Methods to Inform Time in Japanese: An Simple Information



Japan is legendary for being punctual, so figuring out learn how to inform the time in Japanese is extraordinarily necessary!

Fortunately, if you understand your numbers, it’s fairly easy!

I’ve spent years studying and educating Japanese, each in and outdoors of Japan. So I’ll inform you a very powerful stuff you’ll must know, whether or not you’re an absolute newbie or making an attempt to take your Japanese to the following degree.

When beginning with Japanese time, there are just a few important phrases you’ll must change into conversant in. Right here’s a fast rundown of a very powerful phrases launched on this article:

Japanese Time Phrases

Japanese Romaji English Audio
ji hour(s)
enjoyable/pun minute(s)
han half previous
時間 jikan time/hour (length)

Now, as I stated, after all an article like that is going to utilize a variety of numbers! It’ll be a good suggestion to learn our article about Japanese numbers both earlier than or whilst you’re going by means of this text.

Prepared now? Let’s go.

Counting Hours in Japanese

How do you inform the time in Japanese? Nicely, simply as in English, we have to begin with the hours!

To inform time in Japanese, the suffix 時 (ji) which means “hour” or “o’clock” is added to the numerical hour.

Beneath is a desk that can assist you study the proper pronunciations for every predominant hour:

Hours in Japanese

Japanese Romaji English Audio
1時 ichiji 1 o’clock
2時 niji 2 o’clock
3時 sanji 3 o’clock
4時 yoji 4 o’clock
5時 goji 5 o’clock
6時 rokuji 6 o’clock
7時 shichiji 7 o’clock
8時 hachiji 8 o’clock
9時 kuji 9 o’clock
10時 juuji 10 o’clock
11時 juuichiji 11 o’clock
12時 juuniji 12 o’clock
何時 nanji What hour?

Simple, proper? Observe that generally the numbers might be written in kanji, however generally they’ll be written in the identical numbers English makes use of.

Discover the occasions for 4:00, 7:00, and 9:00. Keep in mind there are just a few methods to say 4, 7, and 9, however these pronunciations are fixed! They won’t change. So you’ll not say one thing like yonji or shiji for 4:00. It’s at all times yoji.

Observe I’ve included “What hour” on this desk, which could appear bizarre. However don’t be thrown off! I’ll clarify this in additional element in a later part, since we’ll use it to ask what time it’s.

Additionally, these occasions can be utilized for each AM and PM. If you wish to make clear whether or not you imply the time within the morning of afternoon/night, you need to use the next core phrases:

Japanese Time Phrases

Japanese Romaji English Audio
午前 gozen AM
午後 gogo PM
asa morning
hiru afternoon
yoru night time

Remember that these phrases will go in entrance of the time expression. So for instance, “9:00 AM” is 午前9時 (gozen kuji), and “7:00 PM” is 午後7時 (gogo shichiji).

The 24-Hour Clock in Japanese

Now, should you’re shifting to Japan or able to study some barely extra superior methods to inform time, you’ll wish to know in regards to the 24-hour clock.

Telling time in Japan can contain each the 12-hour clock (AM/PM system) talked about earlier and the 24-hour clock, which is also known as army time in another nations, just like the US.

Japan is understood for its punctual and environment friendly public transportation methods, which incorporates trains, buses, and subways. The timetables for these providers nearly invariably use the 24-hour clock format. This helps keep away from confusion, significantly in the course of the early morning and late night hours.

The 24-hour clock can also be generally utilized in formal settings equivalent to workplaces, colleges, medical establishments, or on official paperwork like occasion schedules. Like within the above, this methodology reduces ambiguity and ensures readability in communication. For instance, a piece shift that begins at ‘09:00’ and ends at ‘17:00’ refers to a typical 9 AM to five PM workday.

Additionally, many digital clocks, smartphones, and computer systems in Japan show time utilizing the 24-hour format by default. So on Japanese smartphones, the default time show may learn “14:00” as a substitute of “2:00 PM.”

