Understanding Numbers in Arabic
Before you can tell the time in Arabic, you need to be comfortable with Arabic numbers. Arabic uses both Eastern Arabic numerals (٠ ١ ٢ ٣ ٤ ٥ ٦ ٧ ٨ ٩) and the Western Arabic numerals (1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0) familiar to English speakers. When telling the time, you’ll often hear numbers pronounced in Arabic, so it’s important to know both the written and spoken forms.
Cardinal Numbers (1–12)
- 1: واحد (waaḥid)
- 2: اثنان (ithnayn)
- 3: ثلاثة (thalātha)
- 4: أربعة (arbaʿa)
- 5: خمسة (khamsa)
- 6: ستة (sitta)
- 7: سبعة (sabʿa)
- 8: ثمانية (thamāniya)
- 9: تسعة (tisʿa)
- 10: عشرة (ʿashara)
- 11: أحد عشر (aḥad ʿashar)
- 12: اثنا عشر (ithnā ʿashar)
Key Vocabulary for Telling Time
Here are some essential words and phrases to help you ask for and give the time in Arabic:
- Time: الوقت (al-waqt)
- Hour: ساعة (sāʿa)
- Minute: دقيقة (daqīqa)
- Second: ثانية (thāniya)
- O’clock: تماماً (tamāman) or sharp
- AM: صباحاً (ṣabāḥan)
- PM: مساءً (masāʾan)
- Half past: والنصف (wa al-niṣf)
- Quarter past: والربع (wa al-rubʿ)
- Quarter to: إلا ربع (illā rubʿ)
How to Ask for the Time in Arabic
If you want to ask someone what time it is, the most common question is:
كم الساعة؟ (kam al-sāʿa?) — What time is it?
You can also say:
ما الوقت؟ (mā al-waqt?) — What’s the time?
How to Tell the Time in Arabic
When telling the time in Arabic, the structure is usually:
الساعة + [number] (al-sāʿa + [number]) — It’s [number] o’clock.
For example:
- It’s one o’clock: الساعة الواحدة (al-sāʿa al-wāḥida)
- It’s two o’clock: الساعة الثانية (al-sāʿa al-thāniya)
- It’s five o’clock: الساعة الخامسة (al-sāʿa al-khāmisa)
Minutes Past the Hour
To add minutes, use و (wa, meaning “and”) followed by the number of minutes.
- It’s 3:10: الساعة الثالثة وعشر دقائق (al-sāʿa al-thālitha wa ʿashr daqāʾiq)
- It’s 6:25: الساعة السادسة وخمس وعشرون دقيقة (al-sāʿa al-sādisa wa khams wa ʿishrūn daqīqa)
Half Past and Quarter Past/To
- It’s 2:30 (half past two): الساعة الثانية والنصف (al-sāʿa al-thāniya wa al-niṣf)
- It’s 4:15 (quarter past four): الساعة الرابعة والربع (al-sāʿa al-rābiʿa wa al-rubʿ)
- It’s 7:45 (quarter to eight): الساعة الثامنة إلا ربعاً (al-sāʿa al-thāmina illā rubʿan)
AM and PM in Arabic
Arabic distinguishes between morning and evening using the words صباحاً (ṣabāḥan, AM) and مساءً (masāʾan, PM). For example:
- It’s 9 AM: الساعة التاسعة صباحاً (al-sāʿa al-tāsiʿa ṣabāḥan)
- It’s 6 PM: الساعة السادسة مساءً (al-sāʿa al-sādisa masāʾan)
Tips for Practicing Telling the Time in Arabic
- Practice with real clocks: Set your watch to different times and say them out loud in Arabic.
- Use language learning apps: Platforms like Talkpal offer interactive exercises that help reinforce your skills.
- Listen to native speakers: Watch Arabic videos or listen to radio broadcasts to hear how time is expressed naturally.
- Write down different times and practice reading them aloud until you feel confident.
Common Phrases Related to Time
- What time is the meeting? متى الاجتماع؟ (matā al-ijtimāʿ?)
- The train leaves at three o’clock. القطار يغادر الساعة الثالثة (al-qiṭār yughādir al-sāʿa al-thālitha)
- What time do you wake up? في أي ساعة تستيقظ؟ (fī ayy sāʿa tastayqiẓ?)
- It’s late. الوقت متأخر (al-waqt mutaʾakhkhir)
Conclusion
Learning to tell the time in Arabic is a practical skill that will serve you well in daily life, travel, and business. By mastering the vocabulary and structures covered in this guide, you’ll be ready to ask for and give the time with confidence. To practice further and accelerate your language learning, check out Talkpal for personalized, AI-powered exercises and lessons tailored to mastering Arabic and many other languages. The more you practice, the more fluent you’ll become in understanding and expressing time in Arabic!
