Exact Times with 'om'
When you want to state exactly when an event happens, Dutch uses the preposition om. This is the direct equivalent of the English "at" when referring to a specific time on the clock.
| The course starts at exactly two o'clock. | De cursus begint om precies twee uur. |
| Lunch starts at one o'clock in the afternoon. | De lunch begint om één uur in de middag. |
| The match starts at a quarter past eight. | De wedstrijd begint om kwart over acht. |
Approximate Times with 'ongeveer'
If you aren't certain of the exact time, you can add the word ongeveer ("approximately" or "about"). You will often see it placed right after om, or used to describe how long an event lasts alongside the verb duren (to last).
| The dinner starts at approximately six o'clock. | Het diner begint om ongeveer zes uur. |
| The lesson lasts approximately one hour. | De les duurt ongeveer één uur. |
Durations with 'van ... tot'
To express a duration—meaning an event takes place from one point in time to another—use the combination van ... tot. This structure works just like "from ... to" or "from ... until" in English, and you can use it for specific hours, days of the week, and general times of the day.
| The lesson is from one to three o'clock. | De les is van één tot drie uur. |
| We work from nine to five o'clock. | We werken van negen tot vijf uur. |
| In January the course is from Monday to Friday. | In januari is de cursus van maandag tot vrijdag. |
| The concert lasts from the afternoon until the night. | Het concert duurt van de middag tot de nacht. |
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