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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 先月 | time word | last month | 先月、日本へ行きました。 | I went to Japan last month. |
| 先週 | time expression | last week | 先週は雨でした。 | It was rainy last week. |
| 八分 | time expression | eight minutes | 八分休みます。 | I will rest for eight minutes. |
| 八日 | time word | the 8th day of the month | 八日に出発します。 | We will leave on the 8th. |
| 八時 | time expression | 8 o'clock | 八時に仕事をします。 | I work at 8 o'clock. |
| 八月 | time word | August | 八月はとても暑いです。 | August is very hot. |
| 六分 | time expression | six minutes | 六分で終わります。 | It will finish in six minutes. |
| 六日 | time word | the 6th day of the month | 六日に帰ります。 | I will go home on the 6th. |
| 六時 | time expression | 6 o'clock | 六時に朝ごはんを食べます。 | I eat breakfast at 6 o'clock. |
| 六月 | time word | June | 六月は雨が多いです。 | There is a lot of rain in June. |
| 再来月 | time word | the month after next | 再来月、日本へ行きます。 | I will go to Japan the month after next. |
| 再来週 | time word | the week after next | 再来週、旅行に行きます。 | I’m going on a trip the week after next. |
| 分 | time word | minute | 五分 | 5 minutes |
| 前 | time expression | before; previous | 会議の前に準備します。 | I prepare before the meeting. |
| 前日 | time word | the previous day | 前日に準備しました。 | I prepared the day before. |
| 十一月 | time word | November | 十一月に紅葉を見ます。 | We see the autumn leaves in November. |
| 十二月 | time word | December | 十二月は忙しいです。 | December is busy. |
| 十分 | time expression | ten minutes | 十分あります。 | There are ten minutes. |
| 十日 | time word | the 10th day of the month | 十日に終わります。 | It will end on the 10th. |
| 十時 | time expression | 10 o'clock | 十時に終わります。 | It ends at 10 o'clock. |
| 十月 | time word | October | 十月はすごしやすいです。 | October is comfortable. |
| 午前 | time word | morning; AM | 午前九時に会議があります。 | There is a meeting at 9 a.m. |
| 午前中 | time expression | morning hours | 午前中に会議があります。 | There is a meeting in the morning. |
| 午後 | time word | afternoon; PM | 午後に買い物します。 | I will go shopping in the afternoon. |
| 半 | time word | half | 三時半 | 3:30 |
Free Japanese Time Words Vocabulary List and Flashcards to Download
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