Lesson 4: Time & Schedules (に・から〜まで)

Time Expressions with に

In Japanese, the particle に is used to mark a specific point in time when an action occurs, similar to saying "at" a particular time in English.

Specific Time

When you want to specify the exact time of an action, attach に to the time expression. For example:

7時しちじに起おきます。
(Shichi-ji ni okimasu)
("I wake up at 7 o'clock.")

Relative Time

Omitting に is common when the time expression is relative (like "tomorrow morning" or "every day"). For instance:

明日あした学校がっこうに行いきます。
(Ashita gakkō ni ikimasu)
("I'll go to school tomorrow.")

Note:
The relative time word
明日あした
does not require an additional particle.

Additional Notes
12-hour vs. 24-hour Clock: In casual conversation, many Japanese use a 12-hour format which could be 7 a.m. or p.m. by context. e.g.,
7時しちじに起おきます
The 24-hour format is common in train schedules (13:00, 18:30).

Cultural Note:
Punctuality is highly valued in Japan. If someone says
7時しちじに会あいましょう
("We will meet at 7 o'clock"),
you're expected to arrive on time or slightly early.

From〜to〜 (〜から〜まで)

To indicate a range or duration—whether in time or location—Japanese uses から for the starting point and まで for the endpoint.

Time Range

9時くじから5時ごじまで働はたらきます。
(Ku-ji kara go-ji made hatarakimasu)
("I work from 9:00 to 5:00.")

Location Range

東京とうきょうから京都きょうとまで行いきます。
(Tōkyō kara Kyōto made ikimasu)
("I go from Tokyo to Kyoto.")

You can also combine に with から〜まで to specify both the exact day/time an event starts and ends. For example:

土曜日どようびの10時じゅうじから11時じゅういちじまで、
日本語にほんごのクラスがあります。
(Doyōbi no jū-ji kara jū-ichi-ji made, nihongo no kurasu ga arimasu)
("There's a Japanese class on Saturday from 10:00 to 11:00.")

Cultural Note:
In Japanese business settings, specifying exact time frames is important when making appointments. Being specific about both start and end times shows consideration for others' schedules.

Days of the Week & Relative Time Words

Days of the Week

Below is a table of the days with their readings:

Relative Time Words

Below is a table of common relative time words:

Usage with に
For specific days, it's normal to attach に e.g.,
月曜日げつようびに会あいましょう
"We will meet on Monday".
However, relative time words like
今日きょう,
明日あした,
and 昨日きのう
typically do not take に.

Cultural Note
Japanese work culture can be busy—some people work even on
土曜日どようび.
When inviting someone on a Saturday, be aware that they may still be busy with work. Sunday
(日曜日にちようび)
is generally considered the main day off for most people.

Particles が・も for Daily Schedules

When discussing daily schedules and routines, the particles が and も play important roles in emphasizing actions and indicating repetition.

が (ga)

The particle が emphasizes the doer of the action or highlights specific events:

私わたしが朝ごはんあさごはんを作つくります。
(Watashi ga asagohan o tsukurimasu)
("I (specifically) make breakfast.")

月曜日げつようびに日本語にほんごのクラスがあります。
(Getsuyōbi ni nihongo no kurasu ga arimasu)
("There is a Japanese class on Monday.")

も (mo)

The particle も indicates "also" or "too" and is useful when describing multiple activities in your schedule:

朝あさも散歩さんぽします。
(Asa mo sanpo shimasu)
("I also take a walk in the morning.")

土曜日どようびも働はたらきます。
(Doyōbi mo hatarakimasu)
("I work on Saturday too.")

Cultural Note:
In Japan, discussing one's schedule and daily routine is a common topic in casual conversation. Sharing details about your typical day can be a good way to build relationships with Japanese colleagues or friends.

(Optional) Dictionary Form Introduction

In addition to the polite ます -form, Japanese also uses the dictionary (plain) form in casual contexts. Here's a comparison of the present-tense plain form and the polite form for common daily routine verbs:

Comparison Table

Usage

In casual settings (among friends or family), the dictionary form is common. e.g.,
7時しちじに起おきる
"I wake up at 7" or
毎日まいにち勉強べんきょうする
"I study every day".

In more formal or polite contexts, use the ます-form e.g.,
7時しちじに起おきます,
毎日まいにち勉強べんきょうします.

Cultural Insight
Early mornings are common in Japan due to busy work and commuting schedules. Many office workers wake up around 5-6 AM to prepare for long commutes. Questions like
何時なんじに起おきますか？
("What time do you wake up?") are frequently heard in casual conversation.

Putting It All Together: Daily Schedule

Now we can combine everything learned in this lesson to describe a complete daily schedule. This is a practical skill that will help you discuss your routine in Japanese and understand others when they talk about theirs.

Sample Daily Schedule

Practice Dialogue: Discussing Schedules

A: 毎日まいにち何時なんじに起おきますか？
(Mainichi nan-ji ni okimasu ka?)
("What time do you wake up every day?")

B: 6時ろくじに起おきます。山田やまださんは？
(Roku-ji ni okimasu. Yamada-san wa?)
("I wake up at 6:00. How about you, Yamada-san?")

A: 私わたしは7時しちじに起おきます。
何時なんじに会社かいしゃに行いきますか？
(Watashi wa shichi-ji ni okimasu. Nan-ji ni kaisha ni ikimasu ka?)
("I wake up at 7:00. What time do you go to work?")

B: 9時くじから6時ろくじまで働はたらきます。
土曜日どようびも働はたらきますか？
(Ku-ji kara roku-ji made hatarakimasu. Doyōbi mo hatarakimasu ka?)
("I work from 9:00 to 6:00. Do you work on Saturdays too?")

A: いいえ、土曜日どようびと日曜日にちようびは働はたらきません。
(Iie, doyōbi to nichiyōbi wa hatarakimasen.)
("No, I don't work on Saturdays and Sundays.")

Try practicing this dialogue with a partner, substituting your own schedule!

Cultural Note:
When discussing schedules with Japanese colleagues, you might notice they often work long hours. While the standard workday is technically 9-5, many stay later. If invited for after-work activities, it's common for these to start around 7-8 PM after everyone has finished work.