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Vocab: Time — B2
Time vocabulary at B2 level.
Maskulin Feminin Neutrum Plural
außerplanmäßig — unscheduled, unplanned
Außerplanmäßig is common for transport, appointments, work, or repairs that were not part of the original schedule. It is often translated as unplanned or unscheduled, not as the English false friend extraordinary.
Der Zug macht einen außerplanmäßigen Halt.
The train makes an unscheduled stop.
der Zug means the train, macht means makes, and der Halt means the stop. Außerplanmäßigen describes the masculine accusative object einen Halt, so it takes -en; the finite verb macht is in position two.
Wegen eines außerplanmäßigen Stopps kam der Bus später.
Because of an unscheduled stop, the bus arrived later.
wegen means because of, eines Stopps means an unscheduled stop, and später means later. Wegen takes the genitive, so eines außerplanmäßigen Stopps is genitive; the finite verb kam stands in position two after the initial phrase.
Heute ist der Ablauf außerplanmäßiger als gestern.
Today the schedule is more unplanned than yesterday.
heute means today, der Ablauf means the schedule or procedure, and gestern means yesterday. Außerplanmäßiger is predicative after ist, so it has no noun ending; als introduces the comparison.
Dieser Termin ist am außerplanmäßigsten.
This appointment is the most unscheduled one.
dieser Termin means this appointment. Am außerplanmäßigsten is the predicative superlative after ist; the finite verb ist is in position two, and the adjective has no ending in the am-form.
flüchtig — fleeting, transient; cursory; cursory, superficial
Flüchtig often describes something brief and easily lost, such as an impression or meeting. It can also mean cursory when describing reading, checking, or looking; it is not the usual word for physically running away.
Der Eindruck ist flüchtig.
The impression is fleeting.
der Eindruck means impression. Flüchtig is predicative after ist and therefore has no adjective ending; the verb ist stands in position two.
Sie hatte nur einen flüchtigen Eindruck von der Stadt.
She got only a fleeting impression of the city.
nur means only, hatte means had, and die Stadt means city. Flüchtigen stands before the masculine accusative noun Eindruck and takes -en after einen; von der Stadt uses von with the dative.
Der zweite Eindruck war flüchtiger als der erste.
The second impression was more fleeting than the first.
der zweite Eindruck means the second impression, and der erste means the first one. Flüchtiger is the comparative after war; comparisons use als, and the adjective is predicative without an ending.
Dieser Moment war am flüchtigsten.
This moment was the most fleeting.
dieser Moment means this moment. Am flüchtigsten is the predicative superlative, built with am plus -sten; do not use the attributive form here.
Ihre Freude war flüchtig, aber echt.
Her joy was fleeting but genuine.
ihre Freude means her joy, and echt means genuine or real. Flüchtig follows war as a predicative adjective with no ending; aber joins two descriptions without changing word order.
Ich habe den Bericht nur flüchtig gelesen.
I only skimmed the report.
der Bericht means report, nur means only, and gelesen means read. Flüchtig is used adverbially and therefore has no ending; habe ... gelesen is the perfect, with the participle at the end.
Er warf einen flüchtigen Blick auf die Rechnung.
He took a quick glance at the bill.
einen Blick werfen means take a glance, auf means at here, and die Rechnung means bill or invoice. Flüchtigen has the masculine accusative ending after einen, and auf die Rechnung is accusative because the glance is directed at something.
gegenwärtig — current, present, contemporary
Gegenwärtig is more formal than jetzt or heute when it means currently. Before a noun it takes a normal adjective ending, as in die gegenwärtige Lage.
Die Situation ist gegenwärtig schwierig.
The situation is currently difficult.
die Situation means the situation and schwierig means difficult. Gegenwärtig is predicative after ist, so it has no adjective ending; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Die gegenwärtige Lage ist kompliziert.
