Basics of Telling Time in Hindi

Understanding the Hindi Numerals for Time

Before diving into time expressions, it’s important to familiarize yourself with Hindi numbers, as they form the backbone of telling time. Here are the numbers 1 to 12 in Hindi, which correspond to the hours on a clock:

• 1 – एक (Ek)
• 2 – दो (Do)
• 3 – तीन (Teen)
• 4 – चार (Chaar)
• 5 – पाँच (Paanch)
• 6 – छह (Chhah)
• 7 – सात (Saat)
• 8 – आठ (Aath)
• 9 – नौ (Nau)
• 10 – दस (Das)
• 11 – ग्यारह (Gyaarah)
• 12 – बारह (Baaraah)

Knowing these numbers is crucial since the Hindi way of telling time revolves largely around these basic numerals.

Hindi Words for Time Units

• Hour: घंटा (Ghantaa)
• Minute: मिनट (Minute) or sometimes called मिनट (Minat)
• Second: सेकंड (Second)

While seconds are rarely used in everyday conversation, hours and minutes are essential.

How to Tell the Exact Time in Hindi

Structure of Time Expression

In Hindi, the basic structure to express time generally follows this pattern:

“[Hour] बजे [Minutes] मिनट”

Here, “बजे” (baje) means “o’clock” and is used to indicate the hour. Minutes follow the hour and are stated explicitly.

Examples of Exact Time

• 1:00 – एक बजे (Ek baje)
• 3:15 – तीन बजे पंद्रह मिनट (Teen baje pandrah minute)
• 6:30 – छह बजे तीस मिनट (Chhah baje tees minute)
• 9:45 – नौ बजे पैंतालीस मिनट (Nau baje paintalees minute)

Omitting “Minutes” When Zero

When it is exactly on the hour, Hindi speakers often omit the word “मिनट” (minute). For example:

• 5:00 – पाँच बजे (Paanch baje)
• 12:00 – बारह बजे (Baaraah baje)

Informal Ways to Tell Time in Hindi

Using Relative Expressions

Hindi often uses relative expressions to describe time, especially minutes before or after the hour. The two most common phrases are:

• “सवा” (Sava): Means “quarter past” or 15 minutes after the hour.
• “पौने” (Paune): Means “quarter to” or 15 minutes before the hour.

Examples with Relative Time

• 1:15 – सवा एक (Sava ek) — literally “quarter past one”
• 2:45 – पौने तीन (Paune teen) — literally “quarter to three”

This informal way is widely used in everyday conversations and sounds more natural than the exact numeric form.

Other Common Time Expressions

• “साढ़े” (Saadhe): Means “half past plus 15 minutes.” For example, 1:45 can also be said as “साढ़े एक” (Saadhe ek) — “one and a half plus 15 minutes.”
• “डेढ़” (Dedh): Means “one and a half.” For example, 1:30 is “डेढ़ बजे” (Dedh baje).

Talking About Parts of the Day in Hindi

Common Hindi Terms for Different Times of Day

• सुबह (Subah): Morning (Generally 5 AM to 11 AM)
• दोपहर (Dopahar): Afternoon (12 PM to 3 PM)
• शाम (Shaam): Evening (4 PM to 7 PM)
• रात (Raat): Night (8 PM onwards)

When specifying time, you can add these terms after the time to clarify the part of the day.

Examples

• सुबह छह बजे (Subah chhah baje) — 6 o’clock in the morning
• शाम आठ बजे (Shaam aath baje) — 8 o’clock in the evening

Expressing Time Duration in Hindi

Duration Vocabulary

• घंटा (Ghantaa): Hour
• मिनट (Minute): Minute
• सेकंड (Second): Second
• दिन (Din): Day

How to Say Duration

To talk about the length of time something takes, use the following structure:

[Number] + [Time unit] + तक/के लिए

Examples:

• दो घंटे तक (Do ghante tak) — for two hours
• तीन मिनट के लिए (Teen minute ke liye) — for three minutes

Common Phrases for Asking and Telling Time

Useful Questions

• समय क्या हुआ है? (Samay kya hua hai?) — What time is it?
• कितने बजे हैं? (Kitne baje hain?) — What’s the time?
• घंटा कितने बजे हैं? (Ghantaa kitne baje hain?) — What hour is it?

Common Responses

• यह एक बजे हैं। (Yah ek baje hain.) — It is one o’clock.
• यह पाँच बजकर पंद्रह मिनट हुए हैं। (Yah paanch bajkar pandrah minute hue hain.) — It is 5:15.
• यह सवा तीन बजे हैं। (Yah sava teen baje hain.) — It is quarter past three.

Practical Tips for Learning to Tell Time in Hindi

• Practice Regularly: Use apps like Talkpal to practice telling time with native speakers or through interactive exercises.
• Learn Numbers Thoroughly: Since numbers are essential, make sure to master Hindi numerals up to 60 to cover all minutes.
• Listen and Repeat: Tune into Hindi media such as news broadcasts or movies where time is mentioned to get used to natural pronunciations.
• Use Flashcards: Create flashcards with different times and their Hindi equivalents to reinforce memory.
• Apply in Daily Life: Try to say the time in Hindi whenever you check the clock during the day.

Conclusion

Learning to tell time in Hindi is a practical and essential skill that enhances your ability to communicate effectively in everyday situations. From understanding basic numerals to mastering informal expressions and parts of the day, the journey is both rewarding and engaging. By combining structured learning with interactive tools like Talkpal, learners can gain confidence and fluency in telling time, making their Hindi language experience richer and more authentic. With consistent practice and exposure, telling time in Hindi will become second nature, opening doors to deeper cultural connections and improved communication.