Time In Arabic: Guide To Master All Arabic Times

Time In Arabic

Learning how to tell time in Arabic is an essential part of your language journey. Whether you’re asking for the time or setting up an appointment, knowing how to use time-related vocabulary will make your daily conversations much easier. In this guide, we’ll cover the basics of telling time in Arabic.

How To Say Time In Arabic

The Arabic word for time is pronounced waqt and written ﻭَﻗﺖ. Times in Arabic is pronounced ‘awqaat and written as ﺃَﻭﻗَﺎﺕ. For example leisure time is written as ﻭَﻗﺖُ ﺍَﻟﻔَﺮَﺍﻍِ and time to leave is written ﻭَﻗﺖُ ﺍَﻟﺬَّﻫَﺎﺏِ.

What Time Is It In Arabic?

To ask what time is it in Arabic, we should say كَم الساعَة؟ (kam al-sāʿah?) or كم الساعة الآن (kam assaa’ah al’aan?) which means What time is it now?

How To Ask Time In Arabic

To express the statement ‘what is the time’, one should say كَم الساعَة؟. In the reply, الساعَة is the first word while the number form will follow it.

There are different ways of saying, “What time did you go to the school or any other place, or what time are you going or will go”?

  • For example, if it is said, متى تذهب إلى المدرسة؟
  • The response will be اذهب الى المدرسة في الساعة العاشرة والنصف Meaning: I am going or will go to the school at half  past ten.

Time Vocabulary in Arabic

Before you can understand time, let’s go over some basic vocabulary:

  • Hour – سَاعَة (sā‘ah)
  • Minute – دَقِيقَة (daqīqah)
  • Second – ثَانِيَة (thāniyah)
  • Time – وَقْت (waqt)

LEARN ALSO: 195 Names Of Countries In Arabic Plus Nationalities In Arabic

How to Tell Time in Arabic

In Arabic, telling the time is quite straightforward once you know your numbers and some simple phrases. Examples:

12 o’clock in Arabic

12 o’clock in Arabic is written as الساعة الثانية عشرة and pronounced assaa’ah athaaniyah ‘ashra.

1 o’clock in Arabic

1 o’clock in Arabic is written as الساعة الواحدة and pronounced assaa’ah alwaahidah.

2 o’clock in Arabic

2 o’clock in Arabic is written as الساعة الثانية and pronounced assaa’ah athaaniyah.

3 o’clock in Arabic

3 o’clock in Arabic is written as الساعة الثالثة and pronounced assaa’ah athaalithah.

4 o’clock in Arabic

4 o’clock in Arabic is written as الساعة الرابعة and pronounced assaa’ah arraabi’ah.

5 o’clock in Arabic

5 o’clock in Arabic is written as الساعة الخامسة and pronounced assaa’ah alkhaamisah.

6 o’clock in Arabic

6 o’clock in Arabic is written as الساعة السادسة and pronounced assaa’ah assaadisah.

7 o’clock in Arabic

7 o’clock in Arabic is written as الساعة السابعة and pronounced assaa’ah assaabi’ah.

8 o’clock in Arabic

8 o’clock in Arabic is written as الساعة الثامنة and pronounced assaa’ah athaaminah.

9 o’clock in Arabic

9 o’clock in Arabic is written as الساعة التاسعة and pronounced assaa’ah attaasi’ah.

10 o’clock in Arabic

Ten o’clock in Arabic is written as الساعة العاشرة and pronounced assaa’ah al’aashirah.

11 o’clock in Arabic

Eleven o’clock in Arabic is written as الساعة الحادية عشرة and pronounced assaa’ah alhaadiyah ‘ashra.

The table below is the summary of how to tell time in Arabic.

EnglishTransliterationArabic
One o’clock in
Arabic
assaa’ah alwaahidahالساعة الواحدة
Two o’clock in 
Arabic
assaa’ah athaaniyahالساعة الثانية
Three o’clock in 
Arabic
assaas’ah athaalithahالساعة الثالثة
Four o’clock in 
Arabic
assaa’ah arraabi’ahالساعة الرابعة
Five o’clock in 
Arabic
assaa’ah alkhaamisahالساعة الخامسة
Six o’clock in 
Arabic
assaa’ah assaadisahالساعة السادسة
Seven o’clock in 
Arabic
assaa’ah assaabi’ahالساعة السابعة
Eight o’clock in 
Arabic
assaa’ah athaaminahالساعة الثامنة
Nine o’clock in 
Arabic
assaa’ah attaasi’ahالساعة التاسعة
Ten o’clock in
Arabic
assaa’ah al’aashirahالساعة العاشرة
Eleven o’clock in
Arabic
assaa’ah alhaadiyah ‘ashraالساعة الحادية عشرة
Twelve o’clock in
Arabic
assaa’ah athaaniyah ‘ashraالساعة الثانية عشرة

