Meaning
States the current time.
Cultural Background
Time is often viewed more flexibly than in Western cultures. 'الساعة التاسعة' might mean anytime between 9:00 and 9:30 in social contexts. The day is divided by the five prayer times, which change slightly every day based on the sun. Many people use these as primary time markers. In the Levant, it is very common to use 'illa' (less) for the second half of the hour, even in very casual speech. In professional environments, 24-hour time is often used in writing, but when speaking, people stick to the 12-hour 'الساعة' format with 'صباحاً' (AM) or 'مساءً' (PM).
Master the Ordinals
If you learn the numbers 1-12 in their 'Fa'ila' pattern, you've mastered 90% of telling time.
Watch the Gender
Never use 'al-thani' (masculine); always use 'al-thaniya' (feminine) with 'Sa'a'.
Meaning
States the current time.
Master the Ordinals
If you learn the numbers 1-12 in their 'Fa'ila' pattern, you've mastered 90% of telling time.
Watch the Gender
Never use 'al-thani' (masculine); always use 'al-thaniya' (feminine) with 'Sa'a'.
AM/PM
Instead of AM/PM, use 'sabahan' (morning) and 'masa'an' (evening).
Test Yourself
Choose the correct way to say 'It is 4:00' in formal Arabic.
الساعة الآن...
We use the feminine ordinal 'الرابعة' to match the feminine noun 'الساعة'.
Complete the sentence to say 'at six o'clock'.
نلتقي في ___ السادسة.
The standard phrase for 'at [time] o'clock' is 'في الساعة...'.
Match the Arabic time to its English translation.
Match the following:
These are the standard ordinal forms for 1, 2, 5, and 10.
Fill in the missing word in this dialogue.
أ: كم الساعة؟ ب: الساعة الآن الثامنة ___ ربعاً (It is 7:45).
'إلا' (illa) is used to mean 'minus' or 'to' when telling time.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Time Modifiers
Fractions
- • نصف (Half)
- • ربع (Quarter)
- • ثلث (Third)
Periods
- • صباحاً (Morning)
- • ظهراً (Noon)
- • مساءً (Evening)
Practice Bank
4 exercisesالساعة الآن...
We use the feminine ordinal 'الرابعة' to match the feminine noun 'الساعة'.
نلتقي في ___ السادسة.
The standard phrase for 'at [time] o'clock' is 'في الساعة...'.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
These are the standard ordinal forms for 1, 2, 5, and 10.
أ: كم الساعة؟ ب: الساعة الآن الثامنة ___ ربعاً (It is 7:45).
'إلا' (illa) is used to mean 'minus' or 'to' when telling time.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
4 questionsIn formal Arabic, yes. In dialects, you can often just say the number, but starting with 'As-sa'a' is always correct and polite.
الساعة الثانية عشرة (As-sa'atu al-thaniya 'ashra).
'Wa' means 'and' (past the hour), and 'illa' means 'except/to' (before the hour).
The words are the same in MSA, but the 'vibe' of punctuality and the use of prayer times as markers varies by region.
Related Phrases
في الوقت المحدد
similarOn time / At the specified time
مضي الوقت
builds onThe passage of time
ساعة الحائط
specialized formWall clock
ساعة اليد
specialized formWristwatch
