Unit 4 - Section 2: Time Expressions
Time Expressions (時間・時刻)
Learn how to tell and ask about time in Japanese. This includes hours, minutes, specific times, and time periods.
Telling Time: 〜時〜分
Pattern: [Hour] 時 [Minute] 分
時 (じ): o'clock / hour
分 (ふん): minute
Examples:
| Japanese | Romaji | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 一時 | ichiji | 1:00 |
| 三時三十分 | sanji sanjuppun | 3:30 |
| 五時四十五分 | goji yonjuugofun | 5:45 |
| 十二時 | juuniji | 12:00 |
| 二十時 | nijuuji | 20:00 (8 PM) |
Important: Minutes use special readings:
- 1分 (ippun), 2分 (nifun), 3分 (sanfun), 4分 (yonhun), 5分 (gofun)
- 6分 (roppun), 7分 (nanafun), 8分 (happun), 9分 (kyuufun), 10分 (juppun)
- 30分 (sanjuppun) can also be said as はん (han - half)
Time of Day
午前 (ごぜん)
AM / morning
午後 (ごご)
PM / afternoon
朝 (あさ)
morning
昼 (ひる)
noon/daytime
夜 (よる)
night
午前九時
9:00 AM
午後二時
2:00 PM
朝七時
7:00 in the morning
夜十二時
12:00 at night (midnight)
Asking About Time
What time is it? (何時ですか)
Q: 今、何時ですか。
[Ima, nanjidेsu ka]
Question: What time is it now?
A: 三時です。
[Sanji desu]
Answer: It's 3 o'clock.
What time do you...? (何時に + verb)
Q: 何時に学校に行きますか。
[Nanjini gakkou ni ikimasu ka]
Question: What time do you go to school?
A: 八時に行きます。
[Hachiji ni ikimasu]
Answer: I go at 8 o'clock.
Time Periods
今 (いま)
now
昨日 (きのう)
yesterday
今日 (きょう)
today
明日 (あした)
tomorrow
今週 (こんしゅう)
this week
先週 (せんしゅう)
last week
来週 (らいしゅう)
next week
今月 (こんげつ)
this month
来年 (らいねん)
next year
毎日 (まいにち)
every day
Study Tips
Master Time Expressions:
- Practice minute readings: Minutes have special readings - memorize them well
- Particle に: Use に for "at what time" (何時に)
- AM/PM: Use 午前 (AM) and 午後 (PM) when needed for clarity
- 日本時間: Japan uses 24-hour time system in some contexts
- Daily practice: Announce the time in Japanese every hour
Course Navigation
Study Tips
- Read each example carefully
- Practice pronunciation aloud
- Create your own sentences to reinforce memory
- Finish the section quiz