Daily Life & Time

毎朝まいあさ、私わたしは六時ろくじに起きますおきます。

Every morning I get up at six.

Usage 毎朝 (まいあさ) = every morning. Note 朝ご飯 = breakfast, and 今朝 is read けさ, not いまあさ — a common N3 reading trap.

Remember it 朝 shows the sun (日) rising through grass with the moon not yet gone — daybreak.

昼ひるご飯はんは友達ともだちと一緒いっしょに食べたべました。

I ate lunch together with my friend.

Usage 昼 covers both midday and daytime. 昼ご飯 or 昼食 (ちゅうしょく) = lunch, 昼休み = lunch break. The on-reading is ちゅう.

Remember it 昼 has 日 (sun) sitting under a line: the sun at the top of its arc, held overhead.

夕方ゆうがたになると、空そらがオレンジ色いろに染まりますそまります。

When evening comes, the sky turns orange.

Usage 夕方 is the dusk window, roughly 4pm to 7pm — earlier than 夜. Related: 夕食 (ゆうしょく) = dinner, 夕日 (ゆうひ) = the setting sun.

Remember it 夕 is a crescent moon just appearing, 方 marks a direction or a stretch of the day. The moon's end of it.

夜よる、静かしずかな部屋へやで本ほんを読むよむのが好きすきです。

At night I like reading a book in a quiet room.

Usage 夜 (よる) is night as a noun. 今夜 (こんや) = tonight, 夜中 (よなか) = the middle of the night. It reads や in 徹夜 (staying up all night).

Remember it 夜 hides 夕 (the evening moon) inside it — evening deepened into full dark.

今日きょうは天気てんきがいいので、散歩さんぽに行きいきましょう。

The weather is nice today, so let's go for a walk.

Usage 今日 is an irregular whole-word reading: きょう, never いまにち. The same trick applies to 明日 (あした) and 昨日 (きのう).

Remember it 今 (now) + 日 (day) = this day. The meaning is transparent even though the reading is not.

昨日きのうのテストてすとはとても難しむずかしかったです。

Yesterday's test was very difficult.

Usage Read きのう in speech but さくじつ in formal writing and news. Related: 昨年 (さくねん) = last year, stiffer than 去年.

Remember it 昨 = 日 (day) + 乍 (just now). The day that just was.

明日あしたの会議かいぎに備えそなえて、今日きょうは早くはやく寝ますねます。

To prepare for tomorrow's meeting, I'll go to bed early today.

Usage Three readings for one word: あした (casual), あす (news and announcements), みょうにち (very formal). Same kanji every time.

Remember it 明 = 日 (sun) + 月 (moon) = bright. 明日 is the day about to dawn.

今週こんしゅうは毎日まいにち忙しいそがしくて、ゆっくりゆっくりできません。

I'm busy every day this week and can't take it easy.

Usage The 今 / 来 / 先 set works across 週, 月 and 年. One exception to memorize: 'this year' is 今年 (ことし), not こんねん.

Remember it 週 = 辶 (movement) + 周 (a circuit). A cycle that comes round again.

来週らいしゅうの土曜日どようびにパーティーぱーてぃーがあります。

There's a party next Saturday.

Usage 来 marks the period coming toward you: 来週, 来月, 来年. Going the other way, 先 and 去 point at what has passed.

Remember it 来 means to come. The week on its way to you.

先週せんしゅう、友達ともだちと映画えいがを見みに行きいきました。

Last week I went to see a movie with a friend.

Usage 先 means 'ahead', yet in time words it points backwards: 先週, 先月. In 先に行く it means going on ahead — context decides.

Remember it 先 = out in front. In time words, what already went past you.

今月こんげつの給料日きゅうりょうびは何日なんにちですか？

What day is payday this month?

Usage 月 reads げつ here but がつ in month names: 今月 (こんげつ) versus 一月 (いちがつ). Mixing the two up is a common N3 slip.

Remember it 月 is a crescent moon. One moon cycle = one month.

来月らいげつから新しいあたらしい仕事しごとを始めるはじめるつもりです。

I intend to start a new job from next month.

Usage Time words take から for a starting point and まで for an end point: 来月から = from next month, 来月まで = until next month.

Remember it 来 (coming) + 月 (moon). The next turn of the moon.

今年ことしの夏なつはとても暑あつかったです。

The summer this year was very hot.

Usage 今年 breaks the pattern and reads ことし. Add one character and it shifts again: 今年度 (this fiscal year) is こんねんど.

Remember it 年 grew out of a picture of a person carrying harvested grain. One harvest, one year.

来年らいねん、日本にほんに留学りゅうがくする予定よていです。

I plan to study abroad in Japan next year.

Usage 来年 = next year, 再来年 (さらいねん) = the year after next. Going backwards: 去年 (きょねん), then 一昨年 (おととし).

