Japanese Time Expressions: How to Tell Time and Use Time Words
Time expressions are among the most frequently used patterns in any language. Japanese time follows a logical system, but there are important sound changes for minutes and a set of time-related vocabulary and particles that every learner needs to internalise. This guide covers telling time, time vocabulary, duration, frequency, and the critical particle distinctions.
Telling the Time: Hours (時)
Hours use the counter 時 (じ). Simply attach the number: 一時 (1 o'clock), 二時 (2 o'clock), up to 十二時 (12 o'clock). There is no special reading — the system is completely regular.
AM and PM: 午前 / 午後
Minutes (分) and Half Past (半)
半 (はん) means half past: 六時半 = 6:30. For minutes, use 分 (ふん/ぷん). The reading changes depending on the number.
Special Minute Readings
| Minutes | Reading | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1分 | いっぷん | いっぷん (not いちふん) |
| 2分 | にふん | regular |
| 3分 | さんぷん | さんぷん (not さんふん) |
| 4分 | よんぷん | よんぷん (not しふん) |
| 5分 | ごふん | regular |
| 6分 | ろっぷん | ろっぷん (not ろくふん) |
| 7分 | ななふん | regular |
| 8分 | はっぷん/はちふん | both used |
| 9分 | きゅうふん | regular |
| 10分 | じゅっぷん | じゅっぷん (not じゅうふん) |
Time-Related Vocabulary
- 今 (いま) — now
- さっき — a moment ago / just now
- あとで — later / afterwards
- もうすぐ — very soon / almost
- 今日 (きょう) — today
- 明日/あした (あした/あす) — tomorrow
- 昨日 (きのう) — yesterday
- 来週 (らいしゅう) — next week
- 先週 (せんしゅう) — last week
- 先月 (せんげつ) — last month
- 来月 (らいげつ) — next month
- 去年 (きょねん) — last year
- 来年 (らいねん) — next year
Duration Expressions
Duration uses 間 (かん/あいだ) after the counter, or the counter alone for some expressions.
Frequency Expressions
- 毎日 (まいにち) — every day
- 毎週 (まいしゅう) — every week
- たまに — occasionally / now and then
- よく — often / frequently
- めったに (+ ない) — rarely (めったに行かない = rarely go)
- ほとんど (+ ない) — almost never (ほとんど食べない = almost never eat)
- 絶対に — absolutely / always (with positive) or never (with negative)
- 一日に三回 — three times a day
Time Particles
Practice time expressions in Japanese
Write sentences using time words and get instant AI corrections on particle usage and counter readings.
Check My Japanese free →Japanese numbers guideFrequently Asked Questions
How do you tell time in Japanese?
Time is expressed as: [hour] 時 + [minutes] 分. For example: 三時十五分 (sanjū jūgo-fun) = 3:15. For AM use 午前 (gozen) before the time; for PM use 午後 (gogo). Half past is expressed with 半 (han): 六時半 = 6:30. Ask the time with 今何時ですか (ima nanji desu ka — "What time is it now?").
What are the special minute readings in Japanese?
Some numbers change pronunciation when combined with 分: 1分=いっぷん, 3分=さんぷん, 4分=よんぷん, 6分=ろっぷん, 8分=はっぷん, 10分=じゅっぷん. The pattern: minutes ending in 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10 often undergo changes. When in doubt, Japanese people generally accept both forms for 8分.
How do you say "for two hours" in Japanese?
For durations, add 間 (kan) after the time counter: 二時間 (ni jikan — two hours), 三十分間 (sanjuppunkan — thirty minutes), 一週間 (isshuukan — one week), 二ヶ月 (ni kagetsu — two months), 三年間 (sanen kan — three years). Without 間, the expression typically means a specific time point, not a duration.
What is the difference between に and で with time in Japanese?
に marks a specific point in time: 三時に来てください (please come at 3 o'clock). で marks the end point of a timeframe or a deadline: 三日で終わらせた (finished it in three days). から and まで mark the start and end of a duration: 三時から五時まで (from 3 to 5 o'clock).