Introduction to german language....

German is a West Germanic language, thus related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. It is one of the world's major languages and the most widely spoken first language in the European Union. Globally, German is spoken by approximately 120 million native speakers and also by about 80 million non-native speakers. Standard German is widely taught in schools, universities and Goethe Institutes worldwide....



Origins

The history of the language begins with the High German consonant shift during the migration period, separating Old High German dialects fromOld Saxon. The earliest testimonies of Old High German are from scattered Elder Futhark inscriptions, especially in Alemannic, from the 6th century AD; the earliest glosses (Abrogans) date to the 8th; and the oldest coherent texts (the Hildebrandslied, the Muspilli and the Merseburg Incantations) to the 9th century. Old Saxon at this time belongs to the North Sea Germanic cultural sphere, and Low Saxon should fall under German rather than Anglo-Frisian influence during the Holy Roman Empire.

As Germany was divided into many different states, the only force working for a unification or standardization of German during a period of several hundred years was the general preference of writers trying to write in a way that could be understood in the largest possible area.

GERMAN TIME


What time is it? - (Wie spät ist es?)


 

It is 2 am
Es ist Zwei Uhr nachts
2:00pm
Es ist Zwei Uhr nachmittags
6:20
Es ist Sechs Uhr zwanzig
half past 3
Es ist halb vier
quarter past 4
Es is Viertel nach vier
quarter to 5
Es ist Viertel vor fünf
10 past 11
Es ist zehn nach elf
20 to 7
Es ist zwanzig vor sieben
At 8:00
Um 8 Uhr
AM and PM are not used. Hours are indicated by numbers from 1 to 24. 11 o'clock means 11 AM and 23 o'clock means 11 PM. However, the rule is not strict. Where context makes it clear, numbers from 1 - 12 are used, but without AM or PM.
Wie spaet ist es? = What's the time?
Wann faehrt der Zug? = When does the train leave?
Wann treffen wir uns? = When do we meet?
Viertel nach ...= a quarter past...
Viertel vor...= a quarter to...
Um halb 11 = (literally: half eleven) but indicating 10.30 AM
If you get stuck, learn this phrase:
Bitte helfen Sie mir. = Can you help me please? The urgency for your need of help can easily be expressed by the tone of your voice and your facial expression
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