'Halv' plus a number means half an hour BEFORE that number, not after it. So 'halv tre' is 2:30, because you are halfway towards three. 'Kvart over' (quarter past) and 'kvart på' (quarter to) work like the English words.
Examples
- Klokka er halv tre.
- It's half past two (2:30).
- Klokka er halv sju om morgenen.
- It's 6:30 in the morning.
- Klokka er kvart på fem.
- It's quarter to five (4:45).
The mistake to avoid
Learners read 'halv tre' as 3:30 - it is always one hour earlier than the number you hear.
Where this fits in
Numbers, days, time, Norwegian A1: Count, talk about days and months, give the time, and handle numbers in real situations.