Questions & Answers about Ich komme erst um acht.
Wait, I thought this lesson was about zuerst. Why does this sentence use erst?
This is a very common trap! While zuerst means "first" in a sequence of events (like "First I do this, then that"), the shorter word erst means something different. When used with a time, erst means "not until" or "only at".
The English translation says "I am not coming until eight." Where is the word for "not" in the German sentence?
German doesn't use a negative word here! The word erst already has the built-in meaning of "later than expected." When you say Ich komme erst um acht, it means something closer to "I am coming only at eight." Adding nicht would actually make the German sentence incorrect.
Why is the present tense komme used if eight o'clock is in the future?
In German, it is completely standard to use the present tense to talk about the future, especially when you include a specific time like um acht. You don't need to use a future tense verb like you often do in English.
Should there be an Uhr at the end of the sentence?
You can absolutely say um acht Uhr, but just like in English where we drop "o'clock" and just say "at eight," German speakers frequently drop Uhr in everyday conversation.
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