Counting Seconds, Minutes, and Hours

How to Count in Japanese – Part Fourteen – Review Notes

There are many ways to count things in Japanese depending on the type of object being counted! In these review notes, we will learn how to count seconds, minutes, and hours in Japanese!

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Counting seconds in Japanese: 秒 (byou)

★　You can use the Japanese counter 秒 (byou) to count seconds!

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Number 1:

★　The Japanese word for the one second is １秒 (いちびょう – ichibyou).

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Number 2:

★　The Japanese word for two seconds is ２秒 (にびょう – nibyou).

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Number 3:

★　The Japanese word for three seconds is ３秒 (さんびょう – sanbyou).

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Number 4:

★　The Japanese word for four seconds is ４秒 (よんびょう – yonbyou).

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Number 5:

★　The Japanese word for five seconds is ５秒 (ごびょう – gobyou).

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Counting Seconds (Continued):

★　To learn how to count more than 5 seconds, refer to the numbers below. It follows the same pattern as other counters do.

6秒　　 　 rokubyou　　　　 6 seconds

7秒　　 　nanabyou　　　 　7 seconds

8秒　　　 hachibyou　　　　8 seconds

9秒　　 　 kyuubyou　　　　 9 seconds

10秒　　　juubyou　　　　　 10 seconds

11秒　　　 juuichibyou　　　11 seconds

12秒　　　 juunibyou　　　　12 seconds

20秒　　　nijuubyou　　　　 20 seconds

21秒　　　 nijuuichibyou　　 21 seconds

30秒　　　sanjuubyou　　　 30 seconds

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Example Sentence:

あと３０秒かかります。

Ato sanjuubyou kakarimasu.

It will take thirty seconds more.

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Counting Minutes: 分 (fun)

★　The Japanese counter for minutes is 分 (fun).

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Number 1:

★　The Japanese word for one minute is １分 (いっぷん – ippun).

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Number 2:

★　The Japanese word for two minutes is２分 (にふん – nifun).

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Number 3:

★　The Japanese word for three minutes is ３分 (さんぷん – sanpun).

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Number 4:

★　The Japanese word for four minutes is ４分 (よんふん – yonfun).

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Number 5:

★　The Japanese word for five minutes is ５分 (ごふん – gofun).

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Counting Minutes (Continued):

★　To learn how to count more than 5 minutes, refer to the numbers below. It follows the same pattern as other counters do.

6分　　 　roppun　　　　　  6 minutes

7分　　 　nanafun　　　 　　7 minutes

8分　　　 happun　　　　　  8 minutes

9分　　 　 kyuufun　　　　    9 minutes

10分　　　juppun　　　　　  10 minutes

11分　　　 juuippun　　　　  11 minutes

12分　　　 juunifun　　　　  12 minutes

20分　　　nijuppun　　　　 20 minutes

21分　　　 nijuuippun　　　 21 minutes

30分　　　sanjuppun　　　  30 minutes

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Example Sentence:

ここから大阪までは車で３０分です。

Koko kara ōsaka made wa kuruma de sanjuppun desu.

It takes thirty minutes by car from here to Osaka.

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Counting Hours in Japanese: 時間 (jikan)

★　The Japanese counter for hours is 時間 (jikan).

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Number 1:

★　The Japanese word for one hour is １時間 (いちじかん – ichijikan).

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Number 2:

★　The Japanese word for two hours is２時間 (にじかん – nijikan).

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Number 3:

★　The Japanese word for three hours is ３時間 (さんじかん – sanjikan).

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Number 4:

★　The Japanese word for four hours is ４時間 (よじかん – yojikan).

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Number 5:

★　The Japanese word for five hours is ５時間 (ごじかん – gojikan).

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Counting Hours (Continued):

★　To learn how to count more than 5 hours, refer to the numbers below. It follows the same pattern as other counters do.

6時間　　 　rokujikan　　　　     6 hours

7時間　　 　nanajikan　　　 　　7 hours

8時間　　　 hachijikan　　　　　8 hours

9時間　　 　 kyuujikan　　　　 　9 hours

10時間　　　juujikan　　　　　　10 hours

11時間　　　 juuichijikan　　　　 11 hours

12時間　　　 juunijikan　　　　　12 hours

20時間　　　nijuujikan　　　　　20 hours

21時間　　　 nijuuichijikan　　    21 hours

30時間　　　sanjuujikan　　　 　30 hours

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Example Sentence:

この映画は２時間です。

Kono eiga wa nijikan desu.

This movie is 2 hours long.

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Conclusion:

Today we learned how to count seconds, minute, and hours in Japanese! Check out more lessons on counting in Japanese below!

How to count small compact objects

How to count flat, thin objects

How to count long, cylindrical objects

How to count people

How to count small animals

How to count large animals

How to count birds and rabbits

How to count cars and other machines

How to count liquid in cups, glasses and bowls

How to count the floors of a building

How to count houses and other buildings

How to count weeks, months, and years

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