How Do You Tell the Time in Arabic?
Ever found yourself in an Arabic-speaking country, staring at your phone, and wishing you could just ask someone for the time in Arabic?
Or maybe you’re learning Arabic and want to sound more like a native speaker. Whatever your reason, mastering how to tell the time in Arabic is a game-changer!
In this guide, we’ll break it all down for you—how to ask for the time, the main times of the day, units of time, and even some useful phrases to sound like a pro.
By the end, you’ll be confidently saying things like “Kam as-Saʿah?” (What time is it?) and “As-Saʿah Al-Wahidah” (One o’clock). Let’s get started!
Asking and Telling the Time in Arabic
First things first—how do you ask for the time in Arabic?
Here are two essential questions in Arabic to get you started:
English
Transliteration
Arabic
What time is it?
Kam as-Saʿah?
كمِ السّاعة؟
This is the most common way to ask for the time in Arabic. It’s simple, straightforward, and works in almost any situation.
English
Transliteration
Arabic
Could you please tell me the time?
Hal Yumkinuka An Tukhbirani Bil-Waqt, Min Fadlik?
هل يُمكِنُكَ أن تخبِرني بالوقتِ، مِن فضلِك؟
This is a more polite version, perfect for formal settings or when you’re speaking to someone older or in a professional context.
Arabic Words for Times of the Day
Arabic, like English, divides the day into specific periods. Here’s a breakdown of the most common ones:
English
Transliteration
Arabic
a.m.
ṣabāḥan
صَباحًا
p.m.
masāʾan
مَساءً
Sunrise
Shuruq ash-Shams
شُروقُ الشّمس
Morning
As-Sabah
الصّباح
Noon
Ad-Dhuhr
الظّهر
Afternoon
Al-Asr
العصر
Sunset/Dusk
Al-Maghrib
المَغرب
Evening
Al-Masaa'
المَساء
Night
Al-Layl
اللّيل
Units of Time
To tell the time accurately, you need to know the units of time in Arabic. Here’s a quick guide:
English
Transliteration
Arabic
One second
Thaniyah
ثانية
One minute
Daqiqah
دَقيقة
Five minutes
Khams Daqa'iq
خَمسُ دَقائِق
Ten minutes
ʿAshr Daqa'iq
عَشرُ دَقائِق
Fifteen minutes/ A quarter of an hour
Rubʿ Saʿah
رُبعُ ساعة
Half an hour
Nisf Saʿah
نِصفُ ساعة
Twenty minutes
ʿIshrūn Daqīqah
عِشرونَ دقيقة
An hour
Saʿah
ساعة
Telling the Time
Now, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of telling the time in Arabic. It is quite straightforward and if you have already learned Arabic numbers, you will find it even easier.
Here’s how you say the hours:
English
Transliteration
Arabic
one o’clock
As-Saʿah Al-Wahidah
السّاعةُ الوَاحِدَة
two o’clock
As-Saʿah Ath-Thaniyah
السّاعةُ الثّانِيَة
three o’clock
As-Saʿah Ath-Thalithah
السّاعةُ الثّالِثَة
four o’clock
As-Saʿah Ar-Rabiʿah
السّاعةُ الرّابِعَة
five o’clock
As-Saʿah Al-Khamisah
السّاعةُ الخامِسَة
six o’clock
As-Saʿah As-Sadisah
السّاعةُ السّادِسَة
seven o’clock
As-Saʿah As-Sabiʿah
السّاعةُ السّابِعَة
eight o’clock
As-Saʿah Ath-Thaminah
السّاعةُ الثّامِنَة
nine o’clock
As-Saʿah At-Tasiʿah
السّاعةُ التّاسِعَة
ten o’clock
As-Saʿah Al-ʿAshirah
السّاعةُ العاشِرَة
eleven o’clock
As-Saʿah Al-Hadiyah ʿAsharah
السّاعةُ الحاديةَ عَشرة
twelve o’clock
As-Saʿah Ath-Thaniyah ʿAsharah
السّاعةُ الثّانِيَةَ عَشرة
English
Transliteration
Arabic
Five past one
Al-Wahidah Wa Khams Daqa'iq
الواحِدةُ وخَمسُ دَقائِق
Ten past
Wa ʿAshr Daqa'iq
وَعشْرُ دَقائِق
Quarter past
Wa Rubʿ
والرّبع
Twenty past
Wa Thulth
والثّلث
Half past
Wa Nisf
والنِّصف
English
Transliteration
Arabic
Five to one
Al-Wahidah Illa Khams Daqa'iq
الواحِدةُ إلا خَمسُ دَقائِق
Ten to
Illa ʿAshr Daqa'iq
إلا عشرُ دَقائِق
Quarter to
Illa Rubʿ
إلا رُبع
Twenty to
Illa Thulth
إلا ثُلُث
Useful Arabic Phrases About Time
Here are some handy phrases to use in everyday conversations:
English
Transliteration
Arabic
It's late
Al-waqt muta’akhir.
