Showing Japanese Time

Expression in a
sentence

Typically a verb sentence with Japanese time expression will be...

Subject ha Time ni Object o Verb ( masu-form).

Let use some examples to show the above expression...

わたしはまいあさしちじ にあさごはんをたべます。
watashi wa maiasa shichiji ni asagohan wo tabemasu
Meaning: I eat breakfast at 7am every morning.

わたしはまいにちコーヒーをさんばいのみます。
watashi wa mainichi ko-hi- wo sanbai nomimasu
Meaning: I drink 3 cups of cofee every day.

わたしはまいしゅうすいようび にせんたくをします。
watashi wa maishuu suiyoubi ni sentaku wo shimasu
Meaning: I do my washing/laundry every Wednesday.

わたしはこんばんえいがをみます。
watashi wa konban eiga wo mimasu
Meaning: I am going to watch movie tonight.

※ Particle O (The object of the verb)

The particle O appearing before a transitive verb ( tabemasu(eat) , benkyo

shimasu(study)) , shows the object of verb.

にほんご　を　べんきょう　する　（nihongo o benkyo suru） study Japanese

 ごはん　を　たべる　　（gohan o taberu） eat a meal　

You can understand the expression that what time you do the thing.

Next, when using verb sentence to ask about what time someone do
something , use the following expression.

○ Irregular verb（group 3 verbs） Suru(する)

あなた　は　なんじ　に　～します　か　？

Anata ha nanji ni NOUN shimasu ka ?

Nan = What , ji = time , ni = particle Ni

What time do you verb (NOUN + shimasu) ?　

What time will you verb (NOUN + shimasu)?

あなた　は　なんじ　に　～しました　か？

Anata ha nanji ni NOUN shimashita ka ?

What time did you verb (NOUN + shimasu) ?

※ You can use plain form of verb in casual case

Ex) あなた　は　なんじ　に　べんきょう（を）する（の）？

　　　What time do you study ?

　　　　あなた　は　なんじ　に　しょくじ（を）する（の）　？

What time do you have a meal ?

○う verb ( group 1) and る verb ( group2)

あなた　は　なんじ　に　～ます　か　？

Anata ha nanji ni Verb masu ka ?

What time do you Verb ? , What time will you Verb ?

EX)　あなた　は　なんじ　に　ぱそこん　を　つかい　ます　か？

あなた　は　なんじ　に　～ました　か　？

Anata ha nanji ni Verb mashita ka ?

What time did you Verb ?

EX) あなた　は　なんじ　に　おみせ　に　いき　ました　か　？

※ You can use plain form of verb in casual case

EX)　 あなた　は　なんじ　に　あさごはん　を　たべる（の）？　

What time do you have breakfast ?

あなた　は　なんじ　に　てれび　を　みる（の）？

　　　What time do you watch TV ?

Japanese time expression

 using Noun
sentence

"What is the time now?" How to say it in Japanese? The simplest is to use the
following Noun sentence expression...

In case of asking “ what time is it now ? ”

Ima nan ji desu ka ? Ima = now ,

いま　なんじ　です　か？

In case of asking “ What time is it now in Somewhere ( in many cases ,

place such as country or city) ? ”

Topic ( subject of the sebtebce) は いま なんじ です か ?

Topic ( subject of the sebtebce) wa ima nanji desu ka ?
Meaning: What is the time now in Topic?

For example, you can say... • Question: にほん は いま なんじ です か ?

nihon wa ima nanji desu ka
Meaning: What is the time now in Japan?

Answer: にほん は いま ごご さんじ です。

nihon wa ima gogo sanji desu
Meaning: It is 3pm now in Japan
Japanese Time Expression using
か ら (kara) and ま で
(made)
You can use the particles から (kara) and まで (made) to state the time
frame from which an event occurs.

Noun(time or place)　から(kara) = from Noun

Noun(time or place) まで(made) = to Noun

Unlike English, the word order is opposite.

You put Noun in front of から、まで.
EX) from 8:00 to 9:00 　　8 じ　から　9 じ　まで　
　　わたし　は　はちじ　から　くじ　まで　べんきょうします
※ You can also use this particle for expressing place.
EX) from Osaka to Nagoya おおさか　から　なごや　まで
　　　わたし　は　おおさか　から　なごや　まで　いき　ます　
You can use the following expressions...

Topic は　なんじ　から　です　か
Topic wa nanji kara desu ka
Meaning: What is the starting time for Topic?

Topic は　なんじ　まで　です　か
Topic wa nanji made desu ka
Meaning: What is the ending time for Topic?

Topic は　なんじ　から　なんじ　まで　です　か
Topic wa nanji kara nanji made desu ka
Meaning: What is the starting and ending time for Topic?
The above expressions are best used to ask for the operating time for
supermarkets, banks, clinics or works, etc.

Question: ぎんこう は なんじ から です か。

ginkou wa nanji kara desu ka
Meaning: What is the opening time for the bank?)
Answer: ぎんこう は ごぜん くじ から です。
ginkou wa gozen kuji kara desu
Meaning: The bank opens at 9am.

