Japanese Time Particles: Using に, は, and No Particle for Times, Days, and Dates
Learn Japanese time particles with recorded examples for seven o’clock, Monday, July and tomorrow, plus は for time topics and contrasts.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
English uses different words in at seven, on Monday and in July. Japanese uses its own time-expression patterns. In this lesson, the recordings use に with a clock time, a weekday and July, and は to make tomorrow or a weekday the topic. Words such as today and tomorrow usually do not take に. Practice the recorded sentences before changing the time expression.
By the end, you can…
- mark a specific clock time with に, as in しちじに.
- talk about weekdays and dates using に or no particle, depending on the sentence.
- use the recorded July sentence with に to say when I go to Japan.
- use は to contrast or emphasize a time expression.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
しちじにおきます。
I get up at seven o'clock.
shichi-ji ni okimasu
Use に after a specific clock time. しちじ means seven o'clock.
げつようびにべんきょうします。
I study on Monday.
getsuyōbi ni benkyō shimasu
Use に after a weekday when the day is a specific point in time.
しちがつににほんへいきます。
I go to Japan in July.
shichigatsu ni Nihon e ikimasu
This recording uses に after July to mark when the action happens. Calendar months can take に; do not treat them like relative words such as tomorrow.
あしたはやすみです。
Tomorrow is a day off.
ashita wa yasumi desu
Words like あした (tomorrow) usually take no に. は marks the topic here.
にじはんにあいましょう。
Let's meet at two thirty.
ni-ji han ni aimashō
に marks the exact meeting time. はん means half past.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
Use time expression + に + action for a specific clock time. The recordings also show に with Monday and July: げつようびにべんきょうします and しちがつににほんへいきます. Calendar dates, months and absolute years can take に when they specify when an action happens. A weekday can also appear without に. Relative expressions such as きょう (today), あした (tomorrow) and きのう (yesterday) normally do not take に.
When to use it
Follow the seven-o’clock recording to place に after the time. In あしたはやすみです, は makes tomorrow the topic. In the dialogue, げつようびは and かようびは contrast Monday and Tuesday. Do not apply a blanket no-に rule to あさ (morning) or よる (night): these expressions can occur with に depending on the sentence. A question with いつ (when) normally does not add に.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
あした、なんじにおきますか。
What time will you get up tomorrow?ashita, nan-ji ni okimasu kaしちじにおきます。
I will get up at seven.shichi-ji ni okimasuげつようびはべんきょうしますか。
Do you study on Monday?getsuyōbi wa benkyō shimasu kaはい。でも、かようびはべんきょうしません。
Yes. But on Tuesday I do not study.hai. demo, kayōbi wa benkyō shimasenA little context goes a long way
Learn each time expression in a complete sentence. Omitting に after a weekday does not make the sentence less polite, and adding に is not a politeness marker. The recorded July sentence includes に; keep that model when practicing this lesson.
One thing to watch for
Using に with あした, as in あしたにテストがあります.
Try this instead: Relative time words like あした, きょう, and きのう normally take no に. Say あしたテストがあります (there is a test tomorrow). Use に with specific clock times and often with weekdays and dates, as in しちじにおきます.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I will meet at three o'clock' using に?
Show a sample answer
さんじにあいます。
さんじ is a specific clock time, so に marks it. さんじにあいます is natural. You could also say さんじにあいましょう for 'let's meet at three.'
2Fill in the blank: げつようび＿＿べんきょうします。
Show a sample answer
に
げつようび is a specific weekday, so に is the standard particle: げつようびにべんきょうします. In casual speech, に may be omitted, but に is the safe choice.
3Which particle follows July in the recorded sentence しちがつににほんへいきます?
Show a sample answer
に
The recording uses しちがつに to say when the action happens. The next に begins にほん (Japan); it is not a second time particle.
Use に with the recorded clock time, Monday and July. Words such as tomorrow and today normally do not take に. Use は to make a time the topic or contrast two times; do not apply one rule to every time expression.
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