🕒 Prepositions of Time in German (Temporalpräpositionen)
In German, prepositions of time (Temporalpräpositionen) show when something happens — for example:
👉 am Montag, im Sommer, vor einer Woche, seit zwei Jahren.
They answer the question „Wann?“ – “When?”
Learning how to use them correctly is key for expressing time, habits, and events in both speaking and writing.
⏰ 1. am – for days and parts of the day
Use am when talking about specific days, dates, and parts of the day.
| Usage | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Days of the week | am Montag | on Monday |
| Specific date | am 1. Mai | on May 1st |
| Parts of the day | am Morgen, am Abend | in the morning, in the evening |
🟢 Example sentences:
-
Am Samstag gehe ich einkaufen. → I go shopping on Saturday.
-
Am Abend sehen wir fern. → We watch TV in the evening.
🌸 2. im – for months, seasons, and years
Use im with months, seasons, and years.
| Usage | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Months | im Juli, im November | in July, in November |
| Seasons | im Sommer, im Winter | in summer, in winter |
| Years | im Jahr 2020, im 19. Jahrhundert | in 2020, in the 19th century |
🟢 Example sentences:
-
Im Sommer fahren viele Leute ans Meer. → In summer, many people go to the sea.
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Im Jahr 2025 möchte ich nach Deutschland reisen. → I want to travel to Germany in 2025.
📅 3. um – for exact times
Use um with clock times and exact points in time.
| Usage | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Time | um 8 Uhr, um Mitternacht | at 8 o’clock, at midnight |
🟢 Example sentences:
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Der Zug fährt um 7:30 Uhr ab. → The train leaves at 7:30 a.m.
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Ich gehe um Mitternacht ins Bett. → I go to bed at midnight.
⏳ 4. von … bis … – from … to …
Use von … bis … to express a time range or duration.
| Usage | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Time period | von Montag bis Freitag | from Monday to Friday |
| Clock time | von 9 bis 17 Uhr | from 9 to 5 o’clock |
🟢 Example sentences:
-
Ich arbeite von Montag bis Freitag. → I work from Monday to Friday.
-
Das Geschäft ist von 10 bis 18 Uhr geöffnet. → The shop is open from 10 to 6.
⌛ 5. seit – since / for (something that continues)
Use seit for actions that started in the past and are still continuing.
It takes the Dative case.
| Example | Translation |
|---|---|
| seit gestern | since yesterday |
| seit zwei Jahren | for two years |
| seit dem Sommer | since summer |
🟢 Example sentences:
-
Ich wohne seit 2020 in Berlin. → I’ve lived in Berlin since 2020.
-
Sie lernt seit einem Jahr Deutsch. → She has been learning German for a year.
⌚ 6. vor – ago
Use vor to describe how long ago something happened.
It also takes the Dative case.
| Example | Translation |
|---|---|
| vor einer Woche | a week ago |
| vor zwei Tagen | two days ago |
| vor langer Zeit | a long time ago |
🟢 Example sentences:
-
Ich war vor zwei Jahren in München. → I was in Munich two years ago.
-
Wir haben uns vor einer Woche getroffen. → We met a week ago.
📆 7. nach – after
Use nach to describe something happening after a point in time or event.
| Example | Translation |
|---|---|
| nach der Schule | after school |
| nach dem Frühstück | after breakfast |
| nach dem Krieg | after the war |
🟢 Example sentences:
-
Nach dem Essen gehen wir spazieren. → After eating, we go for a walk.
-
Nach der Arbeit ruhe ich mich aus. → After work, I rest.
🕰️ 8. in – in (for the future)
Use in when you talk about something happening in the future, or after a certain time.
| Example | Translation |
|---|---|
| in einer Stunde | in one hour |
| in drei Tagen | in three days |
| in zwei Wochen | in two weeks |
🟢 Example sentences:
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Der Kurs beginnt in zwei Tagen. → The course starts in two days.
-
Ich rufe dich in einer Stunde an. → I’ll call you in an hour.
⏰ 9. zwischen … und … – between … and …
Use zwischen … und … for something that happens between two points in time.
| Example | Translation |
|---|---|
| zwischen 8 und 9 Uhr | between 8 and 9 o’clock |
| zwischen Montag und Mittwoch | between Monday and Wednesday |
🟢 Example sentences:
-
Der Unterricht findet zwischen 9 und 12 Uhr statt. → The class takes place between 9 and 12.
-
Ich bin zwischen Weihnachten und Neujahr im Urlaub. → I’m on holiday between Christmas and New Year.
⏳ 10. ab – starting from
Use ab to describe something that starts at a certain time and continues.
| Example | Translation |
|---|---|
| ab morgen | from tomorrow |
| ab 1. Januar | from January 1st |
| ab nächster Woche | starting next week |
🟢 Example sentences:
-
Die Ausstellung ist ab Samstag geöffnet. → The exhibition is open from Saturday.
-
Ab morgen arbeite ich in einem neuen Büro. → From tomorrow, I’ll work in a new office.
🧠 Quick Summary Table
| Preposition | Meaning | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| am | on (days, parts of day) | am Montag | on Monday |
| im | in (months, years, seasons) | im Juli | in July |
| um | at (time) | um 9 Uhr | at 9 o’clock |
| von … bis … | from … to … | von 8 bis 10 Uhr | from 8 to 10 |
| seit | since / for | seit 2020 | since 2020 |
| vor | ago | vor einer Woche | a week ago |
| nach | after | nach der Schule | after school |
| in | in (future) | in zwei Tagen | in two days |
| zwischen … und … | between | zwischen Montag und Freitag | between Monday and Friday |
| ab | from (starting point) | ab morgen | from tomorrow |
💬 Conclusion
German prepositions of time are small words — but they carry big meaning.
They connect your sentences to time, rhythm, and context, making your German sound natural and accurate.
👉 To improve your use of connectors like nachdem, bevor, während, and seitdem, check out Konnektoren.help — it’s a free resource with examples and exercises for all time-related structures.
💡 Tip: Practise by describing your daily routine in German — say wann (when), seit wann (since when), and wie lange (how long).
The more you use temporal prepositions, the more fluent and natural your sentences will sound. 🇩🇪✨
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