Remember it 来 (coming) + 年 (year). The harvest still ahead of you.

壁かべの時計とけいを見るみると、もう十時じゅうじでした。

When I looked at the clock on the wall, it was already ten.

Usage 時計 is an irregular reading — とけい, not じけい. Useful compounds: 腕時計 (うでどけい) = wristwatch, 目覚まし時計 = alarm clock.

Remember it 時 (time) + 計 (to measure). The thing that measures time.

宿題しゅくだいをするための時間じかんがなかなかありません。

I can't seem to find the time to do my homework.

Usage 時間 is time as a quantity or a span; 時 (とき) is a moment or occasion. Compare 二時間 (two hours) with 二時 (two o'clock).

Remember it 時 (time) + 間 (interval). Not a point on the clock but a stretch of it.

今いま、何時なんじですか？ーちょうど三時さんじです。

What time is it now? — It's exactly three.

Usage 何時 (なんじ) asks the hour. Careful: 何時間 (なんじかん) asks how many hours, and the same kanji read いつ simply means 'when'.

Remember it 何 (what) + 時 (hour). Literally 'what hour'.

電車でんしゃは三さん分後ふんごに来ますきます。

The train comes in three minutes.

Usage 分 alternates between ふん and ぷん depending on the number: いっぷん, にふん, さんぷん, よんぷん, ごふん. N3 tests this.

Remember it 分 = 八 (split) over 刀 (blade), cutting the hour into pieces. The same kanji as in 分かる.

三時さんじ半はんに待ち合わせまちあわせしましょう。

Let's meet at half past three.

Usage 半 follows the hour it halves: 三時半 = 3:30. Also 半分 (はんぶん) = half of something, 半日 (はんにち) = half a day.

Remember it 半 is a shape cut down the middle by a vertical stroke — divided in two.

映画えいがは一時いちじから始まりますはじまります。

The movie starts at one.

Usage Clock times take に: 一時に始まる. Watch out — 一時 also means 'temporarily', as in 一時的 (いちじてき) or 一時停止.

Remember it 一 + 時, read straight through. Unlike 四時 and 九時 further down this lesson.

昼ひるご飯はんは二時にじまでに食べたべてください。

Please eat lunch by two o'clock.

Usage までに = by a deadline, まで = right up until. 二時までに食べる = finish by two; 二時まで食べる = keep eating until two.

Remember it 二 + 時 = にじ, exactly as it looks.

おやつは三時さんじごろに食べるたべるのが習慣しゅうかんです。

Having a snack around three is a habit of mine.

Usage おやつ, the afternoon snack, comes from お八つ — the old name for this hour. Use ごろ for approximate clock times, not ぐらい.

Remember it 三 + 時 = さんじ, regular. Only the snack word is irregular.

四時よじに駅えきで待まっています。

I'll be waiting at the station at four.

Usage Read よじ — never しじ or よんじ. This is the most-missed clock reading of all: 四 switches to よ in front of 時.

Remember it Learn the three irregular hours as one set: 四時 よじ, 七時 しちじ, 九時 くじ.

仕事しごとは五時ごじに終わりますおわります。

Work finishes at five.

Usage Regular reading. 五時から五時まで = from five to five. In work talk, 定時 (ていじ) means the fixed finishing time.

Remember it 五 + 時 = ごじ. No surprises in this one.

毎朝まいあさ六時ろくじに起きておきて、ジョギングをします。

I get up at six every morning and go jogging.

Usage ろくじ is regular, but the number shifts before 分: 六分 becomes ろっぷん. Steady before 時, contracted before 分.

Remember it 六 + 時 = ろくじ. Contrast the sound change in 六分 (ろっぷん).

夜よる七時しちじにニュースを見みる習慣しゅうかんがあります。

I have a habit of watching the news at seven at night.

Usage しちじ is standard, though announcers sometimes say ななじ so it isn't confused with 一時 (いちじ) over a loudspeaker.

Remember it The second of the three irregular hours: 四時 よじ, 七時 しちじ, 九時 くじ.

学校がっこうは八時はちじ半はんに始まりますはじまります。

School starts at half past eight.

Usage はちじ is regular. Before 分 it contracts to はっぷん. Stack it with 半 for 8:30: 八時半.

Remember it 八 + 時 = はちじ. The contraction only shows up with 分.

待ち合わせまちあわせは九時くじでいいですか？

Is nine o'clock all right for meeting up?

Usage Read くじ, never きゅうじ. But 九分 is きゅうふん — 九 changes reading depending on what follows it.

Remember it The last of the three irregular hours. Chant them: よじ, しちじ, くじ.

図書館としょかんは十時じゅうじから開きひらきます。

The library opens from ten.

