Back in the day, everyone wore a watch to keep track of the time. Nowadays people just check their smartphone when they need to know. But what if you don’t have either of those on you? You’ll need to know how to say “what time is it” in Japanese.
In addition to that, you’ll need to know how to understand the answer, which is why I’ll provide some “time vocabulary” in today’s lesson. Be sure to check it out and become familiar with the new words.
1) How To Say “What Time Is It” In Japanese
2) How To Say “At What Time” In Japanese
3) How To Say “O’Clock” In Japanese
4) Japanese Word For Minutes
5) It’s Time To End Today’s Lesson
How To Say “What Time Is It” In Japanese
So there you are in Japan without a watch and your phone has died. You need to know what time it is so that you can figure out what you need to do next on your busy schedule.
You flag down the nearest Japanese person, apologize for interrupting their day, and then ask them the following question:
- 今、何時ですか？
- ima, nan ji desu ka?
- What time is it right now?
Let’s break this phrase down word by word so that you can understand every part of it.
First we start off with 今 (ima) which means “now; at the present time” in Japanese. Then we continue with 何時 (nanji) which means “what time.” Finally, we finish the question off with the “is it” part of the phrase with ですか (desu ka).
This phrase will serve you well so be sure to try it out a couple of times to help remember it.
How To Say “At What Time” In Japanese
What do you do if someone invites you to a party on Friday, but you’re not sure if you can make it because you’ve got something else going on that same day?
Well perhaps you can actually make them both depending on what time the party begins and ends at.
In this situation, you’ll need to know how to ask the other person what time the party starts at so that you can figure out if you can make it or not. Here’s how to ask “at what time” in Japanese:
- 何時に？
- nan ji ni?
- At what time?
That’s a pretty good phrase that you can use, but if you wanted to be more specific and ask about the starting time, then this next one might be more helpful.
- 何時に始まりますか？
- nanji ni hajimarimasu ka?
- What time does it start at?
Let’s say that it starts at the same time as your prior engagement, so going at the beginning is out of the question. However, If the party continues on for long enough, you’re pretty sure that you can stop by before it’s over.
To figure this out though, you need to ask what time it ends at.
- 何時に終わりますか？
- nanji ni owarimasu ka?
- What time does it end at?
If you find out that you can make it to the party, tell your friend “yes, you’ll see them there!”
These phrases aren’t just limited to parties. They can really be used for any event that has a start and end time. So things such as business meetings, birthday parties, weddings, and so on.
However, in order to understand the answers that you receive from these questions, you’ll need to know several key Japanese words which we will go over next.
How To Say “O’Clock” In Japanese
In English when we talk about time, we tend to use the word “O’Clock” which is an abbreviation for “of the clock” in reference to what time something occurs at.
For example, “the party starts at two o’clock” is one way that you could say it. Another way is you could just say “the party is at two.”
However, in Japanese you can’t drop the “o’clock” part as it is an essential part of the phrase. The Japanese equivalent is the word 時 (ji) which is a suffix that attaches to the number.
Here’s a complete list of hours 1-12 in Japanese and their pronunciations:
- 一時 (ichi ji) = one o’clock
- 二時 (ni ji) = two o’clock
- 三時 (san ji) = three o’clock
- 四時 (yo ji) = four o’clock
- 五時 (go ji) = five o’clock
- 六時 (roku ji) = six o’clock
- 七時 (shichi ji) = seven o’clock
- 八時 (hachi ji) = eight o’clock
- 九時 (ku ji) = nine o’clock
- 十時 (jū ji) = ten o’clock
- 十一時 (jū ichi ji) = eleven o’clock
- 十二時 (jū ni ji) = twelve o’clock
Now, there are a couple of things I want to point out about this list.
The first thing is that you can replace each of the kanji numbers in the above list with their Arabic numeral counterparts. For example, you can write 一時 as１時 instead.
In fact, it’s probably more common to see time in Japanese represented using Arabic numerals rather than kanji.
The second thing is that the numbers 4 and 9 have special readings when referring to time. You probably caught it when reading that list, but just to emphasize the point ４時 is yo ji and ９時 is ku ji.
