When you want to ask about the time, you use なんじ (nanji).
This literally translates to "what hour" or "what time."
You can use it to ask questions like "What time is it now?" or "What time does the store open?"
It's a straightforward way to inquire about the hour of the day.
When you want to ask what time it is, you use 「なんじ」 (nanji).
For example, if you want to ask "What time is it now?" you would say 「いま、なんじですか？」 (Ima, nanji desu ka?).
It's a straightforward way to inquire about the hour.
When asking about the hour of the day in Japanese, you'll use the word なんじ (nanji). This is a very common and essential question for everyday communication.
For example, if you want to ask "What time is it?" you would say いま、なんじですか (Ima, nanji desu ka?). The word いま (ima) means "now."
You can also use なんじ to ask about specific event times, such as パーティーはなんじですか (Pātī wa nanji desu ka?), meaning "What time is the party?"
Remember that when answering, you'll combine the hour with じ (ji), such as いちじ (ichiji) for "one o'clock" or しちじ (shichiji) for "seven o'clock."
When asking about the hour of the day in Japanese, we use the word なんじ (nan-ji). This literally translates to 'what hour' or 'what time'. It's a fundamental part of telling time and is typically used in questions like 'What time is it now?' or 'What time does the train arrive?'
For instance, to ask 'What time is it now?', you would say 'いま、なんじですか。' (Ima, nan-ji desu ka?). The 'desu ka' politely forms a question. Similarly, if you want to know what time an event is, you'd phrase it as 'イベントはなんじですか。' (Ibento wa nan-ji desu ka?).
なんじ en 30 segundos
- Use to ask 'what time?'
- Combine with 'desu ka' for questions
- Essential for telling time
§ What なんじ means
- Japanese Word
- なんじ
- Romanization
- nanji
- Part of Speech
- Noun
- CEFR Level
- A2
- Definition
- Asking about the hour of the day.
§ Basic Use of なんじ
The simplest way to ask "What time is it?" in Japanese is to use なんじですか. This phrase is polite and can be used in most situations, whether you're talking to a stranger or someone you know.
今、なんじですか。
(Ima, nanji desu ka?)
What time is it now?
You can also use なんじ to ask about the time of an event. In this case, you'll often see it paired with a particle like に (ni), which indicates a specific time.
会議はなんじに始まりますか。
(Kaigi wa nanji ni hajimarimasu ka?)
What time does the meeting start?
§ Where you hear なんじ: Work and School
In everyday life in Japan, especially in a work or school setting, knowing how to ask the time is essential. You'll hear and use なんじ frequently.
- At Work:
In a professional environment, punctuality is highly valued. You might need to confirm meeting times, break times, or when a task needs to be completed.
ランチはなんじからですか。
(Ranchi wa nanji kara desu ka?)
What time is lunch from?
レポートの提出はなんじまでですか。
(Repōto no teishutsu wa nanji made desu ka?)
Until what time is the report submission?
- At School:
Students often ask about class schedules, club activities, or exam times. なんじ is a fundamental part of these conversations.
次の授業はなんじに始まりますか。
(Tsugi no jugyō wa nanji ni hajimarimasu ka?)
What time does the next class start?
図書館はなんじまで開いていますか。
(Toshokan wa nanji made aiteimasu ka?)
Until what time is the library open?
§ なんじ in the News and Public Announcements
While less common than in direct conversations, you might encounter なんじ in news reports or public announcements when specific event timings are crucial. For example, a TV schedule or a public transportation update.
最終電車はなんじですか。
(Saishū densha wa nanji desu ka?)
What time is the last train?
When you're learning Japanese, asking about the time is one of the most practical things you can do. The word for asking 'What time?' or 'What hour?' is なんじ (何時 - nanji). It's a fundamental part of daily conversation, especially if you're trying to meet up with friends, catch a train, or just want to know when the stores close.
§ What 'nanji' means
- Japanese Word
- なんじ (何時 - nanji)
- Meaning
- What time? / What hour?
- Part of Speech
- Noun
- CEFR Level
- A2
§ How to use 'nanji' in sentences
You'll usually see なんじ followed by ですか (desu ka) to form a polite question. It's straightforward: just put なんじです か at the end of your question.
今、何時ですか？
- Hint
- Ima, nanji desu ka? (What time is it now?)
