Yesterday, we learned the following conversation.
A : Ima Nan ji desuka. (What time is it now?)
B : Ima Ku ji Juu-kyuu fun desu. (Now it is Nine Nineteen.)
Today, let’s learn how to read time for hours and minutes.
Hours
Gozen Rei ji = 0:00 a.m. (Japanese don’t use “12:00 a.m.”)
Gozen Ichi ji = 1:00 a.m.
Gozen Ni ji = 2:00 a.m.
Gozen San ji = 3:00 a.m.
Gozen Yo ji = 4:00 a.m. (Don’t say “Yon ji”)
Gozen Go ji = 5:00 a.m.
Gozen Roku ji = 6:00 a.m.
Gozen Shichi ji = 7:00 a.m. (Sometimes it’s “Nana ji”)
Gozen Hachi ji = 8:00 a.m.
Gozen Ku ji = 9:00 a.m. (Don’t say “Kyuu ji”)
Gozen Juu ji = 10:00 a.m.
Gozen Juu Ichi ji = 11:00 a.m.
Gogo Rei ji = 0:00 p.m.
Gogo Ichi ji = 1:00 p.m.
Gogo Ni ji = 2:00 p.m.
Gogo San ji = 3:00 p.m.
Gogo Yo ji = 4:00 p.m. (Don’t say “Yon ji”)
Gogo Go ji = 5:00 p.m.
Gogo Roku ji = 6:00 p.m.
Gogo Shichi ji = 7:00 p.m. (Sometimes it’s “Nana ji”)
Gogo Hachi ji = 8:00 p.m.
Gogo Ku ji = 9:00 p.m. (Don’t say “Kyuu ji”)
Gogo Juu ji = 10:00 p.m.
Gogo Juu Ichi ji = 11:00 p.m.
Gozen an Gogo are omitted when it is not necessary.
Minutes
Look at carefully if it’s “fun” or “pun” for minutes.
Ippun = Ichi + fun : One
Ni fun = Ni + fun : Two
Sampun = San + fun : Three
Yompun = Yon + fun : Four
Go fun = Go + fun : Five
Roppun = Roku + fun : Six
Nana fun = Nana + fun : Seven
Happun = Hachi + fun : Eight
Kyuu fun = Kyuu + fun : Nine
Juppun = Juu + fun : Ten (Old people may say “Jippun”)
Practice well how to read time in Japanese like the following examples;
0:41a.m. = Gozen Rei ji Yon Juu Ippun
3:27a.m. = Gozen San ji Ni Juu Nana fun
6:03a.m. = Gozen Roku ji Sampun
9:59 = Ku ji Go Juu Kyuu fun
12:35 = Juu Ni ji San Juu Go fun
4:11p.m. = Gogo Yo ji Juu Ippun
7:44p.m.= Gogo Shichi ji Yon Juu Yompun
Sometimes 24 hour system is used like 21:36 that is “Ni Juu Ichi ji San Juu Roppun”.
Agony or Fun?! Second Language Learning 