✨ Why Learn Japanese Time Expressions?
Knowing how to ask and tell the time is essential for making plans, discussing schedules, and managing daily activities in Japanese. Master these basics to communicate smoothly!
☛ Key Japanese Phrases
- What time is it now?
いま(は) なんじ ですか。
Ima (wa) nanji desu ka? - It’s 9:15 now.
いま(は) 9じ15ふん です。
Ima (wa) 9 ji 15 fun desu. - As for lunch break, it is from 12:00 to 1:00.
ひるやすみは 12じから 1じまで です。
Hiruyasumi wa 12-ji kara 1-ji made desu.
🎯 Japanese Vocabulary: Time & Related Words
Basic Time Words
- Time: 時刻(じこく)｜jikoku
- What time?: 何時(なんじ)｜nanji
- What minute?: 何分(なんぷん)｜nanpun
- O’clock: ～時(じ)｜～ji
- Minutes: ～分(ふん/ぷん)｜～fun/pun
- Half (30 minutes): 半(はん)｜han
- AM (morning): 午前(ごぜん)｜gozen
- PM (afternoon): 午後(ごご)｜gogo
- Now: 今(いま)｜ima
- Lunch break: 昼休み(ひるやすみ)｜hiruyasumi
- Work: 仕事(しごと)｜shigoto
Key Grammar Points
- Particle「が：ga」＝ Subject marker, specifies something important
- 「Noun + の：no + Noun」＝ “of” / Possession
- 「～から…まで：～kara…made」＝ “From… to…”
⏰ Telling the Time: Hours & Minutes
- 1:00 – １時(いちじ)｜ichi-ji
- 2:00 – ２時(にじ)｜ni-ji
- 3:00 – ３時(さんじ)｜san-ji
- 4:00 – ４時(よじ)｜yo-ji
- 5:00 – ５時(ごじ)｜go-ji
- 6:00 – ６時(ろくじ)｜roku-ji
- 7:00 – ７時(しちじ)｜shichi-ji
- 8:00 – ８時(はちじ)｜hachi-ji
- 9:00 – ９時(くじ)｜ku-ji
- 10:00 – １０時(じゅうじ)｜juu-ji
- 11:00 – １１時(じゅういちじ)｜juuichi-ji
- 12:00 – １２時(じゅうにじ)｜juuni-ji
Common Minute Expressions
- 1 min – １分(いっぷん)｜ippun
- 2 min – ２分(にふん)｜ni-fun
- 3 min – ３分(さんぷん)｜san-pun
- 4 min – ４分(よんぷん)｜yon-pun
- 5 min – ５分(ごふん)｜go-fun
- 10 min – １０分(じゅっぷん)｜juppun
- 30 min (half past) – ３０分(さんじゅっぷん)／半(はん)｜sanjuppun / han
AM/PM Expressions
- 9:50 AM – 午前９時５０分(ごぜんくじごじゅっぷん)｜Gozen kuji gojuppun
- 8:30 PM – 午後８時３０分(ごごはちじさんじゅっぷん)｜Gogo hachiji sanjuppun
📝 Practice Questions
- 今、何時ですか？
Ima, nanji desu ka?
What time is it now? - 学校・会社は 何時から 何時まで ですか？
Gakkou/Kaisha wa nanji kara nanji made desu ka?
From what time to what time is school/work? - 昼休みは 何時から 何時まで ですか？
Hiruyasumi wa nanji kara nanji made desu ka?
From what time to what time is lunch break? - 午前の仕事は 何時から 何時まで ですか？
Gozen no shigoto wa nanji kara nanji made desu ka?
What time does morning work start and end? - 午後の仕事は 何時から 何時まで ですか？
Gogo no shigoto wa nanji kara nanji made desu ka?
What time does afternoon work start and end? - 何曜日が仕事ですか？
Nanyoubi ga shigoto desu ka?
What days do you work? - 何曜日が休みですか？
Nanyoubi ga yasumi desu ka?
What days are you off?
Practicing these words and sentences will help you confidently express time in Japanese. Keep practicing, and soon it will become second nature! 🚀
Boost Your Japanese Fluency with Personalized Lessons!
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