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Questions & Answers about Jest siódma wieczorem.
Why do we use siódma (seventh) instead of siedem (seven)?
In Polish, we tell time using ordinal numbers (first, second, third) rather than regular numbers (one, two, three). You are literally saying 'It is the seventh'.
Why does siódma end in an -a?
When telling time, the word godzina (hour) is understood even if you do not say it. Since godzina is a feminine noun, the number must take the feminine ending -a.
The word for evening is wieczór, so why is it wieczorem here?
Adding the -em ending changes the noun into a time phrase meaning 'in the evening'. Polish does this with several times of day to show when something happens without needing an extra preposition like 'in' or 'at'.
Can I use the 24-hour clock instead?
Yes! Poland uses the 24-hour clock very often. You can simply say Jest dziewiętnasta (It is the nineteenth hour). If you do this, you do not need to add wieczorem.