Time Expressions In Japanese

Time Expressions in Japanese

Basic Question

  • What Time? = なんじ (nanji)

Hours in Japanese

  • いちじ (ichiji) - 1:00

  • にじ (niji) - 2:00

  • さんじ (sanji) - 3:00

  • よじ (yoji) - 4:00

  • Note: しじ (shiji) is never used for 4:00.

  • ごじ (goji) - 5:00

  • ろくじ (Rokuji) - 6:00

  • しちじ (shichiji) - 7:00

  • ななじ (nanaji) - 7:00

  • はちじ (hachiji) - 8:00

  • くじ (kuji) - 9:00

  • Note: きゅうじ (kyuuji) is never used for 9:00.

  • じゅうじ (juuji) - 10:00

  • じゅういちじ (juuichiji) - 11:00

  • じゅうにじ (juuniji) - 12:00

Minutes in Japanese

  • :01 = いっぷん (ippun)

  • :02 = にふん (nifun)

  • :03 = さんぷん (sanpun)

  • :04 = よんぷん (yonpun)

  • :05 = ごふん (gofun)

  • :06 = ろっぷん (roppun)

  • :07 = ななふん (nanahun)

  • :08 = はっぷん (happun)

  • :09 = きゅうふん (kyuuhun)

  • :10 = じゅっぷん (juppun)

  • :15 = じゅうごふん (juugofun)

  • :20 = にじゅっぷん (nijuppun)

  • :25 = にじゅうごふん (nijyuugofun)

  • :30 = さんじゅっぷん (sanjuppun)

  • General inquiry about minutes = なんぷん (nanpun)

Specific Time Phrases

  • 9:30 - くじはん (kujihan)

  • About 9:00 - くじころ/ごろ (kujikoro/goro)

  • About half past 9:00 - くじはんごろ (kujihangoro)

  • Before 9:00 - くじまえ (kuji mae)

  • After 9:00 - くじすぎ (kuji sugi)

  • Five minutes before 9:00 - くじごふんまえ (kujigofunmae)

Adjectives Related to Time

  • はやく (hayaku) - Is early (い adjective)

  • おそい (osoi) - Is late (い adjective)

  • こんばん (konban) - Tonight

  • こんばんは (konbanwa) - Good evening

AM and PM Notation

  • AM = ごぜん (gozen)
      - Example: ごぜん1じ (gozen ichiji) - "1 AM"

  • PM = ごご (gogo)
      - Example: ごご1じ (gogo ichiji) - "1 PM"

  • Last night = ゆうべ (yuube)

  • Watch, clock = とけい (tokei)

  • It is time (to do…) = じかんですよ (jikan desu yo)

Going Home and Related Verbs

Basic Verbs

  • To go (e.g., places): いきます (ikimasu)

  • To come (to the speaker’s location): きます (kimasu)

  • To return (to a place), to go/come home: かえります (kaerimasu)

  • To wake up, get up: おきます (okimasu)

  • To sleep, go to bed: ねます (nemasu)

  • Company = かいしゃ (kaisha)

Sentence Structure for Time

  • General Structure:
      Person は ~じ に Place へ/に Direction Verb.

  • Example Sentence:
      1. わたしは きょう 7じはんに がっこうに きました.
         - Translation: "I came to school at 7:30 today."
      2. どようびの 7じはんに えいがへ いきました.
         - Translation: "I went to a movie at 7:30 on Saturday."
      3. あさ 8じに おきました. それから, あさごはんを たべました.
         - Translation: "I got up at 8-:00 AM in the morning. And then I ate breakfast."

Example Structure

  • Place + へ/に + Direction verb. (To [place])

  • Activity + に + Direction verb. (To, for [activity])

  • Connective Sentence Structure:
      1. それから, Sentence 2.
      2. Sentence 1. And then Sentence 2