German · Time, Numbers & Colors
"Early" in German: früh
früh
Early in German is früh. Say Ich stehe früh auf for waking early, and zu früh when something is too early.
Morning routine
Ich stehe morgen früh um sechs auf.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce früh
Say it
FRUE
/fʁyː/
FRUE. The ü is like ee with rounded lips. Keep it short and clear.
"Early" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| früh | early Time of day or schedule. | Time of day or schedule. |
| zu früh | too early Before the right moment. | Before the right moment. |
| früher | earlier / formerly Comparative, or "in the past". | Comparative, or "in the past". |
| am frühen Morgen | early in the morning Dawn hours. | Dawn hours. |
How to use früh in real life
- 1Morning routine
Ich stehe morgen früh um sechs auf.
I'm getting up at six early tomorrow.
Früh sits after the day word.
- 2Meeting time
Zehn Uhr ist mir zu früh.
Ten o'clock is too early for me.
Zu früh softens a refusal.
- 3Comparing plans
Können wir früher starten als gestern?
Can we start earlier than yesterday?
Früher is the comparative of früh.
Mistakes English speakers make with früh
Incorrect: Ich bin early.
Correct: Ich bin früh dran. / Ich komme früh.
Use früh, not the English word early.
Incorrect: früh Morgen
Correct: früh am Morgen / am frühen Morgen
Say früh am Morgen or am frühen Morgen.
Good to know
Many German workplaces start early by US standards, so früh can simply mean a normal weekday morning rather than something extreme.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Planning a train
ChatPal
Der Zug um sieben ist ziemlich früh.
The seven o'clock train is pretty early.
You
Mir ist früh okay, wenn wir Sitze kriegen.
Early is fine for me if we get seats.
ChatPal
Gut. Dann buche ich den frühen Zug.
Good. Then I'll book the early train.
You
Perfekt. Ich packe heute Abend schon früh.
Perfect. I'll pack early this evening already.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Early" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Early" in German
How do you say too early?
Zu früh.
What does früher mean?
Earlier, or in the past, depending on context.
Is früh an adjective or adverb?
Both: ein früher Termin, and Ich komme früh.
How do you say I wake up early?
Ich stehe früh auf.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