会議は何時からですか？
- Hint
- Kaigi wa nanji kara desu ka? (What time does the meeting start from?)
電車は何時に出ますか？
- Hint
- Densha wa nanji ni demasu ka? (What time does the train leave?)
§ Responding to 'nanji' questions
When someone asks you 何時ですか？, you'll need to know how to state the time. The basic format is [number]時 (ji) です. Remember to use the correct counters for hours.
- 1時 (ichi-ji): 1 o'clock
- 2時 (ni-ji): 2 o'clock
- 3時 (san-ji): 3 o'clock
- 4時 (yo-ji): 4 o'clock (note: not yon-ji)
- 5時 (go-ji): 5 o'clock
- 6時 (roku-ji): 6 o'clock
- 7時 (shichi-ji): 7 o'clock (note: sometimes nana-ji is also used)
- 8時 (hachi-ji): 8 o'clock
- 9時 (ku-ji): 9 o'clock (note: not kyuu-ji)
- 10時 (juu-ji): 10 o'clock
- 11時 (juuichi-ji): 11 o'clock
- 12時 (juuni-ji): 12 o'clock
For minutes, you add 分 (fun/pun) after the number. The pronunciation of 分 changes depending on the preceding number. We'll cover that in detail in another lesson. For now, focus on the hours.
今、三時です。
- Hint
- Ima, san-ji desu. (It's 3 o'clock now.)
§ Similar words and when to use 'nanji' vs alternatives
While なんじ (nanji) is specifically for asking 'what time/hour?', there are other time-related words you'll encounter. It's important to understand the difference so you use them correctly.
- いつ (itsu)
- This means 'when' and is much broader than 何時. You use いつ when asking about the general timing of an event, not a specific hour. For example, 'When is your birthday?' (あなたの誕生日はいつですか？ - Anata no tanjoubi wa itsu desu ka?). You wouldn't use 何時 here because a birthday isn't an 'hour'.
日本へはいつ行きますか？
- Hint
- Nihon e wa itsu ikimasu ka? (When are you going to Japan?)
- なんぷん (何分 - nanpun)
- This means 'how many minutes?' You'd use this when you want to know the duration in minutes, or the minute hand on the clock. For example, 'How many minutes until the train leaves?' (電車が出るまで何分ですか？ - Densha ga deru made nanpun desu ka?). You wouldn't use 何時 here because you're asking about minutes, not hours.
あと何分で着きますか？
- Hint
- Ato nanpun de tsukimasu ka? (In how many more minutes will we arrive?)
In summary, use なんじ (何時) specifically when you want to ask 'What hour is it?' or 'At what hour?' for an event. Use いつ (itsu) for more general 'when' questions, and なんぷん (何分) for questions about minutes.
Mastering なんじ is a quick win for your Japanese communication skills. Start practicing by asking your friends (or yourself!) the time throughout the day!
Dato curioso
The 'なん' (nan) in 'なんじ' (nanji) is a question word meaning 'what'. The 'じ' (ji) means 'time' or 'hour'. So literally, it's 'what hour?'
Ejemplos por nivel
今、なんじですか？
What time is it now?
A common way to ask the current time. '今' means 'now'.
会議はなんじに始まりますか？
What time does the meeting start?
'会議' means 'meeting'. '始まります' means 'to start'.
電車はなんじに出発しますか？
What time does the train depart?
'電車' means 'train'. '出発します' means 'to depart'.
あなたの誕生日はなんじにパーティーをしますか？
What time will you have your birthday party?
'誕生日' means 'birthday'. 'パーティーをします' means 'to have a party'.
お店はなんじに開きますか？
What time does the store open?
'お店' means 'store'. '開きます' means 'to open'.
チェックアウトはなんじまでですか？
Until what time is checkout?
'チェックアウト' means 'checkout'. 'まで' means 'until'.
飛行機はなんじに到着しますか？
What time does the plane arrive?
'飛行機' means 'airplane'. '到着します' means 'to arrive'.
映画はなんじに終わりますか？
What time does the movie end?
'映画' means 'movie'. '終わります' means 'to end'.
現在の正確な時刻をお聞かせいただけますか？
Could you please tell me the exact current time?
会議は何時に始まりますか、そしてそれはどれくらい続きますか？
What time does the meeting start, and how long will it last?