The last thing is that you’ll probably want to know the Japanese words for “AM” and “PM” so that you know which half of the day it is.
The Japanese word 午前 (gozen) is used for AM and the Japanese word 午後 (gogo) is used for PM. The way to remember the difference is to understand each kanji’s individual meaning.
- 午 = noon
- 前 = before
- 後 = after
So we can see that 午前 means “before noon” and 午後 means “after noon” which is more or less the same way we do things in English.
Where things get a little different is the placement of these words. In Japanese, they appear before the time, whereas in English they come after.
I’ll give you two examples and you should be good to go from there.
- 午前6時 (gozen roku ji) = 6AM
- 午後3時 (gogo san ji) = 3PM
The last thing to note is that it is common in Japanese for people to refer to 12:00 as 0:00. What this means is that instead of saying 12時 as jū ni jithey will instead say 0時 as reiji.
Japanese Word For Minutes
We’ve talked about time and the hours, but what if something falls in between? We must talk about minutes in order to get the timing exact.
There are basically two ways to tackle this problem. The first one is to say the exact time, such as 12:38. The other way is to go by quarters (12:15, 12:30, 12:45).
Let’s go over both of them now.
The Japanese word for minute is 分 (fun) and it attaches to the end of the number. So 15 minutes is 15分 (jū go fun).
In order to say a full time of day like 2:56 you would structure it as 2時56分 (ni ji go jū roppun).
Two things you will notice from that last example are that the full hour metric (2時) comes first and then then minute metric follows afterwards (56分).
The other thing you’ll notice is that the reading for 分 changed from its normal (fun) to (ppun) in the example.
This is because 分 is one of those Japanese words whose reading changes depending on which number precedes it. Here is a list of numbers 1-10 and all of their readings.
- 1分 (ippun)
- 2分 (ni fun)
- 3分 (san pun)
- 4分 (yon pun)
- 5分 (go fun)
- 6分 (roppun)
- 7分 (nana fun)
- 8分 (happun)
- 9分 (kyū fun)
- 10分 (juppun)
The reading of 分 only depends on the number that comes right before it, so 11分 is read as jū ippunand it takes the phonetic change of 1分 (ippun) while keeping the normal reading of the number 10 (jū).
This might seem like a lot to take in all at once, so a better strategy might be to go by quarters in reference to time.
This will require learning only three new words:
- すぎ (sugi) = after
- 半 (han) = half
- まえ (mae) = before
Put すぎ and まえ after 分 like in the following examples.
- 今、5時15分すぎです。
- ima, go ji jū go fun sugi desu.
- It’s a quarter past five now.
—
- 今、5時15分まえです。
- ima, go ji jū go fun mae desu.
- It’s a quarter to five now.
Put 半 after 時 just like below.
- 今、５時半です。
- ima, go ji han desu.
- It’s five thirty right now.
The last thing to note is that you will sometimes see すぎ written in kanji as 過ぎ and you will sometimes see まえ written in kanji as 前 for these time expressions.
Also, it’s more common to read something like 3:30 as san ji han rather than san ji san juppun since it’s easier to say “half” in Japanese than it is “thirty minutes.”
It’s Time To End Today’s Lesson
That’s all there is to cover today. If you’ve got any questions or comments that you want to leave, please be sure to do so in the section below.
Or if you’re wondering where to go next, you can check out the various categories in this blog by clicking on the menu button in the top left corner.
Thanks for reading and I’ll see you next time!
FAQs
Shouganai |しょうがない | Sho-ga-n-eye
Shouganai basically means 'it is what it is' or 'it can't be helped. ' It expresses acceptance of a bad situation or defeatism.
Do you know what time it is in Japanese? ›
1- What time is it now? Japanese: 今何時ですか。 Reading: Ima nan-ji desu ka.
Does Japan use 12 or 24 hour clock? ›
Both the 12-hour and 24-hour notations are commonly used in Japan. The 24-hour notation is commonly used in Japan, especially in train schedules.
What is Baka desu? ›
Japanese term or phrase: anata wa baka-baka desu ka? English translation: Are you foolish?
