Japanese for the Japanesed Chalenged- Lesson 4
Time
Step 1: What time is it?
Take a look at the following sentences!
A: "Ima nan ji desuka?"
(What time is it [now]?)
B: "san ji han desu."
(It's 3:30.)
the sentences explained in detail.
"ima"(now)
"nan"(what)
"ji"(O'clock)
"desuka" -"desu" is the verb which means "is" in English. "ka" is used for question sentences. In other words, if you put "ka" after "desu", you are asking a question.
"san ji han"(3:30)-"san ji" is 3 o'clock.(Remember "san" is three in Japanese?) "han" means "half".
Oh, you think this crap's easy, huh?! Well, keep going, I dares ya! Common... Go!.. Aww.. you're leaving me...
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Step 2: ? ji ? hun(ppun) desu.
As you noticed, in Japanese, you have to say "ji" for o'clock and "hun" or "ppun" for minute, depending on the minute. However, it is not difficult because there is a rule for that. Before I give you the rule, take a look at the following list of minutes.
"go-hun"(5 minutes)
"ju-ppun"(10 minutes)
"ju-go-hun"(15 minutes)
"ni-ju-ppun"(20 minutes)
"ni-ju-go-hun"(25 minutes)
"san-ju-ppun"(30 minutes) -You can say "han"(half) instead.
"san-ju-go-hun"(35 minutes)
"yon-ju-ppun"(40 minutes)
"yon-ju-go-hun"(45 minutes)
"go-ju-ppun"(50 minutes)
"go-ju-go-hun"(55 minutes)
Did you find the rule?
10,20,30,40,and 50 minute -use "ppun"
5,15,25,35,45,55 minute -use "hun"
Unlike the minute, o'clock is very easy. All you need to do is to use "ji" for o'clock. For example, 12:00 is "ju-ni ji". That's it. Is that not easy?!
Unfortunately, there is some exceptions. Please do not say "shi-ji" instead of "yo-ji" for 4:00. Also, don't say "kyu-ji" instead of "ku-ji" for 9:00. If you keep this in your mind, the rest of the o'clock is very simple and easy.
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Half Time
Before continuing, I'd like to explain something else I've learned about things like "Friday the 13th". The Japanese don't care about "Friday the 13th"! It's just anpther day for them! But, instead, they hate four and nine. Four is Japanese is "yon" or "shi", right? "Shi" also means DEATH in Japanese. And nine, either "kyu" or "ku", well, "ku" means pain or sufferings.
So, the apartments don't have any apartmants with four or nine. Like we don't have 13. NEVER say the number 4219 to a Japanese person because "shi ni i ku", because THAT means "go to hell"!
And Japanese baseball players don't have 49 as their uniform numbers..
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Step 3: Exercise
1. How do you say the following times in Japanese?
5:00
8:35
2:20
7:30
11:55
2. Say the following sentences in Japanese
"What time it is?"
"It's 10:45."
After you are done, check your answers.
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Answers
"go-ji"
"hachi-ji-san-ju-go-hun"
"ni-ji-ni-ju-ppun"
"nana-ji-han" or "nana-ji-san-ju-ppun"
"ju-ichi-ji-go-ju-go-hun"
"Ima nan ji desuka?"
"ju-ji-yon-ju-go-hun desu."
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Step 4: From...To
Now that you can supposedly read time in Japanese now.. here are some helpful phrases:
A: "Zellers wa nan ji kara desu ka?"
(What time does Zellers open?)
B: "ku-ji kara desu."
(It opens at 9:00.)
A: "Nan ji made desuka?
(How late does it stay open?)
B: "Gogo ku-ji made desu."
(It stays open til 9 p.m.)
Explained sentences in detail:
"kara" (from)
"made" (to, until)
"gogo" (p.m.) -"gozen" is a.m.
RETURN TO LESSON 3?
GO TO LESSON 5?
RETURN TO JAPANESE LESSONS?
RETURN TO RANMA 1/2?