最終電車は何時かご存知ですか、乗り遅れないようにしたいのですが。
Do you know what time the last train is? I don't want to miss it.
緊急の場合、私はあなたの携帯電話に何時に電話することができますか？
In case of emergency, at what time can I call your mobile phone?
イベントの受付は何時に終了しますか？
What time does the registration for the event close?
私たちのフライトは何時に出発しますか、ゲートに早く着く必要があります。
What time does our flight depart? We need to get to the gate early.
今夜、星を見るのに最適な時間は何時ですか？
What time is best for stargazing tonight?
この美術館は平日は何時に開館し、週末は何時に閉館しますか？
What time does this museum open on weekdays and close on weekends?
Cómo usarlo
When asking about the current time, you can use 「今、なんじですか」 (Ima, nanji desu ka?). To ask what time an event is, you can say 「しゅっぱつじかんはなんじですか」 (Shuppatsu jikan wa nanji desu ka? - What time is the departure time?).
A common mistake is confusing 「なんじ」 (nanji) with 「なんにち」 (nannichi), which means 'what day of the month'. Remember, なんじ is for hours, なんにち is for dates.
Origen de la palabra
Japanese
Significado original: what time
JaponicContexto cultural
<p>In Japanese culture, punctuality is highly valued, so asking and telling time accurately is important. When asking 'nanji desu ka?' (What time is it?), it's common to follow up with 'ima' (now) for clarity, though it's often implied. Japanese people are generally very polite, so adding 'sumimasen' (excuse me) before asking for the time is also common, especially to strangers.</p>
Practica en la vida real
Contextos reales
Asking what time a store opens/closes.
- お店はなんじにあきますか？ (What time does the store open?)
- お店はなんじにしめますか？ (What time does the store close?)
- なんじまで営業していますか？ (Until what time are you open?)
Arranging a meeting with friends.
- なんじにあいましょうか？ (What time should we meet?)
- なんじがいいですか？ (What time is good for you?)
- なんじごろにしますか？ (Around what time should we make it?)
Asking about train or bus schedules.
- 次の電車はなんじですか？ (What time is the next train?)
- バスはなんじにきますか？ (What time does the bus come?)
- なんじ発ですか？ (What time does it depart?)
Discussing event start times.
- イベントはなんじにはじまりますか？ (What time does the event start?)
- コンサートはなんじからですか？ (From what time is the concert?)
- 映画はなんじに終わりますか？ (What time does the movie end?)
Asking someone's work or school hours.
- なんじからなんじまで働きますか？ (From what time to what time do you work?)
- 学校はなんじにおわりますか？ (What time does school finish?)
- なんじに出かけますか？ (What time do you go out?)
Inicios de conversación
"今、なんじですか？ (What time is it now?)"
"あなたの国では今、なんじですか？ (What time is it now in your country?)"
"だいたいいつもなんじに寝ますか？ (Around what time do you usually go to sleep?)"
"週末はなんじにおきますか？ (What time do you wake up on weekends?)"
"なんじに日本語を勉強しますか？ (What time do you study Japanese?)"
Temas para diario
昨日、なんじに起きましたか？ そして、なんじに寝ましたか？ (What time did you wake up yesterday? And what time did you go to sleep?)
もしあなたが時間旅行できるなら、なんじに戻りたいですか？ (If you could time travel, what time would you want to go back to?)
人生で一番大切だと感じる瞬間は、なんじごろに起こりますか？ (Around what time do the most important moments in your life happen?)
一日の中で、なんじの時間が一番好きですか？ その理由はなんですか？ (What time of day do you like the most? What is the reason for that?)
友達と会うなら、なんじが一番良いですか？ (If you were to meet friends, what time would be the best?)
Ponte a prueba 54 preguntas
今、___ですか。 (Now, what time is it?)
To ask 'what time is it now', we use '今、なんじですか' (Ima, nanji desu ka?). 'なに' means 'what', 'どこ' means 'where', and 'だれ' means 'who'.
パーティーは___に始まりますか。 (What time does the party start?)
To ask 'what time does the party start', we use 'パーティーはなんじに始まりますか' (Pātī wa nanji ni hajimarimasu ka?). 'いつ' means 'when', 'どうして' means 'why', and 'だれ' means 'who'.
会議は___に終わりますか。 (What time does the meeting end?)
