German Phrase
Die Show ist um 20 Uhr.
Meaning
The sentence means ‘The show starts at 8 p.m.’ It tells the listener the scheduled time of a television or live performance. In German the verb ‘sein’ is used to state the time, not ‘beginnen’.
When to use
Use this sentence when you want to inform someone about the start time of a program, concert, theater performance, or any scheduled show. It works in both casual conversation and more formal announcements.
✦Grammar Breakdown
DieShowistum20Uhr.
Definite Article (Die)
‘Die’ is the feminine singular definite article, used here because ‘Show’ is a feminine noun.
Noun Gender (Show)
‘Show’ is a borrowed noun from English and is feminine in German, so it takes ‘die’.
Verb ‘sein’ (ist)
‘ist’ is the third‑person singular present of ‘sein’ (to be) and is used for stating time.
Preposition ‘um’ + Accusative
‘um’ introduces a point in time and is followed by the accusative case; the numeral ‘20’ functions as a cardinal number, and ‘Uhr’ is a feminine noun in the accusative.
Time Expression (20 Uhr)
German tells the hour with the number followed by ‘Uhr’; minutes are added with ‘nach’ (after) or ‘vor’ (to).
🗨In Conversation
Um wie viel Uhr beginnt die Show?
What time does the show start?
Die Show ist um 20 Uhr.
The show is at 8 p.m.
✕Common Mistakes
Die Show ist um 20 Uhrzeit.
‘ist um’ is correct for stating the time, but learners sometimes add ‘Uhrzeit’ (e.g., ‘ist um 20 Uhrzeit’) which is redundant.
Die Show ist um 8 Uhr.
Using the 12‑hour clock without ‘abends’ can be confusing; say ‘8 Uhr abends’ instead of ‘8 Uhr’ if you need a 12‑hour format.
Der Show ist um 20 Uhr.
‘Show’ is feminine; using the masculine article ‘der’ is a common error for English speakers.
↔Alternatives
Die Show fängt um 20 Uhr an.
The show starts at 8 p.m.
Die Sendung läuft um 20 Uhr.
The broadcast runs at 8 p.m.
Um 20 Uhr geht die Show los.
The show kicks off at 8 p.m.
Cultural Tip
In German‑speaking countries, TV guides and event flyers usually list times in the 24‑hour clock, so ‘20 Uhr’ is the standard way to say 8 p.m. Avoid mixing the 12‑hour clock with ‘Uhr’; instead, you would say ‘acht Uhr abends’ if you prefer a 12‑hour format. Also, when you’re late, you can say ‘Ich komme zu spät zur Show’ (I’m late for the show).