Clock time and duration: 時 and 時間

The idea

Use 三時に for an event at three and 三時間 for a duration of three hours. 四時, 七時 and 九時 are よじ, しちじ and くじ. Ask 何時 for a clock time and 何時間 for a number of hours. 一時間半 means an hour and a half.

Examples

• 会議かいぎは三時さんじに始はじまります。The meeting starts at three o’clock.
• 二時間にじかん日本語にほんごを勉強べんきょうしました。I studied Japanese for two hours.
• 四時よじに駅えきで友達ともだちに会あいます。I will meet a friend at the station at four.
• 七時間しちじかん寝ねました。I slept for seven hours.
• 映画えいがは一時間いちじかん半はんです。The film is an hour and a half long.
• 授業じゅぎょうは何時なんじに終おわりますか。What time does class end?
• 駅えきまで何時間なんじかんかかりますか。How many hours does it take to get to the station?

Watch out

三時 is three o’clock, not three hours. A duration normally takes 時間, and does not need に: 二時間勉強しました.

Try it yourself

1. Write the reading of 四時 in hiragana.

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   よじ

   四時 is よじ; the clock reading uses よ, not よん.

2. Write the reading of ２時間 in hiragana.

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   にじかん

   ２時間 is にじかん: 間 turns the hour into a duration.

3. Complete: How many hours does it take? 何＿かかりますか。

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   時間

   時間 gives 何時間, asking how many hours something takes.

Use it today

Say when a meeting starts, then say how many hours you studied.