Breakdown of Es ist Mitternacht. Wir müssen schlafen.
sein
to be
es
it
wir
we
schlafen
to sleep
müssen
to have to, must
die Mitternacht
midnight
Questions & Answers about Es ist Mitternacht. Wir müssen schlafen.
Why don't we add Uhr after Mitternacht?
Just like in English, we don't say "midnight o'clock." When using specific named times of day like Mitternacht (midnight) or Mittag (noon), you don't use the word Uhr.
What is the literal translation of Mitternacht?
It is a compound word made of Mitte (middle) and Nacht (night). It literally translates to "middle of the night."
Why is schlafen at the very end of the second sentence?
This is a strict rule in German! When you use a "modal verb" like müssen (must) to express necessity or ability, it takes the normal verb spot, but it pushes the main action verb (schlafen) all the way to the end of the sentence in its basic dictionary form.
Does German use es for time exactly like English uses "it"?
Yes! When telling the time or talking about general conditions like the weather, German uses es (it) as a filler subject, exactly like English does when we say "It is midnight" or "It is late."
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