Questions & Answers about Wann ist das Konzert? Um acht?
Why do we use um here to translate "at"?
In German, the word um is specifically used for clock times. While the English word "at" can translate to several different German words depending on the context (like for locations), you will always use um when stating a specific hour, like um acht (at eight).
Is it grammatically correct to leave out the word Uhr (o'clock) here?
Yes! Just like in English, you can often drop the word Uhr in casual, everyday speech when the meaning is obvious. Saying um acht (at eight) is just as natural and correct here as saying um acht Uhr (at eight o'clock).
I often confuse the German words for "when". Why do we use wann here instead of wenn?
You use wann because you are asking a direct question about at what time an event is happening. The similar-sounding word wenn is only used for conditions, meaning "if" or "whenever" (such as "If it rains..."). For asking time questions, always choose wann.
Why is the article das used for Konzert?