Understanding AM and PM in Arabic

In Arabic, time is also divided into AM and PM:

  • AM – صَبَاحًا (ṣabāḥan)
    Example:
    It’s 10 AM.
    السَّاعَةُ العَاشِرَةُ صَبَاحًا.
    (As-sā‘ah al-‘āshirāh ṣabāḥan.)
  • PM – مَسَاءً (masā’an)
    Example:
    It’s 8 PM.
    السَّاعَةُ الثَّامِنَةُ مَسَاءً.
    (As-sā‘ah ath-thāminah masā’an.)

Breaking Down the Hour: Quarters and Halves

Arabic time expressions use terms for quarters and halves, making it easier to tell time.

  • Quarter past – وَالرُّبُع (wa ar-rub‘)
    Example:
    2:15 – السَّاعَةُ الثَّانِيَةُ وَالرُّبُع (As-sā‘ah ath-thāniyah wa ar-rub‘)
  • Half past – وَالنِّصْف (wa an-nisf)
    Example:
    6:30 – السَّاعَةُ السَّادِسَةُ وَالنِّصْف (As-sā‘ah as-sādisah wa an-nisf)
  • Quarter to – إِلَّا الرُّبُع (illā ar-rub‘)
    Example:
    1:45 – السَّاعَةُ الثَّانِيَةُ إِلَّا الرُّبُع (As-sā‘ah ath-thāniyah illā ar-rub‘)

Time Expressions In Arabic

  • o’clock  (بالضبط) أو تماماً
  • Half Past  والنصف
  • Quarter Past   وربع
  • Quarter to  إلا ربعاً

To say ‘past’ in Arabic, we use ‘و‘ which comes after the hour, so half past two in Arabic would literally be ‘two o’clock and a half’ الساعة الثانية والنصف.

pastو
Five pastوخمس دقائق
Ten pastوعشر دقائق
Quarter pastوالربع
Twenty pastوالثلث
Half pastوالنصف

To say ’to’ in Arabic, we use ‘إلا which comes after the hour, so ‘quarter to three’ in Arabic would literally be ‘three o’clock less a quarter’ الساعة الثالثة إلا ربعاً

Toإلا
Five toإلا خمس دقائق
Ten toإلا عشر دقائق
Quarter toإلا ربعاً
Twenty toإلا ثلثاً

Vocabulary For Arabic Times

Here are the important things you need to know about telling times in Arabic.

Clock In Arabic

Clock in Arabic is pronounced as Saa’a and written as ساعة while clocks is pronounced as saa’aat and written ساعات. Note that the word ساعة also means watch, one hour, an a moment and wait for a little while.

This word has been used for Qiyāmah (day of resurrection) as well in the Qur’an.

Minute in Arabic

Minute in Arabic is pronounced Daqeeqah and written as دقيقة while minutes in Arabic language is pronounced as daqaa’iq and written دقائق.

Second In Arabic

The word ثانيه (pronounciation thaniyah) is used for second in Arabic while ثوان is used for seconds in Arabic.

Nighttime in Arabic

The Arabic word for nighttime is pronounced Waqt illayl and written as وقت الليل.

Daytime in Arabic

The Arabic word for daytime is written as النهار and the pronunciation is Annahaar.

Morning in Arabic

The Arabic word for morning is صباح and the pronunciation is sabaah.

Noon in Arabic

We use the phrase وقت الظهيرة for noon in Arabic and the pronunciation is Waqt adhaheera.

Afternoon in Arabic

The phrase use for afternoon in Arabic is written بعد الظهر and transliterated as Ba’d adhuhur .

Sunset in Arabic

The Arabic word for sunset is المغرب and the pronunciation is Al maghrib.

Sunrise in Arabic

The phrase for sunrise in Arabic is pronounced as Shurooq a’shams and written شروق الشمس.

Day in Arabic

The Arabic word for day is written يوم and pronounced as Yaum. Days in Arabic is written أيام and pronounced ayyam.

