Study Resource: German proverbs about time

By: Babsi Schafer Cabrera

The following are German proverbs, idioms, and sayings about time:

Alles hat seine Zeit.
Translation: There is a time for everything
Literally: Everything has its time.
alle Zeit der Welt haben
Translation: to have all the time in the world
Eile mit Weile!
Translation: One step at a time.
Literally: Hurry with a while!
Die Uhr tickt!
Translation: The clock is ticking!
Ach du liebe Zeit!
Translation: Oh dear!
Literally: Oh you dear time!
Der frühe Vogel fängt den Wurm.
Translation: The early bird catches the worm.
Kommt Zeit, kommt Rat.
Translation: Time will tell.
Literally: Comes time, comes advice.
Es ist fünf vor Zwölf!
Translation: Time is running out fast!
Literally: It's five to midnight!
nicht richtig ticken
Translation: to be not quite right in the head
Literally: to not tick right
Mir läuft die Zeit davon!
Translation: I'm running out of time!
Literally: Time is running away from me!
im Laufe der Zeit
Translation: in the course of time
Die Zeit heilt alle Wunden.
Translation: Time heals all wounds.
Es schlägt gleich dreizehn!
Translation: Enough is enough!
Literally: It's about to strike thirteen!
Morgenstund' hat Gold im Mund
Translation: The early bird catches the worm.
Literally: Morning hour has gold in its mouth.
Je früher/eher, desto besser.
Translation: The sooner the better.
Was du heute kannst besorgen, das verschiebe nicht auf morgen.
Translation: A stitch in time saves nine.
Literally: What you can do today don't transfer to tomorrow.
Gut Ding will Weile haben.
Translation: Good things take time.
Zeit ist Geld.
Translation: Time is money.
Was lange währt, wird endlich gut.
Translation: Good things come to those who wait.
Literally: What takes long will eventually be good.
die Zeit totschlagen
Translation: to kill time
Literally: to beat time to death
etwas auf den St. Nimmerleinstag verschieben
Translation: to move something to when the pigs fly
Morgen, morgen, nur nicht heute, sagen alle faulen Leute.
Translation: Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today.
Literally: Tomorrow, tomorrow, just not today, that's what all lazy people say.
rund um die Uhr
Translation: 24/7
Literally: around the clock
Wer zuerst kommt, mahlt zuerst.
Translation: First come, first served.
Literally: Who comes first, grinds flour first.
Morgen ist auch noch ein Tag.
Translation: Tomorrow is another day.
Wer zu spät kommt, den bestraft das Leben.
Translation: Life punishes those who delay.
Literally: Who comes too late is punished by life.
die Zeichen der Zeit erkennen
Translation: to see the signs of the times
auf Zeit spielen
Translation: to stall for time
Literally: to play for time
bis in die Puppen feiern
Translation: to party into the wee hours
Literally: to party into the dolls
vor der Tür stehen
Translation: to be just around the corner
Literally: to stand outside the door