Japanese 101 - Time

Telling time in Japanese.

For hours, it is "Number"じ (時)

So 4:00 would be よんじ - (四時)

Use normal numbers,  but for seven use しち instead of なな

Minutes would be "Number"ぷん/ふん

I don't when to use ぷん over ふん, it's some strange rule. But I don't think it will matter, because the Japanese will be able to understand you anyway.

minutes follow hours

So, 4:25 would be よんじにじゅうごぷん - (四時二十五分)

To say half and hour, use はん, ぷん/ふん is not needed after a はん

so 4:30 would be よんじはん - (四時半)

To say approximate times, use ごろ

To say, it's around 4:30, it would be よんじはんごろ - (四時半ごろ)

To say, __ Minutes before use まえ - (前) after the minute

So 4:55 could be said ごじごぷんまえ - (五時五分前)

Listen carefully when using this, because if you miss the まえ, your time will be off

To express PM/AM

use ごご and ごぜん

ごご being PM

ごぜん being AM

These are used before the hour

So 4:30 AM would be 

ごぜんよんじはん - (午前四時半)