Question: しごと は なんじ まで です か。

shigoto wa nanji made desu ka
Meaning: What is the time that your work ends?

Answer: しごと　は　ごじ　まで　です。
shigoto wa goji made desu
Meaning: My work ends at 5pm.

Question: スーパー　は　なんじ　から　なんじ　まで　です　か。
su-pa- wa nanji kara nanji made desu ka
Meaning: What is the operating time for the supermarket?

Answer: スーパーは　ごぜん　じゅうじ　から　ごご　じゅうじ　まで　です 。

su-pa wa gozen juuji kara gogo juuji made desu

Meaning: The supermarket opens at 10am and closes at
10pm.

If you want to ask about which day the bank is closed, use the
following expression...

Question: ぎんこう　の　やすみ　の　ひ　は　なんようび　です　か
ginkou no yasuminohi wa nayoubi desu ka
Meaning: What is the rest day for the bank?
 Answer: ぎんこう　の　やすみ　の　ひ　は　どようび　と　
にちようび　です。
ginkou no yasuminohi wa doyoubi to nichiyoubi desu
Meaning: The rest days for the bank are Saturday and Sunday.

Similarly, to ask which month, you can say なんがつ (nangatsu).

Question: あなた　の　けっこんしき　は　なんがつ　です　か？
　　　　　Anata no kekkonsiki ha nangatu desu ka?
Meaning: What month is your wedding ceremony ?

Question: あなた　は　なんがつ　に　に ほん　に　いきます　か？

　　　　　A nata ha nangatu ni nihonn ni ikimasu ka?
Meaning: What month do you go to Japan ?

Generally, if you want to ask when something will be happened

without specifying hour, day or month, the question word is いつ (itsu).

For example...

Question: 　やすみ　の　ひ　は　いつ　です　か　？
yasumi no hi wa desu ka
Meaning: When is your rest day?
Answer:　　やすみ　の　ひ　は　にちようび　です。
　　　　　　Meaning:　Rest day is Sunday.

Question:　あなた　の　たんじょうび　は　いつ　です　か　？
　　　　　Anata no tanjyoubi ha itu desu ka ?
Meaning: When is your birthday ?
Answer:　わたし　の　たんじょうび　は　１がつ　24 にち　です。　　
Meaning:　My birthday is January 24th.
 　Japanese time expressions
require に (ni) for verb sentence
Kanji Hiragana Romaji Meaning

1. ～年 ～ねん ~nen ~Year

2. ～月 ～がつ ~gatsu ~Month

3. 一日 ついたち tsuitachi 1st day of the month

4. ～日 ～か ~ka ~Day

5. ～日 ～にち ~nichi ~Day

6. ～曜日 ～ようび ~youbi ~Day of the Week

7. ～時 ～じ ~ji ~Hour

8. ～分 ～ふん ~fun ~Minute

9. 休みの日 やすみのひ yasuminohi Rest Day/Of Day

10. 昼休み ひるやすみ hiruyasumi Lunch Break

11. 夏休み なつやすみ natsuyasumi Summer Vacation

12. 冬休み ふゆやすみ fuyuyasumi Winter Vacation

13. 誕生日 たんじょうび tanjoubi Birthday

 DON'T require に (ni) for verb sentence
Kanji Hiragana Romaji Meaning

1. 去年 きょねん kyonen Last Year

2. 今年 ことし kotoshi This Year

3. 来年 らいねん rainen Next Year

4. 先月 せんげつ sengetsu Last Month

5. 今月 こんげつ kongetsu This Month

6. 来月 らいげつ raigetsu Next Month

7. 先週 せんしゅう senshuu Last Week

8. 今週 こんしゅう konshuu This Week

9. 来週 らいしゅう raishuu Next Week

10. 一昨日 おととい ototoi The Day Before Yesterday

11. 昨日 きのう kinou Yesterday

12. 今日 きょう kyou Today

13. 明日 あした ashita Tomorrow

14. 明後日 あさって asatte The Day after Tomorrow

15. 昨夜 ゆうべ yuube Last Night

16. 今朝 けさ kesa This Morning

17. 今晩 こんばん konban Tonight

18. 今 いま ima Now

19. 毎週 まいしゅう maishuu Every Week

20. 毎日 まいにち mainichi Every Day

21. 毎朝 まいあさ maiasa Every Morning

22. 毎晩 まいばん maiban Every Night

23. いつも itsumo Always

24. 朝 あさ asa Morning

25. 夜 よる yoru Night

26. 春 はる haru Spring

27. 夏 なつ natsu Summer

28. 秋 あき aki Autumn

29. 冬 ふゆ fuyu Winter

30. 昔 むかし mukashi In the Past/In the Old Days

31. この前 このまえ konomae The Other Day/Recently

32. この間 このあいだ konoaida The Other Day/Recently

33. いつ itsu When

The above 2 lists of Japanese time expression are not exhaustive, but
you should get the idea which are those that require に (ni).