German Phrase
Um wie viel Uhr?
Meaning
A direct way to ask for the exact time of an event, appointment, or action. It literally translates to “At how many hour?” but is understood as “At what time?”.
When to use
Use this question when you need a specific clock time – for meetings, train departures, movie start times, or any scheduled activity.
✦Grammar Breakdown
UmwievielUhr
Um (preposition)
‘Um’ is used with time to mean ‘at’ (e.g., um acht Uhr – at eight o’clock).
wie viel
‘wie viel’ literally means ‘how much/how many’ and is used here to ask for a quantity – the hour.
Uhr (noun)
‘Uhr’ means ‘hour/o’clock’ and always follows the number or the question phrase.
🗨In Conversation
Um wie viel Uhr beginnt das Konzert?
At what time does the concert start?
Das Konzert beginnt um neunzehn Uhr.
The concert starts at 7 p.m.
✕Common Mistakes
Wie viel Uhr hast du?
Missing the preposition ‘Um’; the correct form is ‘Um wie viel Uhr?’
Um wie viel Zeit kommt der Zug?
‘Zeit’ means ‘time’ in a general sense; for clock time you must use ‘Uhr’.
Der Zug kommt um Uhr acht.
When answering, avoid saying ‘Uhr acht’; the correct order is ‘acht Uhr’.
↔Alternatives
Zu welcher Uhrzeit?
At which time?
Wann?
When?
Um wie viel Uhr genau?
At exactly what time?
Cultural Tip
In German, the 24‑hour clock is the norm in written and formal speech, especially for public transport and business. In casual conversation people often use the 12‑hour clock with ‘vormittags’ (a.m.) or ‘nachmittags’ (p.m.). Remember to always place ‘Uhr’ after the number – saying ‘Uhr acht’ is incorrect.