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German Phrase

Ich arbeite meistens bis 17 Uhr.

/ɪç ˈaʁbaɪ̯tə ˈmaɪ̯stənz bɪs ˈzɛbənˈt͡sɪç ˈʔuːɐ̯/
Meaning"I usually work until 5 p.m."
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Meaning

Literally, “I usually work until 5 o’clock.” The adverb "meistens" signals that this is the speaker’s typical schedule, not an absolute rule for every single day.

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When to use

Use this sentence when you want to describe your regular working hours, answer a question about your daily routine, or explain why you might be unavailable after a certain time.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Icharbeitemeistensbis17Uhr

1

Subject pronoun

"Ich" is the first‑person singular pronoun and is the subject of the sentence.

2

Verb conjugation

"arbeite" is the present‑tense, 1st‑person singular form of the verb "arbeiten" (to work).

3

Adverb "meistens"

"meistens" means “usually” or “most of the time” and modifies the whole clause.

4

Preposition "bis"

"bis" means “until” and governs the accusative case; here it introduces a time expression.

5

Time expression

"17 Uhr" is the 24‑hour clock way of saying 5 p.m.; the hour is a numeral and "Uhr" is a noun meaning “o’clock”.

🗨In Conversation

A

Wie lange arbeitest du heute?

How long are you working today?

Ich arbeite meistens bis 17 Uhr.

I usually work until 5 p.m.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Ich arbeite meistens um 17 Uhr.

    "um" means “at” (a point in time) and would change the meaning to "at 5 p.m." instead of "until 5 p.m."

  • Ich arbeite meist bis 17 Uhr.

    "meist" is an adverb meaning “most” and needs the suffix "‑ens" when used to modify a whole clause.

  • Ich arbeite meistens bis 17.

    When using the 24‑hour clock you must add "Uhr" after the number; otherwise the phrase sounds incomplete.

↔Alternatives

  • Ich arbeite in der Regel bis 17 Uhr.

    I generally work until 5 p.m.

  • Normalerweise arbeite ich bis 17 Uhr.

    Normally I work until 5 p.m.

  • Ich arbeite meistens bis fünf Uhr nachmittags.

    I usually work until five o’clock in the afternoon.

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Cultural Tip

In German‑speaking offices the 24‑hour clock is often used in written schedules, while in casual speech people may say "bis fünf" or "bis fünf Uhr". Mentioning the exact hour ("bis 17 Uhr") sounds precise and professional, especially in formal contexts.