Breakdown of De vergadering begint om vier uur.
vier
four
beginnen
to begin
het uur
the hour / o'clock
om
at (time)
Questions & Answers about De vergadering begint om vier uur.
How do we say "at" a certain time in Dutch?
To say that something happens "at" a specific time on the clock, Dutch uses the preposition om. So, om vier uur means "at four o'clock".
Does the word uur mean "hour" or "o'clock"?
It means both! Dutch doesn't have a separate word for "o'clock". You simply use the word for "hour" (uur) immediately after the number.
Why doesn't uur become plural after the number four?
When telling the time on the clock, the word uur always stays singular. You just say vier uur; you never add a plural ending to it.
If the meeting lasted for four hours, would it also be vier uur?
Yes! In Dutch, vier uur can mean both the time "four o'clock" and a duration of "four hours". The word om (at) is your clue that this sentence is about a specific starting time on the clock, not how long the meeting lasts.