UTC - a common time language - is important for a world wide community
We are a global community, and being able to talk about time and "be on the same clock" is beneficial to us. This is why this post is relevant to our language learning community.
There is a world wide standard used to express time, and is used by so many enterprises - known as Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Though a roo like me likes to think of it as Universal Time Coordination, as it confuses me less. ( For more info: see here )
To cut to the chase, lets say you are in Pittsburgh, United States of America.
The easiest way to find out what your UTC offset is :
Google : "what is my time zone"
https://www.google.com/search?q=what+is+my+time+zone
i.e. click on this blue writing above. If in Google you hold down your "ctrl" key, and then click, it will open this in a new tab for you, keeping this page in this tab. ( As recommended by dogomolo )
Back to our Pittsburgh's example, whose UTC offset is:
- UTC-04 during the middle of the year - in their summer ![Duo31]( and
- UTC-05 for the winter, at the end and beginning of their year.
![Pittsburgh time](
It is so much more useful knowing your relevant UTC offset time zone number, than knowing your time zone is a code like EST/EDT.
To convert UTC time to your local time :
If someone from around the world asks can we have a chat at UTC 12:00, and currently you are in "summer time" in Pittsburgh  and subtract 4 (your UTC offset zone) = 8:00am ( 12 - 4 = 8 ) .
(UTC time) + (your UTC offset) = (your local time)
Note: if your UTC offset is negative (as is the case for Pittsburgh), you SUBTRACT the offset from the UTC time. ie 12 + (-4) = 12 - 4 = 8
You do no need to know which time zone they are in, nor if it is summer or winter there. They do not need to know if where you are has a different time zone in summer time to winter time. The only key you need is to know what your relative "offset" to UTC time is. For the other person, the only key they need to know is what their relative "offset" is to UTC time. i.e.
- To Google their UTC offset
- Take the UTC time that that has been given to catch up, and to follow across the table to where your relative UTC offset column is.
List of tables for all UTC offset zones
To convert your local time to UTC time :
If you are in Pittsburgh and you want to give someone a time you wish to connect with them, and it is summer time, you add 4 hours to the time you want to catch up. So, say you want to catch up at 14:00 (2 pm) Pittsburgh summer time, you add 4 to 14, makes 18. (14 + 4 = 18) So you agree on 18:00 UTC. That way they do not have to try to work out if you are on summer or winter time. They just need to do the calculation for their time zone. And you don't have to worry if they are on summer or winter time. You leave that to them.
(your local time) - (your UTC offset) = (UTC time)
note: if your UTC offset is negative, (as is the case for Pittsburgh) , you ADD the UTC offset to your local time. ie 14 - (-4) = 14 + 4 = 18
If you are in Pittsburgh, and you want to convert you time schedule into and out of UTC time, this is the only table you need. Or for some of us, they do the calculation in their head. This table though could prove to be a good proof of principal/cross check.
Pittsburgh time to UTC time ( winter and summer time )
| -5  If you are in a minus time zone, such as Pittsburgh, there are times in your day that you are behind in your calendar date to UTC time.
For those in UTC-5 zone, this will be one day behind for your times of 19:00 to midnight. From 19:00 to midnight if you are in the UTC-5 zone, UTC time will be one calendar date ahead of you.
For those in UTC-4 zones, this will be one day behind for your times of 20:00 to midnight. From 20:00 to midnight if you are in the UTC-4 zone, UTC time will be one calendar date ahead of you.
Now that was not too hard ? If it was, do read another explanation here, and/or ask questions. Or have a go at explaining it in your words. This may also help others.
Future time changes for Northern American Time zones
EDT/EST ;
CDT/CST ;
MDT/MST ;
PDT/PST
Daylight Saving Time (DST)
| year | date | offset |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 10 Mar | +1 (DST start)         | +1 | +2 |
| China | +8 | +8 |
Southern Hemisphere
| Description | End-Start Year![Duo31]( | Mid Year ![]( |
|---|---|---|
| Australia-East | +11 | +10 |
Please also feel free to contribute your way of explaining how to use UTC. Your explanation could easily be clearer than mine, and make more sense to other sections of our community, and thus assist all of us to communicate.
ps. Knowing this is also really beneficial when you travel to different time zones ;P
last updated 2019/07/28 00:00 UTC [GUIDE] Time zones