Lesson 4

Are you learning Japanese with Minna no Nihongo? Lesson 4 is all about learning how to talk about time, daily schedule, and routines in Japanese. In this lesson, you will learn how to ask and tell the time, talk about when you do something, and understand simple time-related phrases.

This article will help you understand the important grammar, vocabulary, and examples from Lesson 4. Don’t worry if you are a beginner — we’ll keep everything simple and easy to follow. Ready? Let’s begin!

Lesson
Minna no Nihongo 4

⏰ Focus
Time & Daily Routines

🎓 Level
Beginner

🕓

Learn to Talk About Time in Japanese

📘 Vocabulary

• じ (ji) – O’clock
• ふん / ぷん (fun / pun) – Minutes
• なんじ (nanji) – What time?
• ごぜん (gozen) – AM
• ごご (gogo) – PM
• いま (ima) – Now
• なんぷん (nanpun) – How many minutes?

🧠 Grammar Point

In Lesson 4, you learn how to say time using this pattern:

[Number]じ [Number]ふんです
Example: いちじ にじゅっぷんです。 → It’s 1:20.

You also learn how to say when something happens:
[Time] に [Verb]
Example: ろくじに おきます。 → I wake up at 6 o’clock.

💬 Example Sentences

• いま なんじですか。 → What time is it now?
• いま はちじ ごじゅっぷんです。 → It’s 8:50 now.
• まいにち ごぜん 7じに おきます。 → I wake up at 7 AM every day.
• ごご 3じに かいしゃへ いきます。 → I go to the office at 3 PM.

📝 Tips for Practice

• Try saying the time in Japanese when you check your watch.
• Practice writing your daily routine in Japanese using ～に + verb.
• Use flashcards to remember new vocabulary.
• Watch Japanese clock videos on YouTube and repeat after them.

📚 What’s Next?

In Lesson 5, you will learn how to talk about where you go, with who, and by what transport. So first, make sure you understand Lesson 4 well. Time expressions are used often in daily life, so mastering them will help you sound more natural and fluent in Japanese.

Note: This article is made for beginners learning Japanese using Minna no Nihongo. Keep practicing, and you will get better every day!

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Do I need to know kanji for Lesson 4?
No, most of the lesson uses hiragana and katakana. Kanji is optional at this level.

Q2: What is the hardest part of this lesson?
Some people find counting minutes (ふん／ぷん) a bit tricky. Practice will help!

Q3: Can I skip this lesson?
Not recommended. Time expressions are very common in real life.

Q4: How can I remember new vocabulary?
Use flashcards, say words aloud, and use them in real sentences daily.