In catalan it'd be two quarters of nine, usually shortened to quarters of nine (the two, specifically, is implied). You can also add “and five” (minutes) and “minus five", so 8:20 would be a quarter and five of nine, and 8:40 three quarters minus five of nine. 8:05 would be eight and five, and 8:55 would be nine minus five.

Same thing in Norwegian, but that shouldn't be a surprise given how similar it is to Swedish.

It is in Dutch.

I think it's just a European thing because Czech has it too

In Russian, 5:30 is also "half of the sixth", but I still hate the Danish numbering system (which I have to live with)

Interesting in NZ we would say half eight; for 8:30. Which when written looks really strange; but it is the shortening of half past eight. But strangely we always say quarter past eight rather than quarter eight.

8:25 would be eight twenty five.
8:35 would be twenty five to nine.
8:45 would be quarter to nine, or more uncommon is just to read out eight forty five.

The hour that starts at 00:00 is the first hour of the day, hence 00:30 is half of that hour, or half [of] one. I think that makes sense. Not like the british who say half one and mean half past one.