The current situation is complicated.
die Lage means the situation or circumstances and kompliziert means complicated. Gegenwärtige stands before the feminine noun Lage and takes -e because the definite article already marks nominative feminine.
Die Lage ist heute gegenwärtiger als früher.
The situation is more current today than before.
heute means today and früher means earlier or in the past. Gegenwärtiger is a predicative comparative after ist and has no ending; als introduces the comparison.
Diese Erklärung ist am gegenwärtigsten.
This explanation is the most current.
diese Erklärung means this explanation. Am gegenwärtigsten is the predicative superlative after ist; do not put an adjective ending on gegenwärtigsten in this am form.
die Kernzeit — core hours, core period
Die Kernzeit is mainly used in working-time arrangements with flexible hours: it is the period when employees must be present or available. It is a compound of der Kern (“core”) and die Zeit (“time”).
Die Kernzeit beginnt um neun Uhr.
Core hours begin at nine o'clock.
beginnt means begins, and um neun Uhr means at nine o'clock. Die Kernzeit is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb beginnt is in position two.
Die Firma legt die Kernzeit fest.
The company sets the core hours.
die Firma means the company, and legt ... fest means sets or specifies. Die Kernzeit is accusative because festlegen takes a direct object; the separable prefix fest goes to the end of the main clause.
In der Kernzeit müssen alle erreichbar sein.
During core hours, everyone must be reachable.
in der Kernzeit means during core hours, and erreichbar means reachable. In takes the dative here because this is a fixed time period, not movement; after the modal müssen, sein goes to the end.
Das Ende der Kernzeit ist um vier Uhr.
The end of core hours is at four o'clock.
das Ende means the end, and um vier Uhr means at four o'clock. Der Kernzeit is genitive because it specifies the end of what; the feminine noun itself has no ending change.
Die Kernzeiten sind in jeder Abteilung anders.
Core hours are different in every department.
in jeder Abteilung means in every department, and anders means different. Die Kernzeiten is the plural subject; in takes the dative here because it describes a location or organisational setting, not movement.
planmäßig — according to plan, scheduled
planmäßig describes something done according to a plan or timetable. It is often used with transport, especially in planmäßig ankommen; it can be compared, although comparisons are less common than the basic form.
Der Zug ist planmäßig angekommen.
The train arrived as scheduled.
der Zug means the train, and angekommen means arrived. planmäßig is used predicatively here as an adverb meaning according to schedule; ist angekommen is the perfect of movement and the participle stands at the end.
Die planmäßige Abfahrt ist um sechs Uhr.
The scheduled departure is at six o’clock.
die Abfahrt means the departure, and um sechs Uhr means at six o’clock. The adjective has the ending -e because it stands before a feminine noun with the definite article die; ist is in position two.
Heute verlief die Reise planmäßiger als gestern.
Today the journey went more according to plan than yesterday.
heute means today, verlief means went or proceeded, and gestern means yesterday. planmäßiger compares today with yesterday and is followed by als; the finite verb verlief is in position two.
Von allen Fahrten verlief diese am planmäßigsten.
Of all the journeys, this one went most according to plan.
von allen Fahrten means of all the journeys, and diese means this one. The superlative am planmäßigsten is used adverbially; von takes the dative, shown by allen Fahrten.
soeben — just now, a moment ago
Soeben means just now and is slightly more formal or written than gerade in this time meaning. It normally refers to something that happened a very short time ago and often appears with the perfect tense.
Ich habe ihn soeben gesehen.
I have just seen him.
ihn means him, and gesehen means seen. Soeben is an adverb of recent time and commonly stands after the finite auxiliary habe; the participle gesehen remains at the end of the main clause.
Der Zug ist soeben abgefahren.
The train has just left.
der Zug means the train, and abgefahren means left or departed. Soeben stands between the auxiliary ist and the Partizip II abgefahren; abfahren takes sein in the perfect because it expresses movement away.
stets — always, at all times
Stets means the same as immer, but it sounds more formal and is especially common in writing. In everyday conversation, learners normally choose immer.