الوَقتُ مُتأخّر
It's early
Al-waqt bākirun
الوَقتُ باكِرٌ
Soon
Qareeban
قريبًا
In a short time
Ba‘d qaleel
بَعد قَليل
How much time does it take?
Kam yastaghriq min al-waqt?
كم يَستغرِقُ مِنَ الوَقتِ؟
A few moments ago.
Mundhu laḥathaat
مُنذُ لَحَظاتٍ
What time does the lesson start?
Mata Yabdaʾ Ad-Dars?
متى يَبدأُ الدّرسُ؟
What time does the lesson end?
Mata Yantahi Ad-Dars?
متى يَنتهي الدّرسُ؟
Example Conversation:
- You: Mata Yabdaʾ Ad-Dars? (متى يَبدأُ الدّرسُ؟)
- Friend: As-Saʿah Ath-Thaniyah Wa Nisf. (السّاعةُ الثّانِيَة والنّصف)
- You: Shukran! (Thank you!)
Final word
And there you have it—a complete guide to telling the time in Arabic! From asking “Kam as-Saʿah?” to mastering phrases like “As-Saʿah Al-Wahidah Wa Rubʿ,” you’re now equipped to handle time-related conversations like a pro.
Remember, practice makes perfect. Try using these time words and phrases in your daily life, whether you’re speaking with a friend, setting an appointment, or just practicing on your own. Before you know it, telling the time in Arabic will feel like second nature.
So, what are you waiting for? Qareeban (soon), you’ll be impressing everyone with your Arabic skills! 🕒
Practice More with the AlifBee App!
Ready to take your Arabic learning to the next level? Download the AlifBee App today and practice telling time with fun and engaging exercises! With interactive lessons, engaging quizzes, and real-life examples, you’ll be speaking Arabic like a pro in no time.
Quiz: Test Your Knowledge of Time Vocabulary in Arabic
Ready to test your skills? This quiz will challenge your understanding of how to tell the time, use time-related vocabulary, and ask questions about time in Arabic. Choose the correct answer for each question, and check your score at the end!
How do you say “What time is it?” in Arabic?
A) Kam as-Saʿah? (كمِ السّاعة؟)
B) Hal Yumkinuka An Tukhbirani Bil-Waqt? (هل يُمكِنُكَ أن تخبِرني بالوقتِ؟)
C) Mata Yabdaʾ Ad-Dars? (متى يَبدأُ الدّرسُ؟)
D) As-Saʿah Al-Wahidah. (السّاعةُ الوَاحِدَة)
What does “As-Saʿah Al-Wahidah Wa Rubuʿ” (الساعة الواحدة والربع) mean?
A) It’s half past one.
B) It’s a quarter past one.
C) It’s ten past one.
D) It’s five to one.
Which of the following means “morning” in Arabic?
A) Al-Masaa' (المَساء)
B) As-Sabah (الصّباح)
C) Al-Layl (اللّيل)
D) Ad-Dhuhr (الظّهر)
How do you say “half an hour” in Arabic?
A) Rubʿ Saʿah (رُبعُ ساعة)
B) Nisf Saʿah (نِصفُ ساعة)
C) Daqiqah (دَقيقة)
D) Thaniyah (ثانية)
What is the Arabic word for “night”?
A) Al-Asr (العصر)
B) Al-Masaa' (المَساء)
C) Al-Layl (اللّيل)
D) As-Sabah (الصّباح)
1- A
2- B
3- B
4- B
5- C