Usage Opening times take から: 十時から開く. Watch 十分, which is じゅっぷん for ten minutes but じゅうぶん for 'sufficient'.

Remember it 十 + 時 = じゅうじ. Regular, but keep an eye on 十分's double life.

今日きょうは授業じゅぎょうが早いはやいから、六時ろくじに起きおきなければなりません。

Class is early today, so I have to get up at six.

Usage 早い is early in time; 速い is fast in speed. Both read はやい. 授業が早い = the class is early, 車が速い = the car is fast.

Remember it 早 = 日 (sun) over 十. The sun already up while the day is barely begun.

もう十二時じゅうにじだ。遅いおそいから早くはやく寝ねなさい。

It's already twelve. It's late, so go to bed.

Usage 遅い covers both late and slow. It is the adjective behind 遅れる (to be late) and 遅刻 (lateness), both in this lesson set.

Remember it 遅 = 辶 (movement) + 犀 (rhinoceros). Even a rhino on the move is slow going.

最近さいきん、仕事しごとが忙しいそがしくて、友達ともだちに会えあえていません。

Work has been busy lately, so I haven't been able to see my friends.

Usage 忙しくて plus a negative is the standard 'too busy to…' pattern: 忙しくて行けない. The noun form is 忙しさ.

Remember it 忙 = 忄 (heart) + 亡 (to lose). The character is literally a lost heart — too busy to have one.

暇ひまな時ときは、よく映画えいがを見みます。

When I have free time, I often watch movies.

Usage 暇 works as a な-adjective and a noun: 暇な時 = when free, 暇がない = to have no spare time. Calling a person 暇 can sting.

Remember it 暇 = 日 (day) + 叚. Days with nothing filling them up.

風邪かぜを引いたひいたので、今日きょうは学校がっこうを休みやすみます。

I caught a cold, so I'm taking the day off school.

Usage 休む is to rest or to take time off, and takes を for the place skipped: 学校を休む. The noun 休み means a break or a holiday.

Remember it 休 = 亻 (person) beside 木 (tree). A person leaning on a tree to rest.

休日きゅうじつは、家族かぞくと過ごすすごすことが多おおいです。

On days off, I often spend time with my family.

Usage 休日 is any non-working day; 祝日 (しゅくじつ) is a public holiday; 連休 (れんきゅう) is a run of consecutive days off.

Remember it 休 (rest) + 日 (day). A resting day.

週末しゅうまつに、山やまへハイキングに行くいくつもりです。

I plan to go hiking in the mountains at the weekend.

Usage 末 marks the tail of any period: 週末 (weekend), 月末 (げつまつ, month end), 年末 (ねんまつ, year end).

Remember it 末 is 木 (tree) with a long stroke across the top — the very tip of the branch.

平日へいじつは電車でんしゃが混んこんでいます。

The trains are crowded on weekdays.

Usage 平日 is the opposite of 休日. 平 means level or ordinary, which is why it also appears in 平気 (unfazed) and 平和 (peace).

Remember it 平 (flat, ordinary) + 日 (day). The plain, unremarkable days.

来週らいしゅうの予定よていを教えおしえてください。

Please tell me your schedule for next week.

Usage 予定 is a plan already arranged. Verb + 予定です = 'I'm scheduled to.' Compare つもり, which is intention rather than a fixed arrangement.

Remember it 予 (beforehand) + 定 (settled). Fixed in advance. The same 予 turns up in 予約 and 予習.

約束やくそくを守るまもることはとても大切たいせつです。

Keeping your promises is very important.

Usage 約束を守る = keep a promise, 約束を破る (やぶる) = break one. As a verb it takes と for the other person: 友達と約束する.

Remember it 約 = 糸 (thread) + 勺, and 束 is a tied bundle. A promise binds two people like knotted cord.

電車でんしゃが遅れおくれて、会議かいぎに遅刻ちこくしてしまいました。

The train was delayed, so I ended up late for the meeting.

Usage 遅刻する means arriving late to something and takes に: 会議に遅刻する. It is more formal and more pointed than 遅れる.

Remember it 遅 (slow) + 刻 (a carved-out unit of time). You missed the hour that was marked.

気分きぶんが悪わるくて、今日きょうは学校がっこうを早退そうたいしました。

I felt unwell, so I left school early today.

Usage 早退する = to leave school or work early. It sits alongside 遅刻 (late) and 欠席 (absent) as the three attendance-record words.

Remember it 早 (early) + 退 (to withdraw). Withdrawing ahead of time.

病気びょうきのため、授業じゅぎょうを欠席けっせきしました。

I was absent from class because of illness.

Usage 欠席する = to be absent; its opposite is 出席する (to attend). A 欠席届 (けっせきとどけ) is the note you submit for it.

Remember it 欠 = something missing or chipped away, 席 = a seat. An empty seat.