JLPT N5 Expression – “15分” and “45分”
Table of Contents
1. Expression for “quarter past” or “quarter to”
2. Other expressions related to time
3. Summary
4. Quiz
5. Similar Articles
6. Comment
Q: Is there a Japanese expression for “quarter past” or “quarter to,” like in English, to represent 15 minutes and 45 aminutes?
A: There aren’t any.
However, there are other time-related expressions worth learning.
Expression for “quarter past” or “quarter to”
The expression ‘～半‘ (pronounced ‘han’) which represents ’30 minutes past the hour’ is commonly used in everyday life. However, in Japanese, there is no equivalent expression that means the same as ‘quarter past’ for ’15 minutes past the hour’ or ‘quarter to’ for ’45 minutes past the hour’.
[Examples]
5時
5時15分
5時半 、 5時30分
5時45分
Other expressions related to time
Additionally, there are expressions commonly used in everyday conversations to indicate time, such as:
[～過ぎ]
Equivalent to “past” in English, it indicates a time just after a certain hour.
[例]
3時過ぎ
just after 3
[～前]
Corresponds to “before” in English, showing a time just before a certain hour.
[例]
3時前
just before 3
Summary
- In Japanese, there aren’t specific words to express 15 or 45 minutes, so they should be expressed numerically.
- Also, be aware that the kanji “分” is pronounced as either “ふん” or “ぷん” depending on the number that precedes it, so pay attention to that as well.
Quiz
How do you express the time shown on the following clock in Japanese?
When you click [Answer], the answer will be displayed.