Er hilft uns stets freundlich.
He is always helpful to us in a friendly way.
hilft means helps, uns means us, and freundlich means in a friendly way. Uns is dative because helfen takes a dative person; stets is an adverb and can stand after the finite verb.
Sie war stets gut vorbereitet.
She was always well prepared.
gut vorbereitet means well prepared, and war means was. Stets means always and is placed before the adjective phrase for emphasis; the finite verb war remains in position two.
temporal — temporal, time-related
In linguistics, temporal describes information about time, especially when an action happens. It is a formal term; in everyday German, zeitlich is often more natural.
Die Angabe ist temporal.
The expression refers to time.
die Angabe means the expression or piece of information, and sich auf etwas beziehen means to refer to something. The adjective stands after sein in a predicative structure and therefore has no ending.
Eine temporale Angabe zeigt, wann etwas passiert.
A temporal expression shows when something happens.
eine Angabe is an expression, zeigt means shows, and wann etwas passiert means when something happens. temporale stands before the feminine noun Angabe and takes the ending -e after the indefinite article eine.
Diese Erklärung ist temporaler als die erste.
This explanation is more related to time than the first one.
diese Erklärung means this explanation, and die erste means the first one. The comparative is followed by als for comparison; after ist, the adjective is predicative and has no ending.
Die dritte Spalte ist am temporalsten.
The third column is the most temporal one.
die dritte Spalte means the third column. The predicative superlative uses am plus -sten and stands after ist; am is not an article ending here.
umgehend — immediate, prompt
Umgehend is common in formal language and means immediately or without delay; in everyday speech, sofort is more usual. It can be compared when different degrees of promptness are contrasted: umgehender, am umgehendsten.
Die Antwort ist umgehend.
The reply is immediate.
die Antwort means the reply, and sofort means immediately. Umgehend is a predicative adjective after sein, so it has no adjective ending; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Wir brauchen eine umgehende Antwort.
We need an immediate reply.
brauchen means need, and die Antwort means the reply. Eine umgehende Antwort is an accusative object because brauchen takes an accusative object; the adjective has the ending -e after eine.
Wir brauchen einen umgehenderen Bescheid.
We need a more immediate decision.
brauchen means need, and der Bescheid means the decision or official reply. Einen umgehenderen Bescheid is accusative because brauchen takes an accusative object; -er marks the comparative and -en is the masculine accusative adjective ending.
Das war die umgehendste Reaktion des Teams.
That was the team’s most immediate reaction.
die Reaktion means the reaction, and das Team means the team. Die umgehendste Reaktion is nominative after war, while des Teams is genitive to show whose reaction it was; the attributive superlative has -ste plus the adjective ending -e.
umgehend — immediately, without delay
As an adverb, umgehend modifies a verb and never takes an adjective ending. It is formal; sofort is the more usual everyday equivalent.
Bitte antworten Sie umgehend.
Please reply immediately.
bitte makes the request polite, and antworten means reply. As an adverb, umgehend does not take an ending; the polite imperative antworten Sie comes first and umgehend adds the time information.
Der Techniker muss umgehend handeln.
The technician must act immediately.
der Techniker is the technician, and handeln means act. Umgehend is an adverb and stays unchanged; the modal verb muss is in position two and the infinitive handeln goes to the end.
der Verlauf — course, progression, development; course, sequence
Der Verlauf is used for the development of something over time, especially an illness, event, or process. It is different from der Weg, which usually means a physical route or path.
Der Verlauf der Krankheit ist normal.
The course of the illness is normal.
die Krankheit means the illness and normal means normal. Der Verlauf is nominative because it is the subject; der Krankheit is genitive and means “of the illness.”
Die Ärztin beobachtet den Verlauf der Krankheit.
The doctor observes the course of the illness.
die Ärztin means the doctor and beobachtet means observes; die Krankheit means illness. Den Verlauf is accusative because beobachten takes a direct object, while der Krankheit is genitive.
