Telling Time & Dates in Danish
Danish counts half hours towards the next hour: halv tre is 2:30. Learn the pattern below, then practise with the interactive clock. Perfect for beginners (A1‑A2).
- kvart over to
- 2:15 – quarter past two
- halv tre
- 2:30 – half to three
- kvart i tre
- 2:45 – quarter to three
- 05.03.2026
- Date format: DD.MM.YYYY (den 5. marts 2026)
📖 How to Tell Time and Write Dates in Danish
📅 Danish Date Format
In numbers, day–month–year: DD.MM.YYYY, e.g. 05.03.2026 or 5.3.2026
In words: den + day. + month + year
- den 1. januar 2026 – 1st January 2026
- den 15. marts 2025 – 15th March 2025
- den 31. december 2024 – 31st December 2024
Note the dot after the day number, and that months are lowercase.
Months: januar, februar, marts, april, maj, juni, juli, august, september, oktober, november, december
Weekdays: mandag, tirsdag, onsdag, torsdag, fredag, lørdag, søndag
🕰️ Time in Danish, Every Five Minutes
| Time | Danish |
|---|---|
| 3:00 | klokken tre |
| 3:05 | fem minutter over tre |
| 3:10 | ti minutter over tre |
| 3:15 | kvart over tre |
| 3:20 | tyve minutter over tre (or ti minutter i halv fire) |
| 3:25 | fem minutter i halv fire |
| 3:30 | halv fire |
| 3:35 | fem minutter over halv fire |
| 3:40 | tyve minutter i fire (or ti minutter over halv fire) |
| 3:45 | kvart i fire |
| 3:50 | ti minutter i fire |
| 3:55 | fem minutter i fire |
Written Danish uses the 24‑hour clock: kl. 15.30 or kl. 15:30.
📚 Example Date & Time Phrases
| English | Danish |
|---|---|
| 2:00 – 1st January 2026 | klokken to – den 1. januar 2026 |
| 2:15 – 15th March 2025 | kvart over to – den 15. marts 2025 |
| 2:30 – 31st December 2024 | halv tre – den 31. december 2024 |
| 2:45 – 23rd April 2023 | kvart i tre – den 23. april 2023 |
| 3:05 – 7th July 2022 | 5 minutter over tre – den 7. juli 2022 |
| 8:50 – 12th October 2021 | 10 minutter i ni – den 12. oktober 2021 |
| 12:00 – 24th December 2020 | klokken tolv – den 24. december 2020 |
| 6:30 – 1st May 2025 | halv syv – den 1. maj 2025 |
| 9:45 – 3rd September 2024 | kvart i ti – den 3. september 2024 |
| 4:20 – 18th February 2023 | 20 minutter over fire – den 18. februar 2023 |
The practice module above generates endless random combinations – these are just a sample.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How do you ask “what time is it?” in Danish?
“Hvad er klokken?” – literally “what is the clock?”. The answer starts with “Klokken er …”, e.g. “Klokken er halv tre” (it is 2:30).
How do I say the time in Danish?
Danish uses a “half‑to” system: “halv tre” means half past two (2:30). Exact minutes are said as “minutter over” (past) or “minutter i” (to).
What is the correct date format in Danish?
Denmark writes dates day–month–year. In numbers that is DD.MM.YYYY, e.g. 05.03.2026 or 5.3.2026 for 5 March 2026. In words it is “den” + day number with a dot + month + year: “den 5. marts 2026”. Months and weekdays are written in lowercase.
Is there a difference between written and spoken Danish for time?
Spoken Danish often uses the “half‑to” system, while written may use “14:30”. This module teaches you the spoken form you’ll actually hear.
How do I say “half past” in Danish?
“Halv” + the next hour. For example, 2:30 is “halv tre” (half to three).
What about quarter past and quarter to?
“Kvart over” for quarter past, and “kvart i” for quarter to. Example: 2:15 → “kvart over to”, 2:45 → “kvart i tre”.
Why is the day number followed by a dot?
In Danish dates, the ordinal number uses a dot, like 1. for “first”. It’s similar to 1st, 2nd etc. in English.
Do Danes use a.m./p.m.?
No. Written times use the 24‑hour clock, usually with “kl.” and a dot or colon: kl. 14.30 or kl. 14:30. In conversation Danes use the 12‑hour clock without a.m./p.m., relying on context (“halv tre om eftermiddagen”).
How can I remember the months in Danish?
They are very similar to English: januar, februar, marts … december. Practice with our module!
What about years? How do I say them?
Years are said as whole numbers: 2026 is “to tusind og seksogtyve”.
Why does this module show both analog and digital clocks?
Analog helps you visualise the clock face, while digital reinforces the numeric time. Together they build a complete understanding.
About this module
This interactive module helps you practice writing full Danish datetime phrases – exactly as you’ll need them for exams (PD3, Studieprøven) and everyday life. You see an analog clock and a digital clock together with a random date. Your task: type the complete phrase in Danish, e.g. “den 5. marts 2026 klokken halv to”. Instant feedback tells you whether you’re right and shows the correct answer if you’re wrong.
The system covers all common time expressions: kvart over, halv, kvart i, minutter over, minutter i. It also handles the correct Danish date format with a dot after the day. Perfect for self‑study or as a supplement to classroom learning.