How To Inform Time in Japanese: A Step-By-Step Information

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Punctuality is very valued in Japanese tradition. Japanese trains and subways are identified for being exceptionally good at adhering to their schedules, and being on time is a present of respect for the opposite occasion. Which means studying the best way to inform time in Japanese is important for language and social functions.

Time within the Japanese language could be deceptively difficult, although, between realizing the numbers and understanding the Japanese grammar to place it in context. This information takes you thru telling time in Japanese from begin to end, together with counters, expressions, and loads of examples. The pronunciation could be difficult, however packages like Rosetta Stone’s TruAccent speech recognition engine will maintain you on observe.

How do you inform time in Japanese?

Telling time in Japanese is finished through the use of Japanese counters for hours, minutes, and seconds, if needed.

• ~ji (～時): hour
• ~enjoyable (～分): minute
• ~byō (～秒): second

When written with kanji, the sample is [hour] ji [minute] enjoyable. The HH:MM clock format for hours and minutes can be utilized in Japan. The numbers work in the identical order, as proven right here:

• niji jūgofun（２時１５分）= 2:15

Time in Japanese language supplies could use the 24-hour clock or the 12-hour clock relying on choice or the coverage of the corporate or authorities. Within the 24-hour clock (typically known as “army time”), the afternoon hours go previous 12, that means 2:00 p.m. is the same as 14:00, 8:30 p.m. is 20:30, and so forth.

Within the 12-hour clock, equivalents to a.m. (gozen, 午前) and p.m. (gogo, 午後) are used. Nevertheless, not like in English, they go earlier than the time as a substitute of after it.

• gozen shichiji（午前七時）= 7:00 a.m.
• gogo sanji（午後三時）= 3:00 p.m.

When spelling out the time in Japanese, the numbers could both be in kanji or Arabic numerals. They’re learn and pronounced precisely the identical!

Japanese counters for time

To know time in Japanese, you first want to grasp the counters for hours, minutes, and seconds. Thankfully, in the event you already know numbers in Japanese, you’re greater than midway there!

A necessary level to recollect is that some counters may have a unique beginning sound relying on the phrase that comes earlier than it. The quantity itself could change as effectively. For instance, the counter for “cups” is ~hai (～杯), however relying on what quantity comes earlier than it, which will change to ~bai or ~pai. Fastidiously learn the beneath charts about time counters to see what modifications!

Hours in Japanese

The counter for “hour” in Japanese is ~ji (～時). Even when the kanji is absent within the HH:MM format (e.g., 1:00), the counter remains to be spoken.

There are only some irregular readings for hours that it is advisable to bear in mind:

• 4 o’clock: yoji as a substitute of yonji
• 7 o’clock: shichiji as a substitute of nanaji (though nanaji can be acceptable)
• 9 o’clock: kuji as a substitute of kyūji

As a substitute of including minutes to the time for half previous the hour, you’ll be able to add the suffix ~han (半), which suggests “half.” 

• yoji han（四時半）= 4:30  (or “half previous 4”)

Minutes in Japanese

The counter for “minutes” (~enjoyable, ～分) is considerably uncommon. When there are irregular readings for numbers, it’s often primarily based on the primary sound of the counter and the quantity. For instance, when the counter begins with an “h” sound, it usually turns into a “b” sound when a 3 (san) precedes it, reminiscent of when counting cylindrical objects (~hon, ～本): 

• sanbon（三本）= 3 cylindrical objects

Nevertheless, ~enjoyable doesn’t change to ~bun when counting minutes. Slightly, it modifications to ~pun if the studying is irregular. Among the phrases for minutes could be learn both approach, so in the event you’re ever not sure, there’s a great likelihood that ~enjoyable is comprehensible.

Following that sample, six numbers have irregular readings for minutes:

• 1 minute: ippun as a substitute of ichifun
• 3 minutes: sanpun or sanfun
• 4 minutes: yonpun or yonfun
• 6 minutes: roppun as a substitute of rokufun
• 8 minutes: happun or hachifun
• 10 minutes: juppun as a substitute of jūfun

For numbers above 10 that aren’t multiples of 10 (e.g., 21-29), all it is advisable to do is add the one digit to the tip of the quantity and comply with the pronunciation guidelines for the one digit.

• sanjū gofun（三十五分）= 35 minutes
• yonjū roppun（四十六分）= 46 minutes

So as to add this to the hour to say a time that features hours and minutes, merely put the hour and its counter earlier than the minutes and its counter collectively, as within the following examples:

• jūsanji jūgofun（十三時十五分）= 13:15 (or 1:15 p.m.)
• rokuji nijūhappun（六時二十八分）= 6:28

Seconds in Japanese

The counter for “seconds” in Japanese is ~byō (秒). This time increment is the simplest of the three, as there aren’t any irregular readings in any respect! Seconds typically aren’t included when telling time in Japanese, however you’ll see them sometimes when counting brief intervals of time, reminiscent of in sports activities.