To ask 'what time does the meeting end', we use '会議はなんじに終わりますか' (Kaigi wa nanji ni owarimasu ka?). 'どこ' means 'where', 'いつ' means 'when', and 'どれ' means 'which one'.
あなたの誕生日は___ですか。 (What time is your birthday?)
This is a trick question! 'なんじ' is for asking about the hour. For 'when is your birthday', you use 'いつ' (itsu), meaning 'when'.
学校は___からですか。 (What time does school start from?)
To ask 'what time does school start from', we use '学校はなんじからですか' (Gakkō wa nanji kara desu ka?). 'どこ' means 'where', 'だれ' means 'who', and 'なに' means 'what'.
お昼ごはんは___ですか。 (What time is lunch?)
To ask 'what time is lunch', we use 'お昼ごはんはなんじですか' (Ohirugohan wa nanji desu ka?). 'どこ' means 'where', 'だれ' means 'who', and 'いつ' means 'when'.
Choose the correct question to ask 'What time is it now?'
「なんじ」 (nanji) specifically means 'what time' or 'what hour'. The other options ask 'where', 'who', and 'when' respectively.
Which response correctly answers the question 'なんじ です か。' (What time is it?) if it's 3 o'clock?
「さんじ」 (sanji) means '3 o'clock'. The other options are counters for age, small animals, and general items, respectively.
You want to ask 'What time does the train leave?' Which word should you use?
「なんじ」 (nanji) is used for asking about time. 「なんさい」 (nansai) and 「いくつ」 (ikutsu) ask about age, and 「どこ」 (doko) asks about location.
You can use 「なんじ」 to ask 'What day of the week is it?'
「なんじ」 (nanji) is specifically for asking 'what hour' or 'what time'. To ask about the day of the week, you would use something like 「なんようび」 (nanyoubi).
If someone asks 「なんじ です か。」, a correct response could be 「ごじ です。」 (It's 5 o'clock.)
「ごじ」 (goji) means '5 o'clock', which is a direct and correct answer to a question asking what time it is.
「なんじ」 (nanji) can be used to ask about the duration of something, like 'How many hours?'
「なんじ」 (nanji) asks for a specific time or hour (e.g., 'What time is it?'). To ask about duration ('how many hours'), you would use something like 「なんじかん」 (nanjikan).
今、___ですか。(What time is it now?)
To ask 'What time is it now?', you use 今 (now) and ですか (is it?). The blank needs the word for 'what time', which is なんじ.
会議は___から始まりますか。(What time does the meeting start from?)
The sentence asks 'what time' the meeting starts. Therefore, なんじ is the appropriate word to fill the blank.
___に駅に着きますか。(What time will you arrive at the station?)
To ask 'what time' someone will arrive at the station, you use なんじ. The particle に marks the time.
お昼ごはんは___に食べますか。(What time do you eat lunch?)
The question asks for the specific time lunch is eaten, making なんじ the correct choice for 'what time'.
___に寝ますか。(What time do you go to bed?)
To inquire about the specific hour one goes to bed, なんじ is used.
テストは___までですか。(Until what time is the test?)
The sentence asks about the duration or end time of the test, using まで (until). なんじ fits as 'what time'.
This sentence asks 'What time does the party start?' with 'パーティー (party)' as the subject, 'なんじに (at what time)' indicating the time, and 'はじまりますか (does it start?)' as the verb.
This sentence means 'What time does work finish?' 'しごとが おわるの (the finishing of work)' is the subject, and 'なんじですか (what time is it?)' asks for the time.
This sentence asks 'What time do you usually go to bed?' 'いつも (always/usually)' is an adverb, 'なんじに (at what time)' specifies the time, and 'ねますか (do you sleep?)' is the verb.
Choose the most appropriate response to: 「今、何時ですか？」
「今、何時ですか？」 asks 'What time is it now?' The most appropriate answer is a statement of the time.
You want to ask a train conductor what time the next train departs. Which phrase is most suitable?
To ask 'What time is the next train?', you use 「次の電車は何時ですか？」
Select the correct way to ask 'What time does the store open?'
To ask 'What time does the store open?', you use the particle 'に' after '何時'.
「何時ですか」 can be used to ask 'How old are you?'
「何時ですか」 specifically asks 'What time is it?' To ask 'How old are you?', you would use 「おいくつですか」 or 「何歳ですか」.
