Short answer: Germany turned its clocks back one hour on Sunday, 25 October 2026. Sri Lanka does not change its clocks, so Sri Lanka is now 4.5 hours ahead of Germany, not 3.5 hours. This is a great moment to learn how to tell the time in German, a core A1 topic.
What changed in Germany on 25 October?
As the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy announced, summer time (Sommerzeit) ended at 3:00 a.m. on 25 October 2026. The clocks went back to 2:00 a.m., and Germany returned to Central European Time (MEZ). This "Winterzeit" stays until the next change on 28 March 2027.
The change happens in all EU countries at the same moment, so Austria, the home of the ÖSD exams, changed on the same night. You can read how the change works on the website of Germany's national time institute, the PTB.
The new time difference between Sri Lanka and Germany
Sri Lanka keeps the same time all year (UTC+5:30). Germany is now on UTC+1. Here is what that means for you:
- Now (until 27 March 2027): Sri Lanka is 4.5 hours ahead of Germany.
- During German summer time: Sri Lanka is 3.5 hours ahead.
- Example: 10:00 a.m. in Berlin is now 2:30 p.m. in Colombo, not 1:30 p.m.
Planning a video interview with a German employer or a call with family in Germany? Check the time again before you join.
How to ask and tell the time in German (A1)
Start with these two questions. Both mean the same thing:
- Wie spät ist es? = What time is it?
- Wie viel Uhr ist es? = What time is it?
Easy answers
- Es ist drei Uhr. = It is three o'clock.
- Es ist Viertel nach drei. = It is quarter past three (3:15).
- Es ist Viertel vor vier. = It is quarter to four (3:45).
- Es ist zehn nach drei. = It is ten past three (3:10).
The tricky one: "halb"
Es ist halb vier means 3:30, not 4:30. Germans count "half" towards the next hour, so "halb vier" is "half way to four". This is one of the most common mistakes learners make, so practise it until it feels natural.
Official time for trains and appointments
For timetables, exams and appointments, Germans usually use the 24-hour clock: Der Zug fährt um 14:30 Uhr. (vierzehn Uhr dreißig) = The train leaves at 2:30 p.m. To ask when something happens, say Um wie viel Uhr? = At what time?
Useful German words for the time change
- die Zeitumstellung = the time change
- die Sommerzeit / die Winterzeit = summer time / winter time
- die Uhr = the clock, and also "o'clock"
- die Stunde = the hour (as a length of time)
- Die Uhren werden zurückgestellt. = The clocks are set back.
Watch out: say Ich lerne zwei Stunden (I study for two hours), not "zwei Uhr". "Uhr" is for clock times and "Stunde" is for how long something takes.
Practise numbers and time between classes
Numbers and time are one of the A1 topics in the Grammar Games of the Grman Exams Premium app. You can also play the GE Arena vocabulary game, and if you are enrolled in a Grman Exams course, practise speaking with the AI speaking tutor. Get it on the App Store, on Google Play or at premium.grmanexams.lk.
FAQ
What is the time difference between Sri Lanka and Germany now?
From 25 October 2026 until 28 March 2027, Sri Lanka is 4.5 hours ahead of Germany. During German summer time, the difference is 3.5 hours.
When do the clocks change in Germany next?
On Sunday, 28 March 2027, when the clocks go forward one hour to summer time.
What does "halb fünf" mean in German?
"Halb fünf" means 4:30, because it is half way to five.
Start your German A1 journey
Whether you plan to study, train or work in Germany, it all starts at A1. See our German A1 course and the ÖSD Zertifikat A1 exam at Grman Exams, an ÖSD exam centre with branches in Colombo, Kandy, Jaffna and Vavuniya, plus online classes. Contact us or call or WhatsApp +94 773 968 779 to join the next batch.