Hallo beginnende taalleerders! Numbers and time expressions are the backbone of many everyday conversations. You need them to tell someone when you're meeting, ask for the price of something, talk about your age, or specify a quantity. Getting comfortable with Dutch numbers and common time phrases is absolutely essential for navigating daily life and is a core part of the A1 curriculum.

In this guide, we'll cover the fundamentals of Dutch numbers, explain how to tell the time, discuss how to express dates, and show you how to use numbers for prices and quantities. By the end, you'll have the vocabulary and phrases you need for many practical situations. These essential communication skills are practiced from the very beginning in our Online Dutch Courses.

Dutch Numbers (Getallen)

Let's start with the numbers themselves. Practice saying these out loud!

A. Numbers 0-20

B. Numbers 21-100 (and beyond)

For numbers 21-99, Dutch is similar to German: you say the units digit *and* the tens digit, with "en" in between. This is different from English (twenty-one) and requires practice.

Structure for 21-99:

[Units digit] + en + [Tens digit]

Examples:

• 21: éénentwintig (one and twenty)
• 34: vierendertig (four and thirty)
• 57: zevenenvijftig (seven and fifty)
• 99: negenennegentig (nine and ninety)

The tens are:

Telling the Time (Hoe laat is het?)

Telling time in Dutch is a mix of speaking clearly about hours and minutes, and using quarters and halves relative to the *next* hour. It's often similar to the informal way English speakers might say things.

Common Phrases:

• `Hoe laat is het?` - What time is it?
• `Het is...` - It is...

Minutes Past the Hour:

• `... over ...` (minutes past the hour)
  Het is vijf over tien. (10:05) It is five past ten.
• `... uur` (o'clock)
  Het is elf uur. (11:00) It is eleven o'clock.

Minutes Before the Hour:

• `... voor ...` (minutes before the hour)
  Het is tien voor elf. (10:50) It is ten before eleven.

Halves and Quarters:

This is the trickiest part! Halves and quarters refer to the *next* hour.

• `kwart over ...` (quarter past the hour)
  Het is kwart over twee. (2:15) It is quarter past two.
• `kwart voor ...` (quarter before the hour)
  Het is kwart voor drie. (2:45) It is quarter before three.
• `half ...` (half past the hour - but refers to the *next* hour)
  Het is half drie. (2:30) It is half three. (Meaning halfway to three)

So, `half drie` is 2:30, `half vier` is 3:30, etc.

Combining Halves and Quarters with Minutes:

Minutes around the half-hour also refer to the next hour.

• `... over half ...` (minutes past the half hour, refers to the *next* hour)
  Het is tien over half drie. (2:40) It is ten past half three. (Meaning 10 minutes past 2:30, heading towards 3)
• `... voor half ...` (minutes before the half hour, refers to the *next* hour)
  Het is tien voor half drie. (2:20) It is ten before half three. (Meaning 10 minutes before 2:30, heading towards 3)

You can also use the 24-hour system, which is simpler:

• Het is veertien uur. (14:00 / 2 PM)
• Het is zestien uur en dertig minuten. (16:30 / 4:30 PM)

Dates (Data)

Talking about dates involves days of the week, months, and numbers.

Days of the Week (Dagen van de week)

Months (Maanden)

Talking About Specific Dates:

You use the definite article `de` before the number (which becomes an ordinal number, usually ending in `-de` or `-ste`) and `van` before the month.

• ... de ...de van ... (the ...th of ...)
  Vandaag is het de vijfde van oktober. Today is the fifth of October.
• ... de ...ste van ... (for 1st, 23rd, 31st)
  Het is de eerste van januari. It is the first of January.
• Short form: ... + maandnaam
Vandaag is het vijf oktober. Today is October fifth.
• Asking for the date: Wat is de datum (vandaag)?
• Asking for the day: Welke dag is het vandaag?

Talking About Years:

• `in + jaartal`
  Ik ben geboren in negentienhonderdvierentachtig. I was born in nineteen eighty-four.

Prices (Prijzen) and Quantities (Hoeveelheden)

Using numbers is essential for discussing costs and amounts.

Asking for Prices:

• `Hoeveel kost...?` or `Wat kost...?` (How much does... cost?)
  Hoeveel kost dit boek? How much does this book cost?
• `Hoeveel kosten...?` (for plural nouns)
  Hoeveel kosten deze appels? How much do these apples cost?
• `Wat is de prijs van...?` (What is the price of...?)
  Wat is de prijs van een kilo aardappelen? What is the price of a kilo of potatoes?

Giving Prices:

You state the amount followed by the currency (euro, cent). You can use the formal "euro" or the common "eurootjes" or just the number.

• `Het kost ... euro/cent.`
  Het kost twee euro. (It costs two euros.)
  Het kost vijftig cent. (It costs fifty cents.)
  Het kost drie vijftig. (It costs 3.50 - common informal way)

Asking and Stating Quantities:

• `Hoeveel...?` (How much/many?) - followed by the noun.
  Hoeveel water drink je per dag? (uncountable) How much water do you drink per day?
  Hoeveel appels wil je? (countable plural) How many apples do you want?
• Giving quantities: Use the number followed by the noun or unit.
  Ik wil een kilo bananen. (I want a kilo of bananas.)
  Ik wil twee liter melk. (I want two liters of milk.)
  Ik heb vijf boeken. (I have five books.)

Why Master Numbers and Time Expressions?

These concepts are fundamental for daily communication:

• Practical Situations: Essential for shopping, making appointments, asking for directions, discussing schedules, and giving personal information (age, phone number, address).
• Understanding Information: Numbers and times are used everywhere, from news reports to train schedules.
• Planning and Organizing: Necessary for talking about when things happened or will happen.

They are the language of logistics and daily life.

Tips for Practicing Numbers and Time Expressions

Getting comfortable with numbers and time is all about active use and repetition. Try these strategies:

• Memorize Numbers 0-100: Practice counting up to 100 regularly. Pay special attention to the "units + en + tens" structure for 21-99.
• Practice Telling Time: Look at a clock (digital and analog) and say the time in Dutch. Practice using both the simple ("twee uur") and the informal ("half drie", "kwart over") methods. Use online time-telling exercises.
• Talk About Your Schedule: Practice saying when you do things during the day using time expressions. "Om zeven uur sta ik op." "Om half negen begin ik met werken."
• Learn Days and Months: Memorize the names of the days and months.
• Practice Saying Dates: Say your birthday and other important dates in Dutch. Ask others for their birthdays.
• Practice Asking/Giving Prices: Imagine you are in a shop. Ask for the price of various items (`Hoeveel kost...?`) and practice stating prices.
• Count Objects: Look around and count things in Dutch. "één pen, twee pennen, drie pennen..."
• Use Flashcards: Create flashcards for numbers, days, months, and time phrases.

Conclusion: Your Practical Dutch Skills

Mastering Dutch numbers and key time expressions is a practical and essential step in your language learning journey. These are the tools that allow you to participate in many everyday interactions, from planning meetings and asking for prices to giving your age or talking about dates.

While the inversion for numbers 21-99 and the system for telling time (especially the halves and quarters) might require focused practice, the core vocabulary is manageable. Consistent repetition and active use in various scenarios are the keys to making these concepts automatic.

Our comprehensive Dutch language courses at Sprachlingua integrate these essential practical skills from the very beginning, providing structured practice and expert guidance. Join us to confidently navigate daily life in Dutch!

Veel succes met de getallen en de tijd!