How to Tell Time in Japanese: AM/PM and 24-Hour Clock

Q: How do you ask what time is it in Japanese?

The standard question is 今何時ですか, which means what time is it now. A shorter version is 何時ですか when the context is already clear.

Q: What is the Japanese word for minute?

The kanji for minute is 分. Depending on the number before it, the reading changes between fun and pun.

Q: Why are some Japanese time readings irregular?

Japanese time expressions combine counters with numbers, and that creates traditional sound changes. That is why 4 o’clock is よじ instead of しじ, and 10 minutes is じゅっぷん instead of じゅうふん.

Q: How do you say half past in Japanese?

The most common way is 半 after the hour, as in 三時半 for half past three.

Q: How do you say AM and PM in Japanese?

AM is 午前 and PM is 午後. These go before the time expression, such as 午前七時 or 午後三時半.

Q: What should beginners memorize first for Japanese time?

Start with the irregular hours 4, 7, and 9, then memorize the common minute patterns like 1分, 3分, 6分, 8分, and 10分. After that, practice full times inside real sentences.

“What time is it?” is 今何時ですか; 11 a.m. is 午前十一時 (gozen juuichi-ji), while 11 p.m. is 午後十一時 (gogo juuichi-ji). Japanese time uses 時 for hours and 分 for minutes. For 24-hour schedules, convert the hour first, then add 午前 or 午後 when AM/PM needs to be clear.

You’ll learn: 1:00–12:00, :05 / :10 / :15 / :30 / :45, 午前 and 午後, 24-hour conversion, plus natural answers to “What time is it?”

Written by YoruLearn Team · Last reviewed: September 2026

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1:00–12:00 Chart in Japanese

Time	Japanese	Reading	Note
1:00	一時	いちじ	regular
2:00	二時	にじ	regular
3:00	三時	さんじ	regular
4:00	四時	よじ	irregular
5:00	五時	ごじ	regular
6:00	六時	ろくじ	regular
7:00	七時	しちじ	irregular
8:00	八時	はちじ	regular
9:00	九時	くじ	irregular
10:00	十時	じゅうじ	regular
11:00	十一時	じゅういちじ	regular
12:00	十二時	じゅうにじ	regular

How to Say :05, :10, :15, :30, and :45

Minute	Japanese	Reading	Why it matters
:05	五分	ごふん	Common early pattern learners need for real clock times.
:10	十分	じゅっぷん / じっぷん	Irregular and common in schedules.
:15	十五分	じゅうごふん	Regular pattern.
:30	三十分 / 半	さんじゅっぷん / はん	Native speakers often just say 半.
:45	四十五分	よんじゅうごふん	Useful for real clock answers and timetables.

Most other minute readings follow the same two families: ふん and ぷん. The most important isolated irregular forms are いっぷん, さんぷん, ろっぷん, and はっぷん.

Common Full Time Examples

Time	Japanese	Reading	Notes
3:15	三時十五分	さんじじゅうごふん	Regular minute reading.
6:30	六時半	ろくじはん	半 is the most natural “half past.”
7:30	七時半	しちじはん	The most common answer for “how to say 7:30 in Japanese.”
9:45	九時四十五分	くじよんじゅうごふん	Full minute form.
7:00 AM	午前七時	ごぜんしちじ	AM = 午前.
11:00 AM	午前十一時	ごぜんじゅういちじ	Use this for “11 a.m.” in schedules and appointments.
9:30 PM	午後九時半	ごごくじはん	PM = 午後.

今何時ですか。 means “What time is it now?” AM is 午前 and PM is 午後.

Japanese Time Converter: AM/PM and 24-Hour Input

Choose a time, predict the Japanese form, then check the kanji and reading. This works entirely in your browser.

Time

For a timetable, 18:30 is naturally 午後六時半. The 24-hour number is common on the schedule itself; the spoken phrase usually uses 午後 plus a 12-hour form.

Printable Japanese AM/PM Time Worksheet

Say each time aloud, write the Japanese form, then check it against the answer column. Print it for a quick five-minute review.

Time	Write it first	Answer
7:00 AM	________________	午前七時
11:15 AM	________________	午前十一時十五分
12:00 PM	________________	正午 / 午後十二時
6:30 PM	________________	午後六時半
9:45 PM	________________	午後九時四十五分

Tell the Time in Japanese: Quick Quiz

Use the chart and converter first, then answer six practical clock questions without looking.

Score: 0 / 0

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How to Ask and Answer the Time Naturally

Question or situation	Japanese	Natural answer
What time is it now?	今、何時ですか。	三時です。
What time does it start?	何時に始まりますか。	七時半に始まります。
What time will you go?	何時に行きますか。	九時ごろ行きます。
Is 10:00 okay?	十時でいいですか。	はい、大丈夫です。

Use に when a time marks when an action happens: 七時に起きます. Omit it with relative words such as 今日, 明日, and often 毎日. Add ごろ for an approximate time and から / まで for a range.

5 Common Mistakes with Time in Japanese

Saying しじ for 4:00. The normal reading is よじ.
Forgetting minute sound changes. Numbers like 1, 3, 6, 8, and 10 often use ぷん forms.
Mixing up 七時. For time, it is usually しちじ, not ななじ.
Ignoring 午前 and 午後. They matter when the context is not obvious.
Learning clocks without sentences. Practice full phrases like 今何時ですか and 九時半に寝ます.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you ask what time is it in Japanese?

The standard question is 今何時ですか. A shorter version is 何時ですか when the context is clear.

What is the Japanese word for minute?

The kanji is 分, and the reading changes between ふん and ぷん.

Why are some Japanese time readings irregular?

Traditional sound changes happen when numbers combine with counters. That is why time has several special readings.

How do you say half past in Japanese?

Use 半 after the hour, such as 三時半 for 3:30.

How do you say AM and PM in Japanese?

AM is 午前 and PM is 午後.

What should beginners memorize first for Japanese time?

Start with 4, 7, and 9 o’clock, then learn the common minute irregulars and practice full example sentences.

Related Study Pages

Japanese Time ExpressionsToday, tomorrow, last week, and other time words. Days in JapaneseWeekdays, dates, and the main day vocabulary. Months in JapaneseAll 12 months and how they appear in dates. Japanese Date FormatHow full dates are written and read. Japanese Travel PhrasesUse clock times for trains, hotel check-in, and bookings.

Practice Clock Language with YoruLearn

The YoruLearn app turns hour and minute patterns into spaced repetition review, reading practice, and quick drills so irregular time expressions stop feeling random.

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Sources and Editorial Notes

Clock-time readings in this guide use standard Japanese forms. The crucial study points are the irregular hour readings and the ふん/ぷん changes in minutes.