Quarter Past and Quarter To
To tell time in 15-minute intervals, Dutch uses the words kwart (quarter), over (past), and voor (to).
Unlike the half-hour system that looks forward to the next hour, quarters work exactly like they do in English: you refer to the closest hour.
- kwart over means "a quarter past" (15 minutes past the hour).
- kwart voor means "a quarter to" (15 minutes before the hour).
| It is now a quarter past three. | Het is nu kwart over drie. |
Just like with whole hours, use the preposition om to say that something happens at a quarter past or to.
| The train leaves at a quarter to four. | De trein vertrekt om kwart voor vier. |
Asking "When"
Use the question word wanneer (when) to ask about schedules, such as when an event starts or ends.
| When does the appointment end? | Wanneer eindigt de afspraak? |
| The appointment ends at a quarter to five. | De afspraak eindigt om kwart voor vijf. |
A Quarter of an Hour
When reading the clock, use kwart. To describe a duration of fifteen minutes, use the noun het kwartier (a quarter of an hour).
| A quarter of an hour is exactly fifteen minutes. | Een kwartier is precies vijftien minuten. |
| Our break always lasts a quarter of an hour. | Onze pauze duurt altijd een kwartier. |
Open and Closed Schedules
When discussing store hours or daily routines, use the adjectives open (open) and dicht (closed).
| When is the shop open? | Wanneer is de winkel open? |
| The shop is open until a quarter past six. | De winkel is open tot kwart over zes. |
| The shop is closed today. | De winkel is vandaag dicht. |
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