zwanzeg op zwou (twenty past two)
• 2:25 = fënnef vir hallwer dräi (five to half [to] three)

Half Hour (“hallwer” segment: XX:30-XX:39)

• 2:30 = hallwer dräi (half [to] three)
• 2:35 = fënnef op hallwer dräi (five past half [to] three)

Minutes To the Hour (“vir” segment: XX:40-XX:59)

• 2:40 = zwanzeg vir dräi (twenty to three)
• 2:45 = Véierel vir dräi (quarter to three)
• 2:50 = zéng vir dräi (ten to three)
• 2:55 = fënnef vir dräi (five to three)

Complete Hour Breakdown (2:00-3:00)

Time of Day

In Luxembourgish, you often specify the time of day:

Examples:

• 6:00 AM = sechs Auer moies
• 12:00 PM = zwielef Auer mëttes
• 1:15 PM = Véierel op eng mëttes
• 3:00 PM = dräi Auer nomëttes
• 7:45 PM = Véierel vir aacht owes
• 1:00 AM = eng Auer nuets

Asking for the Time

Common questions about time:

• Wéi vill Auer ass et? = What time is it?
• Wéi spéit ass et? = How late is it?
• Kënnt Dir mir soen, wéi vill Auer et ass? = Can you tell me what time it is?

Additional Time-Related Vocabulary

Common Time-Related Phrases

• Ech sinn ze spéit. = I am late.
• Mir hunn nach Zäit. = We still have time.
• D'Reunioun fänkt um aacht Auer un. = The meeting starts at eight o’clock.
• Den Zuch fiert hallwer zwielef. = The train leaves at half past eleven.
• Wéini geet de Film un? = When does the movie start?
• Et ass héich Zäit! = It’s high time! / It’s about time!

Visual Clock Reference

                12
                │
                │
  9 ────────────┼───────────── 3
                │
                │
                6

Using this clock face as reference:

• op is used for minutes between current hour and half hour (clockwise from hour to 6)
• hallwer is used for the half hour point and few minutes after (around 6)
• vir is used for minutes approaching the next hour (clockwise from 6 to next hour)

Practice Exercises

1. What is Véierel op néng?

   • Answer: 9:15

2. How do you say 7:30 in Luxembourgish?

   • Answer: hallwer aacht

3. What time is fënnef vir dräi?

   • Answer: 2:55

4. How do you say 10:45 in Luxembourgish?

   • Answer: Véierel vir eelef

5. What is zwanzeg op hallwer néng?

   • Answer: Does not exist in standard usage (would be around 8:50, but would normally be expressed as zéng vir néng)

Cultural Notes

• Punctuality is highly valued in Luxembourg.
• The 24-hour clock is commonly used in official contexts (transportation schedules, business hours).
• When writing digital time, Luxembourgers typically use a point, not a colon (e.g., 14.30 instead of 14:30).
• “American style” 12-hour clock with AM/PM is not commonly used in Luxembourg.

Summary of Key Rules

1. For full hours, use [number] Auer
2. For minutes after the hour (until 25), use [minutes] op [hour]
3. For half hour, use hallwer [next hour] - ALWAYS refer to the NEXT hour!
4. For minutes after half hour, use [minutes] op hallwer [next hour]
5. For minutes before the hour, use [minutes] vir [next hour]
6. Remember to specify time of day when relevant (moies, mëttes, nomëttes, owes, nuets)

This guide covers the fundamentals of telling time in Luxembourgish. Regular practice is key to mastering these expressions.