Essential Time Words
Japanese has specific words for different time references. These words help clarify when actions occur.
今 - now
昨日 - yesterday
明日 - tomorrow
Present Time (Now)
今 (ima) - Now
今、勉強している
"I'm studying now"
今は忙しい
"I'm busy now"
今すぐ行く
"I'll go right now"
現在 (genzai) - Present/Currently
More formal:
現在、東京に住んでいます
"I currently live in Tokyo"
現在の状況
"the current situation"
今日 (kyou) - Today
今日は暑い
"It's hot today"
今日何をしますか？
"What will you do today?"
今日は月曜日です
"Today is Monday"
Past Time
昨日 (kinou) - Yesterday
昨日映画を見た
"I watched a movie yesterday"
昨日は雨だった
"It was rainy yesterday"
昨日の夜
"last night"
一昨日 (ototoi) - Day before yesterday
一昨日友達に会った
"I met a friend the day before yesterday"
一昨日は寒かった
"It was cold the day before yesterday"
さっき (sakki) - Just now/A moment ago
さっき食べた
"I ate just now"
さっき彼が来た
"He came a moment ago"
先ほど (sakihodo) - A while ago (polite)
先ほどお電話しました
"I called a while ago"
先ほどはありがとうございました
"Thank you for earlier"
Future Time
明日 (ashita/asu) - Tomorrow
明日東京に行く
"I'll go to Tokyo tomorrow"
明日は休みです
"Tomorrow is a day off"
明日の朝
"tomorrow morning"
明後日 (asatte) - Day after tomorrow
明後日テストがある
"There's a test the day after tomorrow"
明後日会いましょう
"Let's meet the day after tomorrow"
後で (atode) - Later
後で電話します
"I'll call later"
後でやる
"I'll do it later"
すぐ (sugu) - Soon/Right away
すぐ行きます
"I'll go right away"
すぐ始まる
"It will start soon"
もうすぐ (mousugu) - Soon/Before long
もうすぐ着く
"I'll arrive soon"
もうすぐ春だ
"It will be spring soon"
This/Last/Next
This Week/Month/Year
今週 (konshuu) - this week
今月 (kongetsu) - this month
今年 (kotoshi) - this year
今週は忙しい
"I'm busy this week"
今月の予定
"this month's schedule"
Last Week/Month/Year
先週 (senshuu) - last week
先月 (sengetsu) - last month
去年 (kyonen) - last year
先週映画を見た
"I watched a movie last week"
去年日本に行った
"I went to Japan last year"
Next Week/Month/Year
来週 (raishuu) - next week
来月 (raigetsu) - next month
来年 (rainen) - next year
来週テストがある
"There's a test next week"
来年結婚します
"I'll get married next year"
Week/Month/Year After Next
再来週 (saraishuu) - week after next
再来月 (saraigetsu) - month after next
再来年 (sarainen) - year after next
再来週会いましょう
"Let's meet the week after next"
Morning/Afternoon/Evening/Night
朝 (asa) - Morning
今朝 (kesa) - this morning
明日の朝 (ashita no asa) - tomorrow morning
毎朝 (maiasa) - every morning
今朝パンを食べた
"I ate bread this morning"
昼 (hiru) - Daytime/Noon
お昼 (ohiru) - lunch time
昼ごはん (hirugohan) - lunch
毎日昼に (mainichi hiru ni) - every day at noon
夕方 (yuugata) - Evening
夕方会いましょう
"Let's meet in the evening"
夕方は涼しい
"It's cool in the evening"
晩/夜 (ban/yoru) - Night
今晩 (konban) - tonight
昨晩 (sakuban) - last night
毎晩 (maiban) - every night
今晩映画を見る
"I'll watch a movie tonight"
昨晩遅く寝た
"I went to bed late last night"
Ago (〜前)
Time + 前 (mae)
3日前 - 3 days ago
1週間前 - 1 week ago
2年前 - 2 years ago
5分前 - 5 minutes ago
3日前に会った
"I met (them) 3 days ago"
2年前に日本に来た
"I came to Japan 2 years ago"
Since/From (〜から)
昨日から - since yesterday
先週から - since last week
今朝から - since this morning
昨日から雨が降っている
"It's been raining since yesterday"
先週から忙しい
"I've been busy since last week"
Always/Usually/Sometimes
いつも (itsumo) - Always
いつも早く起きる
"I always wake up early"
いつもここで勉強します
"I always study here"
普段 (fudan) - Usually/Normally
普段は7時に起きる
"I usually wake up at 7 o'clock"
普段何を食べますか？
"What do you usually eat?"
