Numbers
| 1 | いち | 11 | じゅういち | 21 | にじゅういち |
| 2 | に | 12 | じゅうに | 22 | にじゅうに |
| 3 | さん | 13 | じゅうさん | 23 | にじゅうさん |
| 4 | し／ よん／(よ*) |
14 | じゅうし／ じゅうよん |
24 | にじゅうし／ にじゅうよん |
| 5 | ご | 15 | じゅうご | 25 | にじゅうご |
| 6 | ろく | 16 | じゅうろく | 26 | にじゅうろく |
| 7 | しち／ なな |
17 | じゅうしち／ じゅうなな |
27 | にじゅうしち／ にじゅうなな |
| 8 | はち | 18 | じゅうはち | 28 | にじゅうはち |
| 9 | きゅう／(く*) | 19 | じゅうきゅう | 29 | にじゅうきゅう |
| 10 | じゅう | 20 | にじゅう | 30 | さんじゅう |
Yo (4) and ku (9) are used for the time.
－時、８時です
-ji is a counter meaning "o'clock", e.g. 2-ji (ni-ji) means "two o'clock".
As the chart shows, numbers 4, 7 and 9 can be read in more than one way
When expressing time, 4:00 is yo-ji, 9:00 is ku-ji. 7:00 is usually read as shichi-ji, but nana-ji is also acceptable.
| 1:00 | １時 | いちじ | 7:00 | ７時 | しちじ、ななじ |
| 2:00 | ２時 | にじ | 8:00 | ８時 | はちじ |
| 3:00 | ３時 | さんじ | 9:00 | ９時 | くじ* |
| 4:00 | ４時 | よじ* | 10:00 | １０時 | じゅうじ |
| 5:00 | ５時 | ５じ | 11:00 | １１時 | じゅういちじ |
| 6:00 | ６時 | ろくじ | 12:00 | １２時 | じゅうにじ |
午前 ＆ 午後"a.m. & p.m."
"a.m." is gozen, "p.m." is gogo. These words precede the time indicated.
Gozen hachi-ji "8 a.m.", Gogo ku-ji "9 p.m.".
Minutes
Minute is -fun or -pun. Han is common for "half past", for example, ni-ji han, 2:30.
| 5 minutes | ごふん | 10 minutes | じゅっぷん |
| 15 minutes | じゅうごふん | 20 minutes | にじゅっぷん |
| 25 minutes | にじゅうごふん | 30 minutes | さんじゅっぷん |
| 35 minutes | さんじゅうごふん | 40 minutes | よんじゅっぷん |
| 45 minutes | よんじゅうごふん | 50 minutes | ごじゅっぷん |
| 55 minutes | ごじゅうごふん | 60 minutes | ろくじゅっぷん |
何時ですか"What time is it?"
Nan means "what" and nan-ji desu ka? means "What time is it?".
から ＆ まで"from" & "to", "until"
Kara means "from". 9-ji (ku-ji) kara desu can be translated into "It is from 9:00.", "It is open from 9:00.", or "It starts at 9:00.".
Made means "to" or "until". 5-ji (go-ji) made desu can mean "It closes at 5:00." or "It finishes at 5:00".
ちょっと 待って ください
Chotto matte kudasai is a common phrase for "Just a moment, please." or "Hold on, please." In Japanese. This is a casual expression. The formal expression is Shooshoo omachi kudasai.
Chotto means "a little" or "just". This word is frequently added to the beginning of a sentence in order to soften one's statement.
そうですか"I see"
Soo desu means "Yes, it is." or "That's right.". Soo desu ka with the ending lowered is not a question but it means "I see".