[IMG: advertisement.jpg]
You’ll discover this commercial makes use of a variety of the 24-hour time!

Now, should you’re an American like me who has by no means been within the army, this may take some getting used to. It’d journey you up at first, however it’s a reasonably straightforward system to determine.

To rapidly convert PM occasions to the 24-hour format, merely add 12 to the PM time. For instance, 3 PM turns into 15:00 (3 + 12).

Now, keep in mind that midnight begins at “00:00” and that midday is “12:00.” With this in thoughts, occasions from “00:00” to “11:59” belong to the morning hours, whereas “12:00” to “23:59” cowl the afternoon and night durations.

24-Hour Clock in Japanese

Japanese Romaji English Audio
0時 reiji 12 o’clock (midnight)
1時 ichiji 1 o’clock
2時 niji 2 o’clock
3時 sanji 3 o’clock
4時 yoji 4 o’clock
5時 goji 5 o’clock
6時 rokuji 6 o’clock
7時 shichiji 7 o’clock
8時 hachiji 8 o’clock
9時 kuji 9 o’clock
10時 juuji 10 o’clock
11時 juuichiji 11 o’clock
12時 juuniji 12 o’clock
13時 juusanji 13 o’clock (1 pm)
14時 juuyoji 14 o’clock (2 pm)
15時 juugoji 15 o’clock (3 pm)
16時 juurokuji 16 o’clock (4 pm)
17時 juushichiji 17 o’clock (5 pm)
18時 juuhachiji 18 o’clock (6 pm)
19時 juukuji 19 o’clock (7 pm)
20時 nijuuji 20 o’clock (8 pm)
21時 nijuuichiji 21 o’clock (9 pm)
22時 nijuuniji 22 o’clock (10 pm)
23時 nijuusanji 23 o’clock (11 pm)

Minutes in Japanese

Now, Japanese time doesn’t cease with “o’clock”s! For a lot of occasions within the day, we’ll must depend minutes as nicely. That goes after the hour, the identical as in English.

Observe that for minutes, you typically add the quantity adopted by 分 (enjoyable or pun relying on the previous quantity). Right here’s a desk to help you:

Minutes in Japanese

Japanese Romaji English Audio
1分 ippun 1 minute
2分 nifun 2 minutes
3分 sanpun 3 minutes
4分 yonpun 4 minutes
5分 gofun 5 minutes
6分 roppun 6 minutes
7分 nanafun 7 minutes
8分 happun 8 minutes
9分 kyuufun 9 minutes
10分 juppun 10 minutes
11分 juuippun 11 minutes
何分 nanpun What number of minutes?
han half-hour (half previous)

Proper, so this is a little more complicated than 時 (ji) above for the reason that numbers change a bit extra, however don’t fear. You’ll get the dangle of it very quickly.

Plus, as soon as you may depend to 11 minutes, you may depend to all of them! “22 minutes,” for instance, is 22分 (nijuunifun).

Now right here’s a pattern sentence placing all this collectively:
“The practice departs at 13:45 [1:45 PM].”
電車は13時45分に出発します。 (Densha wa juusanji yonjuugofun ni shuppatsu shimasu.)

You’ll discover one outlier on this desk: 半 (han). That is the particular phrase for half-hour previous the hour. So whereas it’s doable to say 30分 (sanjuppun) for half-hour, it’s much less widespread. So for instance, “3:30,” is mostly sanji han relatively than sanji sanjuppun.

So now we have sentences like:
“Faculty begins at 8:30.”
学校は八時半に始まります。 (Gakkou wa hachiji han ni hajimarimasu.)

Right here’s a little bit of a linguistic perception: As we coated, in Japanese, the phrase for minute is 分, which may be pronounced as both enjoyable or pun. Nevertheless, it’s not interchangeable, and there’s a particular rule that governs which pronunciation to make use of. This linguistic phenomenon is linked to a broader facet of Japanese pronunciation generally known as 連濁 (rendaku).