Night in Arabic

The word for night in Arabic is ليل and pronounced as Layl. The Arabic word for night is written as ليالى and the pronunciation is layaal.

Evening in Arabic

The Arabic word for evening is pronounced Masaa’ and written as مساء.

Half in Arabic

The Arabic word for half is written نصف and the pronunciation is Nisf.

Quarter in Arabic

We say Ruba’ for the word quarter in Arabic and the Arabic text is ربع.

AM In Arabic

The Arabic word for AM is written as صباحا and is transliterated as sabaahan.

PM In Arabic

PM in Arabic is pronounced as masaa’n and written as مساءً.

The table below summarized Arabic vocabulary for times.

ArabicEnglish
الفجرDawn
شروق الشمسSunrise
الصباحMorning
قبل الظهرBefore noon
الظهيرةNoon
بعد الظهرAfter noon
غروب الشمسSunset
المساءEvening
الليلNight
منتصف الليلMid night
في الصباحIn the morning
الصباح الباكرEarly-morning
في المساءIn the evening
المساء المتأخرLate-evening
في النهارAt daytime
في الليلAt night
هذا اليومToday
هذه الليلةTonight
كل اليومAll day
كل الليلةAll night
غدًاTomorrow
البارحةYesterday
بعد غدDay after tomorrow
قبل البارحةDay before
الليلة الماضيةLast night
الليلة القادمةNext night
كل يومEvery day
كل ليلةEvery night
الأسبوع القادمNext week
في يوم من الأيامIn a day
الأسبوع الماضيLast week
في أسبوعIn a week
في شهرIn a month
الشهر الماضيLast month
الشهر التاليNext month
في سنةIn a year
السنة الماضيةLast year
السنة القادمةNext year

Vocabulary And Time Expressions In Arabic

ArabicEnglish
فُسْحَة ; مُتّسَعٌ مِنَ الوَقْتenough time
شِدّة; وَقْتٌ عَصِيبcrucial time
أجَل; مَوْعِد; مَوْقِت; مُدّةappointed time
مَرّةً أُخْرَى; ثانِياًanother time
فُسْحَة ; مُتّسَعٌ مِنَ الوَقْتample time
قَتَلَ الوَقْتَ; قَطَعَ الوَقْتَkill time
مَوْسِمُ الحَصَادharvest time
أجّل ; أمَدّ ; أمْهَلgive someone time
تَبَاطَأَgain time
بِطَالَة ; وَقْتُ (أوْقاتُ) الفَرَاغfree time
راوَحَ مَكَانَهُ ; راوَحَ الخُطَىmark time
أخّرَتِ السّاعَةُ ; أبْطَأتِ السّاعَةُlose time
وَقْتٌ طَوِيل ; دَهْرlong time
تَوْقِيتٌ مَحَلّيّlocal time
أجَل ; أمَد ; مُدّةlimited time
جُزْئِيّpart-time
ذاتَ مَرّة ; دُفْعَة; طَرْقَة; مَرّةone time
في وَقْتِهِ ; في حِيْنِهon time
زَمَنِيّ; وَقْتِيّof time
مُرَاوَحَةُ (كَذَا) مَكَانَهُ; مُرَاوَحَةُ الخُطَىmarking time
حَيّن ; وَقّتtime: (verb)
بُرْهَة ; عُجَالَة ; لَحْظَة ; هُنَيْهَةshort time
مُجَدّداً ; ثانِياًsecond time
أمْسrecent time
غِرَاسplanting time
دَيْنٌ… إلخ) ; مُقَسَّطٌ (دَفْعَةٌ…time payment
فُسْحَة ; مُتّسَعٌ مِنَ الوَقْتtime margin
مُهْلَةtime limit
قِدَمtime immemorial
مَوْلِد ; مِيْلادtime date
قَتَلَ الوَقْتَ ; أضَاعَ الوَقْتَwaste time
وحدة الزمنunit time
تالِد ; قَدِيمtime-honored
مُجَرّب ; مُخْتَبَرtime-tested
إشَارَةُ (ضَبْطِ) الوَقْتtime signal

Conclusion

Learning how to tell time in Arabic will help you in your day-to-day interactions, whether you’re making plans or simply asking someone what time it is. Keep practicing the vocabulary and phrases listed here to build confidence in telling time like a native Arabic speaker.