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Practical
Telling the Time
Która godzina?
Full hours, "past", "to", and the half-hour trick — with pronunciation for every form.
To ask the time: "Która godzina?" (What time is it?). To ask at what time: "O której godzinie?". Because "godzina" (hour) is feminine, the hours use FEMININE ordinal numbers (pierwsza, druga…).
Full Hours — with pronunciation
| Time | Polish | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 1:00 | (jest) pierwsza | PYERV-shah |
| 2:00 | druga | DROO-gah |
| 3:00 | trzecia | TSHEH-chah |
| 4:00 | czwarta | CHFAR-tah |
| 5:00 | piąta | PYON-tah |
| 6:00 | szósta | SHOOS-tah |
| 7:00 | siódma | SHOOD-mah |
| 8:00 | ósma | OOS-mah |
| 9:00 | dziewiąta | jeh-VYON-tah |
| 10:00 | dziesiąta | jeh-SHON-tah |
| 11:00 | jedenasta | yeh-deh-NAS-tah |
| 12:00 | dwunasta | dvoo-NAS-tah |
For 24-hour time, keep counting: 13:00 trzynasta, 14:00 czternasta … 20:00 dwudziesta.
Past, To & Half
| Clock | Polish | Literally |
|---|---|---|
| 1:10 | dziesięć po pierwszej | ten past first |
| 4:20 | dwadzieścia po czwartej | twenty past fourth |
| 5:15 | piętnaście po piątej / kwadrans po piątej | a quarter past fifth |
| 7:30 | wpół do ósmej | half to eighth |
| 3:55 | za pięć czwarta | in five — fourth |
| 1:45 | za kwadrans druga | in a quarter — second |
kwadrans = quarter hour (15 min). "za" + minutes = "to" the next hour.
The half-hour counts FORWARD to the next hour. "Wpół do ósmej" = half to eight = 7:30, NOT 8:30. This catches everyone out at first!
At what time? (use "o" + hour)
O której godzinie wstajesz?
At what time do you get up?Wstaję o siódmej.
I get up at seven.o + -ejSpotkajmy się o wpół do trzeciej.
Let's meet at 2:30.Lekcja jest od dziewiątej do trzynastej.
The lesson is from 9 to 13.od…do…