Video
Let’s watch this short video for a quick overview.
Source: gokigen japanese official YouTube Channel
Introduction
When do you wake up? What time do you study? How long does the café stay open?
In Japanese, time expressions are essential for daily conversation — but here’s the catch:
Sometimes you use particles, and sometimes you don’t. 🤯
Don’t worry! This beginner-friendly guide will walk you through:
✔ Which time expressions need the particle に
✔ When no particle is required
✔ How to say “from __ to __” using から and まで
✔ Lots of real-life examples to sound natural
✔ Common mistakes and an FAQ
Let’s jump into Japanese time talk!
1. Time Expressions: With or Without Particles?
In Japanese, you describe time using two basic types of expressions:
Specific / Absolute Time → Use the particle に
- 🕗 8:00 → はちじ
- 🗓 Sunday → にちようび
✅ Add に to say “at ___” or “on ___”
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| 八時に起きます。 | I get up at 8 o’clock. |
| 日曜日に映画を見ます。 | I watch a movie on Sunday. |
Relative / General Time → No particle
- Today → きょう
- Tomorrow → あした
- Yesterday → きのう
❌ No particle needed! These words already work as time markers.
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| 今日、勉強します。 | I’ll study today. |
| 明日、アメリカに帰ります。 | I’m going back to the U.S. tomorrow. |
| 昨日、コーヒーを飲みました。 | I drank coffee yesterday. |
2. From When to When? Use から and まで
To talk about a time range in Japanese, use:
- から → from
- まで → until
Example:
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| 十一時から二十一時まで開いています。 | It’s open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
| 七時から八時まで勉強します。 | I study from 7 to 8. |
These are super common when talking about business hours, class schedules, or routines.
3. Time Expression Cheat Sheet
| Expression | Particle | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 (specific) | に | 八時に朝ご飯を食べます。 |
| Sunday | に | 日曜日に映画を見ます。 |
| Today | ❌ | 今日 勉強します。 |
| Tomorrow | ❌ | 明日 アメリカに帰ります。 |
| From 6:00 | から | 六時から走ります。 |
| Until 7:00 | まで | 七時まで走ります。 |
4. Practice Time: Can You Spot the Particle?
Rewrite the sentence with the correct time expression:
- I will sleep at 10:00.
→ 十時に寝ます。 - I will go to the cafe tomorrow.
→ 明日、カフェに行きます。 - I will watch TV from 9:00 to 10:00.
→ 九時から十時までテレビを見ます。
5. FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
- QWhy does “today” not use a particle, but “Sunday” does?
- A
Great question! Words like today, tomorrow, yesterday are relative and act like adverbs — they don’t need a particle. Words like Sunday, 8:00, noon are specific points in time and need に.
- QCan I drop “に” even with specific time?
- A
Sometimes! Native speakers sometimes omit に in casual speech. But as a beginner, it’s safer to include it until you’re more confident.
- QCan I use “に” with から and まで?
- A
No, you don’t need to. Use から and まで on their own to express a range. Example: 七時から八時まで働きます。
- QHow do I say “at night” or “in the morning”?
- A
Use words like:
- あさ（朝）→ morning
- よる（夜）→ night
- ごぜん（午前）→ a.m.
- ごご（午後）→ p.m.
6. Conclusion: Talk About Time Like a Native!
Understanding when to use a particle with time expressions — and when not to — is a key part of sounding natural in Japanese.
Now you can:
✅ Use に with specific times
✅ Use no particle with relative time words
✅ Say “from ___ to ___” with から and まで
✅ Make your daily routine sound native-like!
Want to improve your Japanese with real conversations?
Our native Japanese instructors at gokigen japanese can help you perfect your pronunciation and learn real-life usage.
Whether you’re completely new to Japanese or looking to refine your skills, book a one-on-one session.
