Time is one of those things you can’t ignore in a conversation-you need to say when something happened, how long it takes, or what your plans are. Without the right time words, even simple chats stall.
This list pulls together around 130 Japanese time words and phrases that show up in everyday life: clock times, days of the week, months, parts of the day, and handy relative expressions like ‘soon’ or ‘a little while ago.’ We skipped the dusty textbook filler and kept only the vocabulary that helps you make plans, read schedules, and tell stories.
Ready to tell time like a pro? This Japanese time words list is here to help, so scroll to the bottom of the article for the handy free printable japanese time words vocabulary list PDF and the free downloadable printable japanese time words flashcards.
Use this list as a starting point, then keep going in the Yak Yacker Japanese section for more words, phrases, and study-friendly reference pages.
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| Word | Type | Meaning | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ～ごろ | time expression | around; about | 七時ごろに帰ります。 | I’ll go home around seven o’clock. |
| ～分に | time expression | at ~ minutes past the hour | 十分に始まります。 | It starts at ten minutes past the hour. |
| ～日前 | time expression | ~ days ago | 三日前に行きました。 | I went there three days ago. |
| ～日後 | time expression | in ~ days | 二日後に返事します。 | I will reply in two days. |
| ～時に | time expression | at ~ o'clock | 八時に来てください。 | Please come at eight o'clock. |
| ～時半 | time expression | half past ~ | 六時半に会いましょう。 | Let's meet at half past six. |
| いつ | time expression | when | いつ来ますか。 | When will you come? |
| さっき | time expression | a little while ago; just now | さっき電話がありました。 | I got a phone call a little while ago. |
| しばらく | time word | for a while | しばらく待ってください。 | Please wait for a while. |
| たまに | time expression | sometimes | たまに映画を見ます。 | I watch movies sometimes. |
| ちょうど | time word | exactly | ちょうど八時です。 | It is exactly eight o’clock. |
| 一分 | time expression | 1 minute | 一分ください。 | Please give me one minute. |
| 一日 | time word | the first day of the month | 一日は休みです。 | The first day of the month is a holiday. |
| 一昨年 | time word | the year before last | 一昨年、東京に住んでいました。 | I lived in Tokyo the year before last. |
| 一昨日 | time word | the day before yesterday | 一昨日、友だちに会いました。 | I met a friend the day before yesterday. |
| 一時 | time expression | 1 o'clock | 一時です。 | It is 1 o'clock. |
| 一月 | time word | January | 一月は寒いです。 | January is cold. |
| 一週間 | time expression | one week | 一週間かかります。 | It takes one week. |
| 七分 | time expression | seven minutes | 七分ほどかかります。 | It takes about seven minutes. |
| 七日 | time word | the 7th day of the month | 七日に試験があります。 | There is an exam on the 7th. |
| 七時 | time expression | 7 o'clock | 七時に駅へ行きます。 | I go to the station at 7 o'clock. |
| 七月 | time word | July | 七月に旅行します。 | I will travel in July. |
| 三分 | time expression | three minutes | 三分でできます。 | It can be done in three minutes. |
| 三日 | time word | the third day of the month | 三日に始まります。 | It starts on the third day of the month. |
| 三時 | time expression | 3 o'clock | 三時に始まります。 | It starts at 3 o'clock. |
Free Japanese Time Words Vocabulary List and Flashcards to Download
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