diff --git a/arrow/arrow.py b/arrow/arrow.py
index eecf2326..9f8472db 100644
--- a/arrow/arrow.py
+++ b/arrow/arrow.py
@@ -1030,6 +1030,8 @@ def shift(self, check_imaginary: bool = True, **kwargs: Any) -> "Arrow":
 
         relative_kwargs = {}
         additional_attrs = ["weeks", "quarters", "weekday"]
+        # Absolute time units that should use timedelta for correct DST handling
+        absolute_time_attrs = ["hours", "minutes", "seconds", "microseconds"]
 
         for key, value in kwargs.items():
             if key in self._ATTRS_PLURAL or key in additional_attrs:
@@ -1046,8 +1048,27 @@ def shift(self, check_imaginary: bool = True, **kwargs: Any) -> "Arrow":
             relative_kwargs.pop("quarters", 0) * self._MONTHS_PER_QUARTER
         )
 
+        # Separate absolute time units from relative ones.
+        # Absolute time units (hours, minutes, seconds, microseconds) should be
+        # added in UTC to ensure correct DST handling - they represent actual
+        # elapsed time, not wall-clock time.
+        absolute_time_kwargs = {}
+        for attr in absolute_time_attrs:
+            if attr in relative_kwargs:
+                absolute_time_kwargs[attr] = relative_kwargs.pop(attr)
+
+        # First apply calendar-based shifts using relativedelta
         current = self._datetime + relativedelta(**relative_kwargs)
 
+        # Then apply absolute time shifts by converting to UTC first, adding the
+        # timedelta, then converting back. This ensures we add actual elapsed
+        # time rather than wall-clock time, which matters during DST transitions.
+        if absolute_time_kwargs:
+            original_tz = current.tzinfo
+            utc_current = current.astimezone(timezone.utc)
+            utc_current = utc_current + timedelta(**absolute_time_kwargs)
+            current = utc_current.astimezone(original_tz)
+
         # If check_imaginary is True, perform the check for imaginary times (DST transitions)
         if check_imaginary and not dateutil_tz.datetime_exists(current):
             current = dateutil_tz.resolve_imaginary(current)
diff --git a/tests/test_arrow.py b/tests/test_arrow.py
index b595e4e2..cfd2295b 100644
--- a/tests/test_arrow.py
+++ b/tests/test_arrow.py
@@ -846,37 +846,65 @@ def test_shift_positive_imaginary(self):
         )
 
     def test_shift_negative_imaginary(self):
+        # With actual elapsed time semantics, shift(hours=-1) from 03:30-04:00
+        # goes back 1 actual hour to 01:30-05:00 (during fall-back, we "gain" an hour)
         new_york = arrow.Arrow(2011, 3, 13, 3, 30, tzinfo="America/New_York")
+        # Going back 1 actual hour from 03:30 EDT crosses into EST
         assert new_york.shift(hours=-1) == arrow.Arrow(
-            2011, 3, 13, 3, 30, tzinfo="America/New_York"
+            2011, 3, 13, 1, 30, tzinfo="America/New_York"
         )
+        # Going back 2 actual hours from 03:30 EDT
         assert new_york.shift(hours=-2) == arrow.Arrow(
-            2011, 3, 13, 1, 30, tzinfo="America/New_York"
+            2011, 3, 13, 0, 30, tzinfo="America/New_York"
         )
 
+
+        # London: 02:00 BST (+01:00) minus 1 actual hour = 00:00 GMT (+00:00)
         london = arrow.Arrow(2019, 3, 31, 2, tzinfo="Europe/London")
         assert london.shift(hours=-1) == arrow.Arrow(
-            2019, 3, 31, 2, tzinfo="Europe/London"
+            2019, 3, 31, 0, tzinfo="Europe/London"
         )
+        # London: 02:00 BST minus 2 actual hours = 23:00 GMT (previous day)
         assert london.shift(hours=-2) == arrow.Arrow(
-            2019, 3, 31, 0, tzinfo="Europe/London"
+            2019, 3, 30, 23, tzinfo="Europe/London"
         )
 
-        # edge case, crossing the international dateline
+        # edge case, crossing the international dateline (Apia skipped Dec 30, 2011)
+        # 2011-12-31 01:00+14:00 in Apia minus 2 actual hours crosses the dateline change
         apia = arrow.Arrow(2011, 12, 31, 1, tzinfo="Pacific/Apia")
         assert apia.shift(hours=-2) == arrow.Arrow(
-            2011, 12, 31, 23, tzinfo="Pacific/Apia"
+            2011, 12, 29, 23, tzinfo="Pacific/Apia"
         )
 
     def test_shift_with_imaginary_check(self):
+        # 2024-03-10 02:30 is imaginary (DST spring forward)
+        # Arrow constructor resolves it to 03:30, then shift adds 1 actual hour = 04:30
         dt = arrow.Arrow(2024, 3, 10, 2, 30, tzinfo=ZoneInfo("US/Eastern"))
         shifted = dt.shift(hours=1)
-        assert shifted.datetime.hour == 3
+        assert shifted.datetime.hour == 4
 
     def test_shift_without_imaginary_check(self):
+        # Same as above - the imaginary time is resolved before shift
         dt = arrow.Arrow(2024, 3, 10, 2, 30, tzinfo=ZoneInfo("US/Eastern"))
         shifted = dt.shift(hours=1, check_imaginary=False)
-        assert shifted.datetime.hour == 3
+        assert shifted.datetime.hour == 4
+
+    def test_shift_dst_spring_forward_issue_1209(self):
+        # Regression test for issue #1209
+        # shift(hours=10) should add 10 actual hours even across DST spring forward
+        # DST in US/Central: March 9, 2025 at 2am clocks spring forward to 3am
+        start = arrow.Arrow(2025, 3, 8, 18, 30, tzinfo="US/Central")
+        shifted = start.shift(hours=10)
+        
+        # 18:30 + 10 hours = 04:30 next day (wall clock), but due to DST spring forward
+        # 10 actual hours later should be 05:30
+        assert shifted.datetime.hour == 5
+        assert shifted.datetime.minute == 30
+        assert shifted.datetime.day == 9
+        
+        # Verify actual elapsed time is 10 hours (36000 seconds)
+        elapsed_seconds = shifted.timestamp() - start.timestamp()
+        assert elapsed_seconds == 36000  # 10 hours * 3600 seconds
 
     @pytest.mark.skipif(
         dateutil.__version__ < "2.7.1", reason="old tz database (2018d needed)"