Dutch counts half hours forward to the next hour, not back from the last one, so half plus a number means thirty minutes BEFORE that hour: half drie is 2:30. For minutes near the half hour you also count from it: tien voor half vier is 3:20 and tien over half vier is 3:40.
Examples
- Het is half drie.
- It is half past two (2:30).
- De trein vertrekt om half acht.
- The train leaves at 7:30.
- Het is kwart over negen.
- It is quarter past nine (9:15).
- We eten om tien voor half zeven.
- We eat at 6:20.
The mistake to avoid
English speakers read half vier as 4:30, but it means 3:30 - the number names the hour you are heading towards.
Where this fits in
Numbers, days, time, Dutch A1: Count, talk about days and months, give the time, and handle numbers in real situations.