Introduction
Knowing how to tell time in Japanese is an essential skill for learners. Whether you’re scheduling a meeting, checking train times, or simply asking what time it is, understanding hours, minutes, AM/PM, and the 24-hour system will help you navigate life in Japan with confidence.
In this guide, we will cover:
✔ How to read and say time in Japanese
✔ The AM/PM system and 24-hour clock
✔ Common mistakes and pronunciation tips
✔ Practice exercises to reinforce your learning
Let’s get started!
1. How to Say Hours in Japanese
To express time in Japanese, you use 時 (じ, ji) after a number to indicate the hour.
Basic Hour List
| Time | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| 1:00 | 一時 | Ichi ji |
| 2:00 | 二時 | Ni ji |
| 3:00 | 三時 | San ji |
| 4:00 | 四時 | Yo ji (not “shi ji”) |
| 5:00 | 五時 | Go ji |
| 6:00 | 六時 | Roku ji |
| 7:00 | 七時 | Shichi ji (not “nana ji”) |
| 8:00 | 八時 | Hachi ji |
| 9:00 | 九時 | Ku ji (not “kyuu ji”) |
| 10:00 | 十時 | Juu ji |
| 11:00 | 十一時 | Juuichi ji |
| 12:00 | 十二時 | Juuni ji |
🔹 Pronunciation Tips:
- 4:00 is よじ (yoji), not “shi ji”
- 7:00 is しちじ (shichiji), not “nana ji”
- 9:00 is くじ (kuji), not “kyuu ji”
These special readings help avoid confusion with similar-sounding words in Japanese.
2. How to Say Minutes in Japanese
Minutes are expressed using 分 (ふん / ぷん, fun / pun) after the number.
Basic Minute List
| Time | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| :01 | 一分 | Ippun |
| :02 | 二分 | Nifun |
| :03 | 三分 | Sanpun |
| :04 | 四分 | Yonpun |
| :05 | 五分 | Gofun |
| :10 | 十分 | Juppun |
| :15 | 十五分 | Juugo fun |
| :20 | 二十分 | Nijuppun |
| :30 | 三十分 / 半 | Sanjuppun / Han |
| :45 | 四十五分 | Yonjuu go fun |
🛑 Special Pronunciations:
- 01, 06, 08, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 → ぷん (pun) (e.g., いっぷん, sanpun, juppun)
- 02, 04, 05, 07, 09 → ふん (fun) (e.g., にふん, よんぷん, ごふん)
- 30 minutes can also be said as 半 (はん, han) → e.g., にじ はん (2:30)
3. AM, PM, and the 24-Hour System
Japanese uses both AM/PM (12-hour format) and the 24-hour clock, depending on the situation.
AM & PM in Japanese
| English | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| AM | 午前 | Gozen |
| PM | 午後 | Gogo |
💡 Example Sentences:
- 7:00 AM → ごぜん しちじ (Gozen shichiji)
- 7:00 PM → ごご しちじ (Gogo shichiji)
The 24-Hour Clock in Japan
Japan commonly uses the 24-hour format, especially for:
✔ Train & bus schedules
✔ Official announcements
✔ TV schedules & events
💡 Examples:
- 7:00 PM → 19時 (じゅうきゅうじ, juuku ji)
- 11:30 PM → 23時30分 (にじゅうさんじ さんじゅっぷん, nijuusan ji sanjuppun)
🚨 Note: In 24-hour time, you do not use 午前 (AM) or 午後 (PM).
4. How to Read Time in Sentences
Now let’s put everything together!
✔ What time is it?
🔹 今何時ですか？ (いま なんじ ですか？, Ima nanji desu ka?)
✔ It’s 3:15.
🔹 三時十五分です (さんじ じゅうごふん です, Sanji juugo fun desu).
✔ The movie starts at 7:30 PM.
🔹 映画は午後七時半に始まります (えいが は ごご しちじ はん に はじまります, Eiga wa gogo shichiji han ni hajimarimasu).
✔ The last train leaves at 23:45.
🔹 終電は二十三時四十五分です (しゅうでん は にじゅうさんじ よんじゅうごふん です, Shuuden wa nijuusan ji yonjuugo fun desu).
5. Common Mistakes and Tips
🚫 Confusing 4, 7, and 9
🔹 Use よじ (yoji) instead of “shi ji”, しちじ (shichiji) instead of “nana ji”, and くじ (kuji) instead of “kyuu ji”.
🚫 Forgetting the pronunciation rules for minutes
✔ 1, 6, 8, 10 → ぷん (pun) (e.g., いっぷん, ろっぷん, はっぷん, じゅっぷん)
✔ 2, 4, 5, 7, 9 → ふん (fun) (e.g., にふん, よんぷん, ごふん)
🚫 Using AM/PM with 24-hour time
✔ “午後19時 (Gogo juuku ji)” is incorrect. Just say “19時”.
6. Practice Exercises
Listening & Speaking Practice
🔹 Read the following times out loud:
✔ 10:05 AM → ごぜん じゅうじ ごふん (Gozen juuji gofun)
✔ 4:20 PM → ごご よじ にじゅっぷん (Gogo yoji nijuppun)
✔ 23:15 → にじゅうさんじ じゅうごふん (Nijuusan ji juugo fun)
🔹 Try writing down the time in Japanese for:
✔ 7:45 AM
✔ 3:30 PM
✔ 9:10 PM
7. FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
- QHow do I say “half past” in Japanese?
- A
You can say 三十分 (sanjuppun) or just 半 (han). Example: 2:30 → にじ はん (ni ji han).
- QIs the 24-hour clock common in Japan?
- A
Yes, especially for transportation schedules and official documents, but people often use the 12-hour format in daily conversation.
- QHow do I ask what time something happens?
- A
Use 何時に (nanji ni). Example: “What time does the train leave?”
→ 電車は何時に出発しますか？ (Densha wa nanji ni shuppatsu shimasu ka?)
8. Conclusion: Master Japanese Time Expressions!
Telling time in Japanese is a key skill for daily conversations. Whether using the 12-hour or 24-hour clock, learning these patterns will help you understand schedules, appointments, and casual conversations.
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.
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