Knowing how to tell time is essential when you’re exploring a new culture, and Japan is no exception. If you’re planning a trip to Japan or simply learning the language, understanding how Japanese people talk about time is a fundamental skill. This guide breaks down the basics of telling time in Japanese, focusing on key phrases and the difference between using “ji” and “jikan.”
Decoding Ji and Jikan: Telling Time vs. Duration
In Japanese, you’ll encounter two main words related to time: ji (時) and jikan (時間). While both relate to time, they are used in different contexts. Think of ji as telling you the specific time on the clock – like saying “o’clock.” On the other hand, jikan refers to time as a duration or the concept of time itself, similar to saying “hours” or “time” in general.
For example, if you want to say you woke up at 8 o’clock, you would use ji. But if you want to say you slept for 8 hours, you would use jikan. Understanding this distinction is the first step to mastering Japanese time.
Asking “What Time is It?” in Japanese
Let’s start with a practical phrase you’ll likely need: asking for the current time. The most common way to ask “What time is it?” in Japanese is:
今何時ですか。
Ima nan-ji desu ka.
Ima (今) means “now,” nan-ji (何時) means “what time,” and desu ka (ですか) is a polite question marker. So, literally, you’re asking “Now what time is it?”
You might receive an answer like:
午後三時十五分です。
Gogo san-ji juu go-fun desu.
This translates to “It is 3:15 pm.” Let’s break this down:
- Gogo (午後) means “PM” or “afternoon.”
- San-ji (三時) means “3 o’clock.” (San – three, ji – o’clock)
- Juu go-fun (十五分) means “15 minutes.” (Juu go – fifteen, fun – minutes)
- Desu (です) is “is” or “it is.”
Notice here we use ji (時) for the specific hour, not jikan. When asking for or stating the time, ji is the word you will use.
Using Time in Sentences: Examples in Japanese
To solidify your understanding, let’s look at how time is used within sentences in Japanese. Here are some examples demonstrating both ji and jikan:
I sleep until noon.
私は正午まで寝ます。
Watashi wa shougo made nemasu.
- Watashi wa (私は) – I
- Shougo (正午) – Noon
- Made (まで) – Until
- Nemasu (寝ます) – Sleep
Yuji sleeps for 7 hours.
ゆうじは七時間寝ます。
Yuuji wa nana-jikan nemasu.
- Yuuji wa (ゆうじは) – Yuji (name)
- Nana-jikan (七時間) – 7 hours (Nana – seven, jikan – hours)
- Nemasu (寝ます) – Sleeps
Dan wakes up at 7 o’clock in the morning.
ダンは 朝七時に目を覚ます。
Dan wa asa shichi-ji ni me o samasu.
- Dan wa (ダンは) – Dan (name)
- Asa (朝) – Morning
- Shichi-ji (七時) – 7 o’clock (Shichi – seven, ji – o’clock)
- Ni (に) – At (time particle)
- Me o samasu (目を覚ます) – Wakes up
School starts at 8:30 am.
学校は午前八時三十分に始まります。
Gakkou wa gozen hachi-ji san-juppun ni hajimarimasu.
- Gakkou wa (学校は) – School
- Gozen (午前) – AM or morning
- Hachi-ji san-juppun (八時三十分) – 8:30 (Hachi – eight, ji – o’clock, san-juppun – thirty minutes)
- Ni (に) – At (time particle)
- Hajimarimasu (始まります) – Starts
He calls at exactly 2:32 in the afternoon.
彼は午後二時三十二分に電話をかけます。
Kare wa gogo ni-ji san-juu ni-fun choudo ni denwa o kakemasu.
- Kare wa (彼は) – He
- Gogo (午後) – PM or afternoon
- Ni-ji san-juu ni-fun (二時三十二分) – 2:32 (Ni – two, ji – o’clock, san-juu ni-fun – thirty-two minutes)
- Choudo ni (ちょうどに) – Exactly at
- Denwa o kakemasu (電話をかけます) – Makes a phone call
Alt: A collection of analog clocks displaying various times, illustrating the concept of telling time in Japanese.
Ready to Tell Time in Japanese?
Congratulations! You’ve taken the first steps in understanding how to tell time in Japanese. While it might seem like a lot to remember initially, practice is key. Start by familiarizing yourself with the numbers in Japanese and then practice telling time using ji and jikan. Try asking “Ima nan-ji desu ka?” next time you want to know the time – you’ll be surprised how quickly you pick it up!