Rendaku is the place the primary consonant of the second part of a compound phrase turns into voiced. This implies a sound like “t” may change to “d,” “ok” adjustments to “g,” or as in our case, “f” adjustments to “p.”

The precise causes behind rendaku are nonetheless debated amongst linguists, however the common consensus is that it makes phrases simpler to say and helps preserve a rhythm in speech. Rendaku additionally provides a layer of cohesion to compound phrases, making them sound extra like a single unit relatively than a sequence of separate parts.

Methods to Ask the Time in Japanese

Okay, so now we all know learn how to say the time in Japanese. However how about asking for it? Within the tables above, you had the vocabulary. Right here’s learn how to use them in context.

The commonest and well mannered strategy to ask for the time in Japanese is 何時ですか? (Nanji desu ka?)

You’ll discover the phrase for “what” (何 nan) is simply added earlier than the hour, 時. So extra actually, this implies “What hour is it?” however extra broadly can be utilized to ask for the time normally.

To make this extra informal, simply take away the formal query ending ですか (desu ka) to make it 何時? (Nanji?).

Fairly often, you’ll additionally hear this phrase beginning with 今 (ima), which suggests “now.” So that may give use 今何時ですか? (Ima nanji desu ka?) and 今何時? (Ima nanji?).

Now, if you understand the hour, however aren’t positive in regards to the time, you need to use 何分 nanpun for asking the minutes. So if you understand a present begins at 4:00-something however wish to make clear the minute, you may ask 4時何分ですか? (Yoji nanpun desu ka?) (Simply take off the desu ka to be extra informal.)

Seconds in Japanese

If you actually need to get particular with time in Japanese, you can too ask in regards to the seconds! In Japanese, the phrase for “second” within the context of time is 秒 (byou).

To depend seconds, you merely precede 秒 (びょう, byou) with a quantity. Fortunately, seconds are as easy as hours 時 (ji)! Right here’s the way you depend from one second as much as sixty seconds:

Seconds in Japanese

Japanese Romaji English Audio
1秒 ichibyou 1 second
2秒 nibyou 2 seconds
3秒 sanbyou 3 seconds
4秒 yonbyou 4 seconds
5秒 gobyou 5 seconds
6秒 rokubyou 6 seconds
7秒 nanabyou 7 seconds
8秒 hachibyou 8 seconds
9秒 kyuubyou 9 seconds
10秒 juubyou 10 seconds
11秒 juuichibyou 11 seconds
何秒 nanbyou What number of seconds?

Fairly easy, proper?

To wrap up this part, listed below are some pattern sentences utilizing seconds:

“Are you able to look ahead to simply 10 seconds?”
10秒だけ待ってもらえますか? (Juubyou dake matte moraemasu ka?)

“This microwave heats up meals in 30 seconds.”
この電子レンジは食べ物を三十秒で温めます。(Kono denshirenji wa tabemono o sanjuubyou de atatamemasu.)

Saying Time Length in Japanese

When talking of time in Japanese, we’ve coated a quantity plus 時 (ji). However generally, you may run right into a quantity plus 時間 (jikan), which additionally means “hour.” Are they interchangeable? Really, no! However don’t fear – their distinct makes use of are fairly straightforward to separate.

On the one hand, simply to rapidly recap, 時 (ji) instantly interprets to “o’clock” or “hour” in English. It’s generally used to specify the hour of the day or to inform time:

  • 何時ですか? (Nanji desu ka?) – “What time is it?”
  • 八時です。 (Hachiji desu.) – “It’s eight o’clock.”

時間 (jikan), then again, interprets to “time” as an idea or length. It’s used to point the size, length or a time period relatively than a particular time. It could actually mirror the period of time one thing takes or the interval somebody spent doing one thing:

  • 映画はどのくらいの時間がかかりますか?(Eiga wa dono kurai no jikan ga kakarimasu ka?) – “How lengthy will the film take?”
  • 昨日、一時間ジョギングしました。 (Kinou, ichi jikan jogingu shimashita.) – “Yesterday, I jogged for an hour.”

