今、何時ですか？
Ima, nanji desu ka?
What time is it?
Usage
Most common phrase for asking the time
Grammar Note
"Nanji" is the question word for asking what hour it is
今日は何曜日ですか？
Kyō wa nan'yōbi desu ka?
What day of the week is it today?
Usage
Asking what day of the week it is today
Grammar Note
Days: getsu (Mon), ka (Tue), sui (Wed), moku (Thu), kin (Fri), do (Sat), nichi (Sun)
今日／明日／昨日
Kyō / Ashita / Kinō
Today / Tomorrow / Yesterday
Usage
Basic time expressions for talking about schedules
Grammar Note
Kyō, ashita, kinō are irregular readings of the kanji
今週／来週／先週
Konshū / Raishū / Senshū
This week / Next week / Last week
Usage
Talking about schedules in terms of weeks
Grammar Note
Kon- = this, rai- = next, sen- = last (preceding time unit)
午前中／午後／夕方／夜に
Gozenchū / Gogo / Yūgata / Yoru ni
In the morning / afternoon / evening / at night
Usage
Essential expressions for parts of the day
Grammar Note
"Ni" is the time marker particle used with specific times and periods
今日は何日ですか？
Kyō wa nan-nichi desu ka?
What is today's date?
Usage
Asking what today's date is
Grammar Note
Japanese dates have irregular readings: 1st=tsuitachi, 2nd=futsuka etc.
何時に開きますか／閉まりますか？
Nanji ni akimasu ka / shimarimasu ka?
At what time does it open / close?
Usage
Asking opening and closing times for a shop or attraction
Grammar Note
"Ni" after a time expression marks a specific point in time
そこまでどのくらいかかりますか？
Soko made dono kurai kakarimasu ka?
How long will it take to get there?
Usage
Asking how long a journey will take
Grammar Note
"Kakaru" is used for both time and money that is required
午後3時に会いましょう
Gogo san-ji ni aimashō
Let's meet at 3 pm.
Usage
Agreeing on a meeting time
Grammar Note
"〜mashō" expresses a polite invitation or suggestion
2時半です／4時45分です
Ni-ji han desu / Yo-ji yon-jū-go-fun desu
It's half past two / quarter to five.
Usage
Telling the time using minutes past or to the hour
Grammar Note
"Han" means half (30 min). 4:45 can also be expressed as "5-ji jūgo-fun mae"
週末も開いていますか？
Shūmatsu mo aite imasu ka?
Is it open on weekends?
Usage
Checking if a place is open on weekends
Grammar Note
"Mo" is a particle meaning also or too
ここのタイムゾーンは何ですか？
Koko no taimuzōn wa nan desu ka?
What time zone are we in?
Usage
Confirming the local time zone while travelling
Grammar Note
Japan uses JST (UTC+9) with no daylight saving time
早すぎます／遅すぎます
Haya-sugimasu / Oso-sugimasu
It's too early / too late.
Usage
Saying a time is too early or too late for you
Grammar Note
"〜sugiru" attached to an adjective stem means excessively too much
いつ始まりますか／終わりますか？
Itsu hajimarimasu ka / owarimasu ka?
When does it start / end?
Usage
Asking when an event or show starts or ends
Grammar Note
"Itsu" is the question word for when
月曜日から金曜日まで
Getsuyōbi kara kin'yōbi made
From Monday to Friday
Usage
Stating working days or operating hours
Grammar Note
"Kara 〜 made" is the standard Japanese pattern for from ... to ...
[日付・時間]に予約を取りたいのですが
[Nichiji] ni yoyaku wo toritai no desu ga
I'd like to make an appointment for [date/time].