What is Hai Genki desu? ›
In OGENKI DESU KA (Are you fine?), OGENKI is an adjective GENKI (fine, healthy) with an honorific O before it. If you answer, “Yes, I'm fine,” you say HAI, GENKI DESU.
What is nanji desu ka? ›
What time is it?
What does Ima Nanji desu ka mean? ›
ima nanji desu ka – 今何時ですか (いまなんじですか) : a phrase meaning 'what time is it now? ' in Japanese.
Is it Yonji or Yoji? ›
Japanese Hours and Minutes
The suffix for hours or o'clock is -ji. Note that 4 o'clock is pronounced as yoji, not yonji.
Is Japan 13 hours ahead of the US? ›
Japan is in a time zone referred to as “Japan Standard Time”(JST), which is 9 hours ahead of Greenwich Time. It is 17 hours ahead of Los Angeles, 14 hours ahead of New York, and 9 hours ahead of London.
Why is it year 5 in Japan? ›
The Japanese year consists of the name of the era and the year number. Reiwa 5 is, in other words, the fifth year of the Reiwa Era. Japanese eras, such as Showa, Heisei, and Reiwa, are based on the reign of the Emperor. The era changes when a new Emperor is enthroned.
Longer Date Duration
Going on a date with a Japanese person is usually a more extended experience than in some Western cultures. Instead of spending a few pleasant hours together over drinks or simply going to dinner, a Japanese date traditionally entails a more significant time commitment.
Is it hard to learn Japanese? ›
Even experts agree that spoken Japanese is not particularly difficult to learn. The sounds of the language are limited (only five vowels and thirteen consonants) and grammatically it is quite regular, without case declensions or other complex issues that are found in languages like Russian, or even German.
What time is it in Japan 24 hour clock? ›
| Current Local Time in Locations in Japan with Links for More Information (42 Locations) |
|---|
| Shizuoka | Wed 8:06 pm |
| Suzuka | Wed 8:06 pm |
| Tokyo | Wed 8:06 pm |
| Toyama | Wed 8:06 pm |
38 more rows– Punctuality is essential. Japanese believe it is rude to be late.
Is sussy baka a bad word? ›
“Sussy baka” generally refers to someone acting suspicious or foolish. It's often used playfully or as a lighthearted jab, similar to phrases like “silly goose” or “knucklehead.” X Research source Most commonly, though, it's used ironically, as a means to poke fun at the silliness of the term itself.
What is Nani desu ka? ›
"nan desu ka". This phrase means: "What is it?" or "What do you want?"
What is baka uwu? ›
Uwu Baka is a name that represents a tendency to exhibit extremes in terms of material success. You are either possessing a great deal of good fortune or none at all. It is your birthright to rule an enterprise – that is, if you are up to the challenge. Balance and power are the two words that describe you.
How do you say I'm fine in Japanese? ›
Watashi wa genki desu. I'm fine.
What is yes in anime? ›
Hai is the simple, direct word for “yes” and is commonly used in Japanese speech.
Is o genki desu ka formal? ›
Genki desu ka means “how are you?” or “are you well?” in English. Genki desu ka is used to ask the situation or news from the other person. Both genki desu ka or ogenki desu ka are usually used when you meet people you haven't seen in a long time. However, ogenki desu ka is more formal.
そうですね “sou-desu-ne”
It is “indeed” in English. If you can add your opinion after “soudesune”, it's perfect!
What is Ore Mo in Japanese? ›
Oreimo is short for Ore no Imōto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai, which is also sometimes shortened to Ore no Imōto. In English, the title is often translated as My Little Sister Can't Be This Cute.
What does Kiri wa desu ka mean? ›
While Hiro sits across from Misfortune he asks the question “Kiri wa dokodesu ka?” 「 きりはどこですか？」 which translates to “Where is the fog?”, referencing Senersedee. Suddenly, writing on the train window appears that reads “BEWARE OF THE CONSEQUENCES."
What does Nan Ji Ni Okimasu ka mean? ›
何時 に おきますか。 Nanji ni okimasu ka? What time do you wake up?
