German Phrase
Wie spät ist es jetzt?
Meaning
Literally, ‘How late is it now?’ – the standard way to ask someone for the current time in German. Adding ‘jetzt’ stresses that you want the exact time at this moment, not a general estimate.
When to use
Use this sentence when you need the precise time in a casual conversation, for example when you’re meeting a friend, catching a train, or checking if you’re late for an appointment.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Wiespätistesjetzt?
Wie (question word)
‘Wie’ introduces a ‘how/what’ question; here it asks ‘how late’ i.e., what time it is.
spät (adverbial adjective)
‘spät’ normally means ‘late’; in time‑questions it functions adverbially to ask for the current hour.
ist (sein – present)
The verb ‘sein’ is used for telling time; it agrees with the dummy subject ‘es’.
es (dummy subject)
German uses the impersonal pronoun ‘es’ when stating the time, similar to English ‘it’.
jetzt (temporal adverb)
‘jetzt’ adds the nuance ‘right now’, stressing that you want the exact current time.
Word order
In a yes‑no or WH‑question the verb follows the first element, so the order is ‘Wie spät ist …’.
🗨In Conversation
Wie spät ist es jetzt?
What time is it now?
Es ist halb neun.
It’s half past eight.
✕Common Mistakes
Wie ist es spät jetzt?
The verb must follow the first interrogative word; ‘Wie spät ist …’ is the correct order.
Wie spät jetzt ist es?
‘jetzt’ stays at the end of the clause; placing it before the verb breaks the standard word order.
Wie spät ist jetzt es?
The dummy subject ‘es’ must come directly after the verb.
↔Alternatives
Wie viel Uhr ist es?
What time is it?
Wie spät haben wir?
What time do we have?
Wie spät ist es?
What time is it?
Cultural Tip
In German‑speaking countries the 24‑hour clock is the norm for timetables, public transport and formal settings, while the 12‑hour clock with ‘vormittags’ (a.m.) and ‘nachmittags’ (p.m.) is common in everyday speech. If you answer with a 12‑hour format, be sure to add the appropriate period (z. B. ‘um drei Uhr nachmittags’).