Wir folgen dem Verlauf der Straße.
We follow the course of the road.
wir means we, folgen means follow, and die Straße means the road. Dem Verlauf is dative because folgen governs the dative; der Straße is genitive, meaning “of the road.”
Die Ärztin ist mit dem Verlauf der Krankheit zufrieden.
The doctor is satisfied with the course of the illness.
die Ärztin means the doctor, zufrieden means satisfied, and mit means with. Der Krankheit is genitive because it specifies the course, while mit dem Verlauf is a dative phrase forced by mit.
Die Verläufe der Krankheiten sind unterschiedlich.
The courses of the illnesses are different.
die Krankheiten means the illnesses and unterschiedlich means different. Verläufe is the plural subject, and der Krankheiten is genitive plural, meaning “of the illnesses.”
Im weiteren Verlauf des Gesprächs wurde es ruhiger.
As the conversation continued, things became calmer.
im weiteren Verlauf means as things progress, das Gespräch means the conversation, and ruhiger means calmer. Im is short for in dem, so Verlauf is dative; des Gesprächs is genitive, and wurde stands in position two.
Der Verlauf der Sitzung war sehr lebhaft.
The course of the meeting was very lively.
die Sitzung means the meeting and lebhaft means lively. Der Verlauf is the nominative subject, while der Sitzung is genitive and means “of the meeting.”
vordem — formerly; previously
Vordem is literary or formal and is less common in everyday conversation than früher or damals. It normally refers to an earlier situation, not simply to the immediately preceding word or action.
Vordem war das Leben auf dem Land ruhiger.
In the past, life in the countryside was quieter.
das Leben means life, auf dem Land means in the countryside, and ruhiger means quieter. Vordem is a time adverb; placed first, it occupies position one, so the finite verb war comes immediately after it in position two.
Sie arbeitet nicht mehr so wie vordem.
She no longer works as she did before.
arbeitet means works, nicht mehr means no longer, and so wie means as or in the way that. Vordem refers to an earlier period and is placed at the end of the comparison; it does not change form because it is an adverb.
vorübergehend — temporary, provisional
Vorübergehend normally describes something that will end, so comparison is uncommon but possible when temporary periods are ranked. Do not confuse it with a permanent state: vorübergehend means only for a limited period.
Die Schließung ist vorübergehend.
The closure is temporary.
die Schließung means closure. Vorübergehend is predicative, so it has no adjective ending; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Wir suchen eine vorübergehende Lösung.
We are looking for a temporary solution.
eine Lösung means a solution, and suchen means are looking for. Eine vorübergehende Lösung is an accusative object of suchen; because the noun is feminine with the indefinite article eine, the adjective takes -e.
Diese Lösung ist vorübergehender als die alte.
This solution is more temporary than the old one.
diese Lösung means this solution, als means than, and die alte means the old one. The comparative vorübergehender is predicative and therefore has no ending; als introduces the thing used for comparison.
Von allen Maßnahmen war diese am vorübergehendsten.
Of all the measures, this one was the most temporary.
von allen Maßnahmen means of all the measures, and diese means this one. The predicative superlative uses am plus -sten; war is the past-tense verb in position two, while von takes the dative plural.
zuweilen — sometimes, occasionally
Zuweilen is more formal and less frequent in everyday speech than manchmal. It usually refers to an occasional event, not to something that happens regularly.
Ich gehe zuweilen im Park spazieren.
I sometimes go for a walk in the park.
im Park means in the park, and spazieren gehen means to go for a walk. Zuweilen is a time adverb; because it is in the middle of the sentence, the finite verb gehe remains in position two.
Zuweilen vermisse ich meine Heimatstadt.
Sometimes I miss my home town.
vermisse means miss, and meine Heimatstadt means my home town. When zuweilen comes first, it occupies position one, so the finite verb vermisse must come immediately after it in position two.