What is the meaning of Nande Mo Nai? ›
A: Nandemonai.(I am OK) Helpful(3)
What does Nani ga Sugoi mean? ›
Romaji: Nani ga sugoi no? English Translation: What's great about (your conversation subject)?
What is Yoku in Japan? ›
Meaning: well; skillfully; fully; quite; enough.
What does Arimasu mean in Japanese? ›
ARIMASU (There is, There are) belongs to what we call "stative verbs," the verbs that describe the states in which people or things are. ARIMASU takes GA as the particle that indicates the subject. Essentially, we use GA, when we introduce a person or a thing into our conversation for the first time.
What is yasumi in Japanese? ›
靖実, "peaceful, fruit/reality"
Do you lose a day flying to Japan? ›
If you travel from the US to Japan, you will lose a day. You will leave in the morning of the first day of your trip, and you will arrive at Tokyo in the evening of the second day. When you come back, you will actually gain some time. You will come back to the US on the same day of your departure from Tokyo.
In 1952, three weeks before the occupation ended, the Japanese government, which had been granted increased powers, abolished daylight saving time, and the Allied occupation authorities did not interfere. Since then, DST has never been officially implemented nationwide in Japan.
How far ahead is Japan from Texas? ›
This Converter Is Outdated
| Location | Local Time | UTC Offset |
|---|
| Dallas (USA – Texas) | Thursday, June 8, 2023 at 2:59:46 pm | UTC-5 hours |
| Tokyo (Japan) | Friday, June 9, 2023 at 4:59:46 am | UTC+9 hours |
| Corresponding UTC (GMT) | Thursday, June 8, 2023 at 19:59:46 | |
Compulsory education lasts for nine years in Japan, between the ages of 6 and 15.
Is high school in Japan free? ›
Public primary and lower secondary schools do not charge tuition, and government tuition support makes public upper secondary school essentially free for families making below an annual income threshold. Families earning above this threshold pay tuition at the upper secondary level.
How old are 3rd years in Japan? ›
School levels
| Age | Grade | Educational establishments |
|---|
| 13-14 | 2 (8th) | Junior high school/Lower secondary school (中学校 chūgakkō) Compulsory Education |
| 14-15 | 3 (9th) |
| 15-16 | 1 (10th) | College of technology (高等専門学校 kōtō senmon gakkō, abbr. 高専 kōsen) |
| 16-17 | 2 (11th) |
17 more rowsJapanese first dates are neutral — there are no public displays of affection and no overt physical or verbal displays of desire.
Do people flirt in Japan? ›
Japanese are known to be shy, so once they become a couple, they flirt discreetly when in public. For example, you can see many couples walking hand-in-hand but not kissing much. Most Japanese feel embarrassed even just exchanging a small kiss on the cheek in public.
Do Japanese high schoolers date? ›
High school dating isn't a big deal in many parts of the world — but in Japan, it means something quite different. The practice of “high school dating” matches young girls with men much older than them. And it means money changing hands. Sometimes this involves a walk around the block or a drink in a bar.
Which is harder Japanese or Korean? ›
However, considering the larger number of sounds and the different particles in Korean, Japanese is definitely the easier language to start in. If you're not good at distinguishing new sounds and pronunciations, you're definitely going to have a hard time with Korean.
What's the hardest language to learn? ›
Across multiple sources, Mandarin Chinese is the number one language listed as the most challenging to learn. The Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center puts Mandarin in Category IV, which is the list of the most difficult languages to learn for English speakers.
Dialing Japan from the U.S.:
Example (a): the phone number in Tokyo is 03-3224-9999; from a phone in the U.S., dial 011 + 81 (Japan Country Code) + 3 (City Code) + 3224-9999 (local phone number).
How late is late in Japan? ›
In Japanese society, if you miss an appointment by even one second, you are considered late. If you're 15 or 20 minutes late, it is going to be very difficult to regain your trust.
What season is in Japan now? ›
The four seasons in Japan
The period from March to May is spring, June to August is summer, September to November is autumn, and December to February is winter.