時々 (tokidoki) - Sometimes
時々映画を見る
"I sometimes watch movies"
時々ここに来ます
"I sometimes come here"
Time of Day
Specific Times
朝早く (asa hayaku) - early morning
昼間 (hiruma) - daytime
夜遅く (yoru osoku) - late at night
真夜中 (mayonaka) - midnight
朝早く起きた
"I woke up early in the morning"
真夜中に帰った
"I went home at midnight"
Seasons
Four Seasons
春 (haru) - spring
夏 (natsu) - summer
秋 (aki) - autumn/fall
冬 (fuyu) - winter
今年の春 - this spring
去年の夏 - last summer
来年の秋 - next autumn
Days of the Week
Basic Days
月曜日 (getsuyoubi) - Monday
火曜日 (kayoubi) - Tuesday
水曜日 (suiyoubi) - Wednesday
木曜日 (mokuyoubi) - Thursday
金曜日 (kinyoubi) - Friday
土曜日 (doyoubi) - Saturday
日曜日 (nichiyoubi) - Sunday
今日は月曜日です
"Today is Monday"
月曜日に会いましょう
"Let's meet on Monday"
Common Time Patterns
Every (毎〜)
毎日 (mainichi) - every day
毎週 (maishuu) - every week
毎月 (maitsuki) - every month
毎年 (maitoshi) - every year
毎朝 (maiasa) - every morning
毎晩 (maiban) - every night
毎日運動する
"I exercise every day"
毎週映画を見ます
"I watch movies every week"
All Day/Night
一日中 (ichinichijuu) - all day
一晩中 (hitoban juu) - all night
朝から晩まで (asa kara ban made) - from morning till night
一日中勉強した
"I studied all day"
Common Conversations
Example 1: Making Plans
A: いつ会いますか？
"When shall we meet?"
B: 明日はどうですか？
"How about tomorrow?"
A: いいですね。何時がいいですか？
"That's good. What time is good?"
B: 午後3時はどうですか？
"How about 3 PM?"
Example 2: Talking About Past
A: 昨日何をしましたか？
"What did you do yesterday?"
B: 映画を見ました
"I watched a movie"
A: 面白かったですか？
"Was it interesting?"
B: はい、とても面白かったです
"Yes, it was very interesting"
Example 3: Current Activity
A: 今何をしていますか？
"What are you doing now?"
B: 宿題をしています
"I'm doing homework"
A: 後で遊びませんか？
"Won't you play later?"
B: いいですよ
"Sure"
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Wrong pronunciation
明日: ashita (common) or asu (also correct)
Not: myounichi ❌
Mistake 2: Confusing similar words
今日 (kyou) - today
昨日 (kinou) - yesterday
明日 (ashita) - tomorrow
Don't confuse these!
Mistake 3: Using wrong particles
Wrong: 昨日で行った ❌
Right: 昨日行った ✓
"I went yesterday"
Note: Time words don't usually need に
Practice Sentences
Present
今勉強している
"I'm studying now"
今日は暑いです
"It's hot today"
今週は忙しい
"I'm busy this week"
Past
昨日映画を見た
"I watched a movie yesterday"
先週東京に行きました
"I went to Tokyo last week"
3日前に会った
"I met (them) 3 days ago"
Future
明日学校に行く
"I'll go to school tomorrow"
来週テストがあります
"There will be a test next week"
後で電話します
"I'll call later"
Habitual
毎日運動する
"I exercise every day"
いつも早く起きます
"I always wake up early"
時々ここに来る
"I sometimes come here"
Related Grammar Points
- Present Tense Usage - Using time words with present
- Past Tense Usage - Past time expressions
- Future Expressions - Future time words
- Frequency - How often
- Duration - How long
- Before/After - Temporal relationships