Asking and Answering About Time

Read complete examples of clock times, including minutes past and minutes to the hour.

Reading the Latin spelling

This is a simplified learning transcription adapted from the source, not a phonetic alphabet. sh = ش, kh = خ, gh = غ, 3 = ع, and 7 = ح. The numbers represent sounds. Dotted ṣ, ṭ and ḍ mark emphatic consonants; doubled letters indicate a longer consonant. Regional pronunciation and spelling can vary.

Ask the time

• What time is it?

  شحال هادي ف الساعة؟

  sh7al hadi f s-sa3a?

Examples from the source

• 1:00 — It is exactly one o’clock.

  هادي الوحدة نيشان.

  hadi l-w7da nishan.

• 2:05 — Five minutes past two.

  هادي الجوج و قسم.

  hadi j-juj u qṣm.

• 3:10 — Ten minutes past three.

  هادي التلاتة و قسمين.

  hadi t-tlata u qṣmayn.

• 4:15 — A quarter past four.

  هادي الربعة و ربع.

  hadi r-rb3a u rb3.

• 5:20 — Twenty minutes past five.

  هادي الخمسة و تلت.

  hadi l-khmsa u tulut.

• 6:25 — Twenty-five minutes past six.

  هادي الستة و خمسة و عشرين.

  hadi s-stta u khmsa u 3shrin.

• 7:30 — Half past seven.

  هادي السبعة و نص.

  hadi s-sb3a u nṣ.

• 8:35 — Eight thirty-five.

  هادي التمنية و خمسة و تلاتين.

  hadi t-tmnya u khmsa u tlatin.

• 8:40 — Twenty minutes to nine.

  هادي التسعود قل تلت.

  hadi t-ts3ud ql tulut.

• 9:45 — A quarter to ten.

  هادي العشرة لا رُب.

  hadi l-3shra lla rob.

• 10:50 — Ten minutes to eleven.

  هادي الحضاش قل قسمين.

  hadi l-7ḍash ql qṣmayn.

• 11:55 — Five minutes to twelve.

  هادي الطناش قل قسم.

  hadi ṭ-ṭnash ql qṣm.

• 6:30 a.m.

  الستة و نص د الصباح

  s-stta u nṣ d ṣ-ṣba7

• 5:15 p.m.

  الخمسة و ربع د العشية

  l-khmsa u rb3 d l-3shiya

Notice the pattern

With “minutes to,” the hour named is the upcoming hour. For example, the expression for 8:40 names nine. Read the clock value and the phrase together.

Source and audio

Adapted for LearnLahja from Peace Corps/Morocco, Basic Introduction to Arabic, lesson 23 (PDF page 18). English learning notes, layout and simplified Latin spelling are editorial adaptations. LearnLahja is independent and is not endorsed by Peace Corps.

Audio unavailable. The source names a recording covering lessons 22–24, but no playable recording has been verified for this lesson.