You are standing in a busy station in Tokyo and realize you do not have your phone. You need to ask someone the time. You know 今何時ですか from your textbook, but is that the most natural way to ask? And how do native speakers actually answer? Knowing how to ask and tell the time in both casual and formal Japanese is one of those practical skills you will use on every trip to Japan.
Yukaすいません、今何時か教えていただけませんか？ (Excuse me, could you tell me what time it is?)
Rei3時5分過ぎですよ。 (It's just past 3:05.)
At a Glance: How to Ask the Time in Japanese
| Phrase | Register | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| 今何時ですか？ | Polite | Strangers, teachers, acquaintances |
| 今何時？ | Casual | Friends and family only |
| 今何時か教えていただけませんか？ | Very polite / Formal | Boss, elders, strangers in formal settings |
今何時ですか？ — Polite but Natural
“今何時ですか？” is the standard polite way to ask the time. It translates as “What time is it now?” or “Do you have the time?” and is appropriate for teachers, shop clerks, colleagues you are not close to, or any adult stranger on the street. Before using it, adding すいません (excuse me) makes the request more considerate: すいません、今何時ですか？
Yuka今何時ですか？ (What time is it?)
Rei3時22分ですよ。 (It's 3:22.)
Yukaすいません、今何時ですか？ (Excuse me, what time is it?)
Rei午後11時23分ですよ。 (It's 11:23 PM.)
今何時？ — Casual Among Friends
Drop the ですか and you get the casual form 今何時？, called タメ口 (tameguchi — casual speech). This form is only for friends, siblings, or people you are genuinely close to. Using it with your boss or a stranger would come across as rude. The response in casual speech also drops formal endings: just say 8時だよ (It's 8) rather than 8時です. You can also hear variations like ねえ、今何時？ (Hey, do you know what time it is?).
Yuka今何時？ (What time is it?)
Rei8時だよ。 (It's 8 o'clock.)
Yukaねえ、今何時？ (Hey, do you know what time it is?)
Reiあと8分で9時だよ。 (It's 8 minutes to 9.)
今何時か教えていただけませんか？ — Very Formal
The most polite way to ask the time is 今何時か教えていただけませんか？ which literally means “Could you kindly tell me what time it is?” The grammar いただけませんか uses the humble-request form and is the go-to phrasing in business situations, with superiors, or with elderly people you have just met. As with the standard form, pairing it with すいません at the start is always a good idea.
Yuka今何時か教えていただけませんか？ (Could you tell me what time it is?)
Rei4時3分前ですよ。 (It's 3 minutes before 4.)
Yukaすいません、今何時か教えていただけませんか？ (Excuse me, would you tell me what time it is?)
Rei3時5分過ぎですね。 (It's just past 3:05.)
Telling the Time: Common Patterns
When answering, you state hour (時) then minutes (分). For example: 2時15分 (2:15), 午後3時半 (3:30 PM — 半 means half past), 4時3分前 (3 minutes to 4). The phrase ちょうど___時 means exactly on the hour: ちょうど9時です (It's exactly 9 o'clock).
Quick Quiz
Choose the right phrase for each situation.
1. You want to ask a stranger on the street what time it is. You say: ___
2. You want to ask your close friend the time. You say: ___
3. You are in a job interview and need to ask the interviewer the time. You say: ___
Answers: 1. すいません、今何時ですか？ 2. 今何時？ 3. すいません、今何時か教えていただけませんか？
Asking the time in Japanese is straightforward once you know which register to use. Start with 今何時ですか？ for most situations — it is polite and universally safe. As you grow more comfortable, you will naturally shift between the casual form with friends and the formal form in professional settings.
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