If someone asks 「パーティーは何時からですか？」, they are asking about the start time of a party.
「何時からですか」 literally means 'from what time', indicating a starting time.
In formal situations, you should use 「お何時ですか」 instead of 「何時ですか」.
Adding 'お' before 「何時」 is not standard Japanese for politeness when asking about time. 「何時ですか」 is already polite enough for most situations, and for very formal situations, phrasing like 「現在時刻をお伺いしてもよろしいでしょうか」 might be used, but not simply adding 'お'.
This is a basic way to ask 'What time is it now?'
This asks 'What time does the meeting start?' using 'なんじに' to specify the time of an action.
This asks 'Around what time does school usually end?' 'ごろに' indicates 'around' a certain time.
Choose the most natural way to ask about the current time in a formal setting.
「恐れ入りますが」is a polite preamble, and 「ただいま何時でしょうか」is a very respectful way to ask for the current time. The other options are either too casual or direct for a formal setting.
You are making plans with a friend and want to suggest meeting at 3 PM. Which phrase best conveys this?
「3時に会いませんか？」is a common and polite way to suggest meeting at a specific time. The other options are either too casual or imperative.
Which of the following sentences correctly asks about the time an event starts?
「何時始まりますか」is the most direct and natural way to ask about the starting time of an event. 「いつですか」is too general, and the other options are either grammatically awkward or less formal.
In a formal situation, asking '何時？' is generally considered appropriate.
「何時？」is a very casual way to ask about the time and is generally not appropriate in formal settings. Politeness requires more elaborate phrasing.
When confirming a meeting time, saying '何時でしたっけ？' implies you have forgotten the previously agreed-upon time.
The suffix 「でしたっけ？」is used to inquire about something one has forgotten or to confirm a piece of information that was previously known or stated.
The phrase '何時でもいいです' means 'Any time is fine.'
「何時でもいいです」literally translates to 'any time is good' or 'any time is fine,' expressing flexibility regarding the time.
Please tell me the exact current time.
Do you know what time the meeting starts?
What time is the last train?
Read this aloud:
明日のフライトは何時に出発しますか？
Focus: なんじ (nan-ji)
Dijiste:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
ランチの予約は何時でしたか？
Focus: なんじ (nan-ji)
Dijiste:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
緊急の場合、何時に連絡すればよろしいでしょうか？
Focus: なんじ (nan-ji)
Dijiste:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
会議は___に始まりますか？ (When does the meeting start?)
この文脈では、会議が始まる時間を尋ねています。「なんじ」は「何時」を意味し、時刻を問う際に使われます。
電車は___に出発しますか？ (What time does the train depart?)
電車の出発時刻を尋ねているため、「なんじ」が適切です。
博物館は___に閉まりますか？ (What time does the museum close?)
博物館の閉館時間を尋ねる質問には「なんじ」を使います。
お客様との面談は___に設定されましたか？ (What time was the meeting with the client scheduled for?)
面談の時間を尋ねているので、「なんじ」が適切です。
イベントの開場は___の予定ですか？ (What time is the event venue expected to open?)
イベントの開場時間を尋ねる際に「なんじ」を使用します。
今日の夕食は___にしましょうか？ (What time should we have dinner tonight?)
夕食の時間について提案する際に「なんじ」を使います。
/ 54 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
「なんじ」 (nanji) is the fundamental way to ask what hour it is in Japanese.
- Use to ask 'what time?'
- Combine with 'desu ka' for questions
- Essential for telling time
Contenido relacionado
Esta palabra en otros idiomas
Más palabras de general
いくつか
B1An unspecified small number of things; some, a few.
ちょっと
A2A little; a moment; a bit. Small amount or short time.
すこし
A2A little; a few.
さっき
A2A little while ago; a short time past.
能力
A1Nouryoku refers to the mental or physical power, skill, or capacity required to perform a specific task or function. It can describe both innate talent and skills acquired through learning and practice.
異常
A1A word used to describe something that deviates from the normal state, standard, or expected pattern. It often implies a problem, malfunction, or an extraordinary occurrence that requires attention or investigation.
～について
A2About, concerning; indicates topic.
〜について
B1About, concerning; on the subject of.
～ぐらい
A2about, approximately
ぐらい
A2About; approximately; to the extent of.
