Navigating German Witness Statements: Time and Location – It’s More Complicated Than I Thought!

Okay, so here I am, six months in Munich, working as a freelance translator, and I thought I was getting the hang of things. I could order a Bier without butchering the pronunciation, I could ask for directions (most of the time), and I was even starting to understand some of the news. Then, last week, I was asked to help with a witness statement for a minor traffic accident. Suddenly, German time and location phrases weren’t just textbook examples; they were real problems.

The Accident & The Initial Confusion

It was a classic – a cyclist (a Fahrradfahrer) had collided with a parked car. The police arrived, and the cyclist was understandably shaken. One of the officers, a very polite man named Herr Schmidt, needed someone to translate the witness statement. That’s where I stepped in.

The first hurdle? Everyone was giving times in a way that made absolutely no sense to me. The cyclist said, “Es ist ungefähr halb drei.” (It’s approximately half past three.) Now, to me, “halb drei” sounds like 2:30. But Herr Schmidt kept correcting me! He insisted it was ungefähr – “approximately” – and that Germans weren’t as precise about the exact minute as I seemed to be. He kept saying, “Nicht so streng! Nicht so streng!” (Not so strict! Not so strict!)

Key Phrases for Time – It’s Not Just “Uhr”

I quickly realised that simply knowing “die Uhr” (the clock) wasn’t going to cut it. The core phrases I needed to learn quickly were:

• Um… (At…) – This is crucial. The cyclist said, “Ich war um der Marienplatz, als es passiert ist.” (I was around Marienplatz when it happened.) I almost said “bei der Marienplatz,” but that’s incorrect. “Um” is the key.
• Ungefähr… (Approximately…) – As Herr Schmidt pointed out, this is the go-to phrase for estimations. “Es war ungefähr 15 Minuten nach drei.” (It was approximately fifteen minutes after three.)
• Vor… (Before…) – “Ich war vor dem Café.” (I was before the café.)
• Nach… (After…) – “Ich war nach der Kirche.” (I was after the church.)

I even made a mistake when I asked the police officer for the exact time of the incident. I blurted out, “Was ist die genaue Zeit?” (What is the exact time?). He just chuckled and said, “In Deutschland, meistens sagen wir ‘ungefähr’.” (In Germany, we usually say ‘approximately’.)

Location, Location, Location – More Than Just Street Names

Location was just as tricky. German street names aren’t always intuitive. I quickly learned I couldn’t just rely on translating directly from English.

• Links/Rechts (Left/Right) – These are absolutely essential. “Gehen Sie links an der Apotheke vorbei” (Go left past the pharmacy).
• Vorbei an… (Past…): “Ich sah den Unfall vorbei an der Bank.” (I saw the accident past the bank.)
• Direkt vor/hinter… (Directly in front of/behind…) – This is useful for pinpointing a location. “Es war direkt vor der roten Ampel.” (It was directly in front of the red traffic light.)

I discovered a particularly awkward situation when trying to describe the location of the accident to a friend. I started saying “Die Unfallstelle war ungefähr…”, and he looked utterly confused. He gently corrected me: “Sag einfach, wo es war!” (Just say where it was!). Simple, right?

Putting it All Together – A Mini-Dialogue

Here’s a little snippet of the actual conversation (translated and simplified):

• Polizist Schmidt: “Können Sie mir sagen, wann und wo der Unfall passiert ist?” (Can you tell me when and where the accident happened?)

• Me: “Es war ungefähr halb drei um der Marienplatz.” (It was approximately half past three around Marienplatz.)

• Polizist Schmidt: “Ja, ja, ungefähr. Und wo genau um Marienplatz?” (Yes, yes, approximately. And exactly around Marienplatz?)

• Me: “Vorbei an der Bank, direkt vor der roten Ampel.” (Past the bank, directly in front of the red traffic light.)

The Takeaway (and a Word of Warning!)

This whole experience hammered home a vital lesson: German isn’t just about translating words; it’s about understanding cultural nuances. The way they approach time and location is different. It’s not about rigid precision; it’s about providing enough information to be understood.

My advice to any newcomer, or even seasoned learner like myself, is to really focus on these key phrases and be prepared to be gently corrected. Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification! “Können Sie das bitte wiederholen?” (Can you please repeat that?) is a perfectly acceptable and surprisingly useful phrase. And most importantly, listen carefully to how native speakers express themselves – you’ll pick up a lot more than you think. Jetzt muss ich erstmal einen Apfelstrudel bestellen, das war anstrengend! (Now I need to order an apple strudel, that was exhausting!)