Usage
Making an appointment at a clinic, salon, or service
Grammar Note
"Yoyaku wo toru" and "yoyaku wo suru" are nearly synonymous; both are common in everyday speech
一日
Ichinichi
One day
Usage
Used to indicate a duration of exactly one day, e.g. rentals or stays
半日
Hannichi
Half a day
Usage
Used for half-day tours or half-day rates
一週間
Isshūkan
One week
Usage
Used to indicate a one-week stay or rental period
一ヶ月
Ikkagetsu
One month
Usage
Used for long stays or monthly contracts
一年
Ichinen
One year
Usage
Used for visa validity or contract length in years
月曜日
Getsuyōbi
Monday
Usage
A standalone day name to point to when discussing schedules or closures
火曜日
Kayōbi
Tuesday
Usage
A standalone day name to point to when discussing schedules or closures
水曜日
Suiyōbi
Wednesday
Usage
A standalone day name to point to when discussing schedules or closures
木曜日
Mokuyōbi
Thursday
Usage
A standalone day name to point to when discussing schedules or closures
金曜日
Kin'yōbi
Friday
Usage
A standalone day name to point to when discussing schedules or closures
土曜日
Doyōbi
Saturday
Usage
A standalone day name to point to when discussing schedules or closures
日曜日
Nichiyōbi
Sunday
Usage
A standalone day name to point to when discussing schedules or closures
今日
Kyō
Today
Usage
The basic word to point to for "today"
明日
Ashita
Tomorrow
Usage
Used when moving a plan or reservation to tomorrow
昨日
Kinō
Yesterday
Usage
Used to refer to something that happened yesterday
明後日
Asatte
The day after tomorrow
Usage
Used to indicate a plan two days from now
一昨日
Ototoi
The day before yesterday
Usage
Used to refer to something that happened two days ago
今
Ima
Now
Usage
Points to "right now" when timing matters
あとで
Atode
Later
Usage
Used to indicate something should happen at a later time
一時間
Ichijikan
One hour
Usage
Used to indicate a duration or wait time of one hour
二時間
Nijikan
Two hours
Usage
Used to indicate a duration or wait time of two hours
三十分
Sanjuppun
Thirty minutes
Usage
Used to indicate a short duration or wait of thirty minutes
朝
Asa
Morning
Usage
Points to the morning time of day
昼
Hiru
Midday
Usage
Points to midday, around noon
夕方
Yūgata
Evening
Usage
Points to the evening / dusk time of day
夜
Yoru
Night
Usage
Points to nighttime
深夜
Shin'ya
Late night
Usage
Points to late night, useful for last trains or closing times
毎日
Mainichi
Every day
Usage
Used to indicate something happens daily
毎週
Maishū
Every week
Usage
Used to indicate something happens weekly
毎月
Maitsuki
Every month
Usage
Used to indicate something happens monthly
今週
Konshū
This week
Usage
Used to refer to the current week
来週
Raishū
Next week
Usage
Used to refer to the coming week
先週
Senshū
Last week
Usage
Used to refer to the previous week
週末
Shūmatsu
Weekend
Usage
Used to refer to the weekend, e.g. opening hours
1月
Ichigatsu
January
Usage
The word for January; use it for booking dates and expiry dates
2月
Nigatsu
February
Usage
The word for February; use it for booking dates and expiry dates
3月
Sangatsu
March
Usage
The word for March; use it for booking dates and expiry dates
4月
Shigatsu
April
Usage
The word for April; use it for booking dates and expiry dates
5月
Gogatsu
May
Usage
The word for May; use it for booking dates and expiry dates
6月
Rokugatsu
June
Usage
The word for June; use it for booking dates and expiry dates
7月
Shichigatsu
July
Usage
The word for July; use it for booking dates and expiry dates
8月
Hachigatsu
August
Usage
The word for August; use it for booking dates and expiry dates
9月
Kugatsu
September
Usage
The word for September; use it for booking dates and expiry dates
10月
Jūgatsu
October
Usage
The word for October; use it for booking dates and expiry dates
11月
Jūichigatsu
November
Usage
The word for November; use it for booking dates and expiry dates
12月
Jūnigatsu
December
Usage
The word for December; use it for booking dates and expiry dates
More Japanese phrases
- Basic Words
- Basic Nouns
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