German Phrase
Nachmittags sind die Stunden meistens kürzer.
Meaning
The sentence states that during the afternoon the hours feel or are perceived as shorter, often because people are busy or the day seems to fly by. It is a subjective observation about the passage of time.
When to use
Use this phrase when talking about daily routines, how time seems to pass at different parts of the day, or when explaining why you finish tasks quickly in the afternoon.
✦Grammar Breakdown
NachmittagssinddieStundenmeistenskürzer
Nachmittags (adverb)
An adverb of time meaning ‘in the afternoon’; it does not change with case or number.
sein (sind)
The verb ‘to be’ in present tense, 3rd person plural, used here as a linking verb.
die (definite article)
Plural definite article for feminine nouns like ‘Stunden’.
Stunden (noun, plural)
Plural of ‘Stunde’; a feminine noun meaning ‘hours’.
meistens (adverb)
Means ‘most of the time’ or ‘usually’; it modifies the whole statement.
kürzer (comparative adjective)
Comparative form of ‘kurz’; no ‘als’ is needed when the comparison is implicit.
🗨In Conversation
Nachmittags sind die Stunden meistens kürzer, oder?
In the afternoons the hours are usually shorter, right?
Ja, ich habe das Gefühl, dass ich nach dem Mittagessen schneller fertig werde.
Yes, I feel like I finish things faster after lunch.
✕Common Mistakes
Nachmittags sind der Stunden meistens kürzer.
‘Stunden’ is plural, so the correct article is ‘die’, not ‘der’.
Nachmittags sind die Stunden meistens kurz.
You need the comparative ‘kürzer’ to express ‘shorter’.
Nachmittags sind die Stunden meist kürzer.
The adverb is ‘meistens’, not ‘meist’.
↔Alternatives
Am Nachmittag wirken die Stunden kürzer.
In the afternoon the hours seem shorter.
Nachmittags fühlt sich die Zeit oft schneller an.
In the afternoons time often feels faster.
Die Stunden sind nachmittags meistens kürzer.
The hours are usually shorter in the afternoon.
Cultural Tip
Germans often comment on the perception of time, especially when the workday speeds up after lunch. ‘Nachmittags’ is a fixed adverb; avoid adding a preposition (e.g., *‘am Nachmittags’* is incorrect). When using the comparative ‘kürzer’, the ‘als …’ clause is optional if the comparison is obvious, as in this sentence.