So whereas each ji and jikan relate to ‘time,’ their purposes are distinctly completely different.

To solidify your understanding, right here’s a sensible comparability:

For those who’re telling a good friend when to satisfy for lunch: 一時に会いましょう。 (Ichiji ni aimashou.) – “Let’s meet at one o’clock.”
For those who’re discussing how lengthy lunch might be: ランチは一時間です。 (Ranchi wa ichijikan desu.) – “Lunch might be for an hour.”

Extra Time Vocabulary in Japanese

For our intermediate and superior learners, there are after all extra particular methods to speak in regards to the time in Japanese! Right here’s an inventory of vocabulary to study to push up your degree:

Time Vocabulary in Japanese

Japanese Romaji English Audio
正午 shougo midday
深夜 shin’ya midnight
真夜中 mayonaka nighttime / early hours
夕方 yuugata night
日の出 hinode dawn
日没 nichibotsu sundown
現在 genzai presently
〜頃 goro round (for particular time)
約〜 yaku about (for length)
〜前 mae earlier than
〜後 go/ato after
できるだけ早く Dekiru dake hayaku ASAP
長い間 Nagai aida A very long time
今すぐ Ima sugu Proper now

Now listed below are some examples of learn how to use these Japanese time phrases in context:

  1. “Let’s have lunch at midday.”
    =正午にランチを食べましょう。 (Shougo ni ranchi wo tabemashou.)
  2. “I’ll go for a drive late at night time.”
    深夜にドライブに行きます。 (Shin’ya ni doraibu ni ikimasu.)
  3. “Please don’t name at midnight.”
    真夜中に電話をしないでください。 (Mayonaka ni denwa wo shinaide kudasai.)
  4. “Let’s take a stroll within the night.”
    夕方に散歩しましょう。 (Yuugata ni sanpo shimashou.)
  5. “I’m going to see the dawn tomorrow.”
    明日の日の出を見に行きます。 (Ashita no hinode wo mi ni ikimasu.)
  6. “The ocean could be very lovely at sundown.”
    日没の時に海がとても綺麗です。 (Nichibotsu no toki ni umi ga totemo kirei desu.)
  7. “I’m presently in a gathering.”
    現在、会議中です。 (Genzai, kaigichuu desu.)
  8. “I plan to reach round eight o’clock.”
    八時頃に到着する予定です。 (Hachiji goro ni touchaku suru yotei desu.)
  9. “I’ll name you in about thirty minutes.”
    約三十分後に電話します。 (Yaku sanjuppun go ni denwa shimasu.)
  10. “I despatched the e-mail two hours in the past.”
    二時間前にメールを送りました。 (Nijikan mae ni meeru wo okurimashita.)
  11. “I’ll return instantly after lunch.”
    昼食後すぐに戻ります。 (Chuushoku go sugu ni modorimasu.)
  12. “Please reply as quickly as doable.”
    できるだけ早く回答をお願いします。 (Dekiru dake hayaku kaitou wo onegaishimasu.)
  13. “I apologize for the lengthy wait.”
    長い間お待たせして申し訳ありません。 (Nagai aida omatase shite mōshiwake arimasen.)
  14. “Please come right here proper now.”
    今すぐここへ来てください。 (Ima sugu koko e kite kudasai.)

Saying Time in Japanese: You’ve Acquired This!

Now that we’ve coated the necessities of telling time in Japanese, you’re now well-equipped to navigate your every day schedule or plan your journeys round Japan with confidence!

For those who’re eager to construct on this and additional strengthen your Japanese language proficiency, contemplate immersing your self in associated subjects or practising these new phrases in real-world situations.

Let’s hold the fingers of your language studying clock shifting ahead!

またね! (Mata ne—See you once more!)

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Kelsey Lechner

Translator, trainer, interpreter

Kelsey is a author, translator, and educator. She is an avid lover of dance, canines, and tea. LinkedIn | Contently

Speaks: English, Japanese, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese language, Swahili, Bengali

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