Is it okay to cry in Japan? ›
Abstaining from tears is a sign of excellence in Japanese culture, as Japanese society shuns the acceptance of tears. You should not cry in public, and men should not cry at all.
Should you go to Japan if you don't speak Japanese? ›
Do you need to speak any Japanese to travel around Japan? Absolutely not. You can travel to Japan without learning any of these words and have a great time. People ask us about the Japanese language barrier all the time, with common questions such as, Do Japanese people speak English?
Is it okay not to finish food in Japan? ›
Not finishing one's meal is not considered impolite in Japan, but rather is taken as a signal to the host that one wishes to be served another helping. Conversely, finishing one's meal completely, especially the rice, indicates that one is satisfied and therefore does not wish to be served any more.
What does onaka ga ippai mean? ›
Today's Japanese, "Onaka ga ippai desu" - "I am full".
What does ita taki mas mean in Japanese? ›
The Meaning of Itadakimasu
頂きます（いただきます） to receive; to get; to accept; to take (humble). This explains why you say it before you eat.
What is a famous Japanese saying? ›
七転び八起き (nana korobi ya oki) English Translation: “Fall seven times, get up eight.” This is definitely one of the most famous Japanese proverbs. You've probably heard the English version: “If at first you don't succeed, try and try again.”
What is sou desu ne in Japanese? ›
When you agree with what the speaker said, “soudesune” should be the best phrase. It is “indeed” in English.
When someone asks you if you are genki – you can simply say – “genki desu.” – In English, the equivalent would be something like. “How are you?” – “I'm Good.”
What is onaka ga itai desu ka? ›
to have a stomachache
おなかが いたいです。 I have a stomachache.
What does Mimi Ga Hayai mean? ›
Mimi ga hayai (Fast ears) This expression means a person who always knows or learns the latest gossip first.
What does Iki Masu mean? ›
Ikimasu is a verb meaning "go". Ikimash*ta is the past tense of ikimasu.
What is Otoko Mai? ›
Otoko Mai (男舞)
A type of dance, literally “male dance.” Danced by male characters playing actual historical figures, mostly warriors, such as Jyūrō Kosode and Gorō Kosode in Soga Kosode and Sanehira Doi in Ochi Shichiki. Otoko Mai are often danced in a fast tempo in a gentlemanly, felicitous style.
What does kari masu mean in Japanese? ›
Japanese Language - MLC
karimasu = borrow. kashimasu = lend. … o kash*te kudasai.
What does Nana Korobi Ya Oki mean? ›
Romaji: Nana korobi, ya oki. Literally: Seven falls, eight getting up. Meaning: Fall down seven times, get up eight times. An encouragement to persevere (ganbaru)
What does Domo say? ›
You hear DOMO all the time in Japan. It can mean "very", "hello" or "thanks"…
What are the easiest Japanese words? ›
Basic Phrases
- O-negai shimasu. Please. おねがいします。
- Arigatō. Thank you. ありがとう。
- Dōitashimash*te. You're welcome. どういたしまして。
- Sumimasen. Excuse me. すみません。
- Gomennasai. I am sorry. ごめんなさい。
- Ohayō gozaimasu. Good morning. おはようございます。
- Konbanwa. Good evening. こんばんは。
- O-yasumi nasai. Good night. おやすみなさい。
Desu is a polite way of saying to be in Japanese. Very often, desu appears at the end of a sentence (e.g., Kono inu wa kawaii desu or “The dog is cute”).
Usually no one will even notice.<BR><BR>〜って何 (~TTE NANI) is a common way to ask "What is ~." It is more casual than saying the typical 〜は 何ですか (~WA NAN DESU KA) pattern that most of us learn when we first start studying Japanese.<BR><BR>More information on TTE can be found here: <A href="http://www.yesjapan.com/online2 ...
What is sa mi shi i in Japanese? ›
Often, it is simply a fun way to spell words such as “4649” (yo-ro-shi-ku , or please), “3341” (sa-mi-shi-i, or lonely) and “88919” (ha-ya-ku i-ku, or hurry up and get going!). It's worth looking around for these number codes as they pop up in some unexpected places.
