1.1.10 Telling Time

​すみません、
いま なんじ ですか？
Sumimasen,
ima nanji desu ka?

いま いちじ です
Ima ichi ji desu

​​​Observe the conversation below. What do you think is happening?
Share your opinion in the Zoom chat or raise your hand to be unmuted.

​​ノート

​Sumimasen primarily translates to "excuse me," "sorry," or "thank you," depending on the context. It can also be used to express gratitude or get someone's attention.

Asking and telling time

​​すみません、
いま なんじ ですか？
Sumimasen,
ima nanji desu ka?

いま 〇〇じ です
Ima ..... ji desu
It's .... o'clock now

​​ノート :

​いま　　ima : right now
なんじ　nanji : what time
〇〇じ　...ji　: .... o'clock

​いちじ
ichi ji

​にじ
ni ji

​さんじ
san ji

​よじ
yo ji

​ごじ
go ji

​ろくじ
roku ji

​しちじ
shichi ji

はちじ
hachi ji

​くじ
ku ji

​じゅうじ
jyuu ji

​じゅういちじ
jyuu ichi ji

じゅうにじ
jyuu ni ji

Formula :

[Number] + じ ji
.... o'clock

​*です (desu) is a polite copula in Japanese,
which functions like the English verb “to be” (is/am/are).

📌 What Are Particles in Japanese?

Today's Particles:

　に ni and
　　か ka

​Particles are small words in Japanese.
They come after another word to show what that word means in the sentence.

🧩 Think of them like labels or signs. They tell you:

　　
　　　🗣️ Who is doing the action

　　　🎯 What they are doing

　　　⏰ When they are doing it

　　　❓ Or if it’s a question

1️⃣ Particle に ni
shows specific time ⏰

に ni can be translated as “at” or “on” when talking about a specific time or date.

🧱 Pattern:
[Time] + に ni + [Verb/action]

📘 Example:

はちじに　ねます　Hachi ji ni nemasu　　= I go to bed at 8 o’clock 🛏️
しちじに　おきます　Shichi ji ni okimasu　= I wake up at 7 o’clock ☀️

2️⃣ Particle か ka
turns a sentence into a question ❓

か ka is added at the end of a sentence to ask a question.

🧱 Pattern:
[Question word] + に ni + [Verb] + か ka

📘 Example:

なんじに　ねますか　ー　Nanji ni nemasu ka
What time do you go to bed?

Asking and telling time

なんじに　〇〇か
Nanji ni .....?

What time do you .....?

〇〇じに　〇〇
.... ji .....
I do .... at .... o'clock

​​ノート :

なんじ　nanji : what time
〇〇じ　...ji　: .... o'clock

​Formula :

なんじに nanji ni + [Verb/action]か ka
[Timeじ ji]に ni + [Verb/action]

​おきます
Okimasu

ねます
Nemasu

がっこうに　います
Gakkou ni ikimasu

くじに　たべます
Kuji ni tabemasu
I eat at 9 o'clock