Telling the Time in Hebrew: A Practical Guide for Englewood, NJ Learners

Learning to tell time in Hebrew becomes much easier once a few patterns are familiar. The main challenges are knowing when to use feminine number forms, understanding the difference between “past” and “to,” and recognizing both everyday and more formal ways to describe the hour.

For residents and families in Englewood, NJ, these expressions are useful in ordinary situations: discussing school schedules, arranging a meeting, reading a bus timetable, setting a reminder, or talking about holiday and prayer times.

How do you ask, “What time is it?” in Hebrew?

The standard question is:

מָה הַשָּׁעָה?
Ma ha-sha’ah?
“What time is it?”

The word שָׁעָה (*sha’ah*, hour) is feminine. That is why the numbers used with a clock hour follow feminine forms.

A complete answer usually begins with:

הַשָּׁעָה…
Ha-sha’ah…
“The time is…”

For example:

• הַשָּׁעָה אַחַת — *ha-sha’ah achat* — It is one o’clock.
• הַשָּׁעָה שְׁתַּיִם — *ha-sha’ah shtayim* — It is two o’clock.
• הַשָּׁעָה שָׁלֹשׁ — *ha-sha’ah shalosh* — It is three o’clock.
• הַשָּׁעָה אַרְבַּע — *ha-sha’ah arba* — It is four o’clock.

In casual speech, people may simply say the number, especially when the context is obvious. Still, מה השעה? and השעה… are the most useful forms for learners.

Why are Hebrew clock numbers feminine?

Hebrew nouns have grammatical gender, and שעה is feminine. The feminine forms of the numbers one through ten are therefore used with the hour:

| English | Hebrew |
|—|—|
| One | אחת (*achat*) |
| Two | שתיים (*shtayim*) |
| Three | שלוש (*shalosh*) |
| Four | ארבע (*arba*) |
| Five | חמש (*hamesh*) |
| Six | שש (*shesh*) |
| Seven | שבע (*sheva*) |
| Eight | שמונה (*shmoneh*) |
| Nine | תשע (*tesha*) |
| Ten | עשר (*eser*) |

This is different from counting masculine nouns, where some number forms change. A learner may already know שלושה for “three” in a masculine context, but with an hour, the correct form is שלוש.

The number twelve is שתים עשרה or, in common spelling, שתים-עשרה. For example:

השעה שתים עשרה — It is twelve o’clock.

How do you say minutes after the hour?

A simple and widely understood pattern is:

השעה [hour] ו-[minutes]

The ו־ means “and.”

Examples:

• השעה שלוש ועשר — It is 3:10.
• השעה ארבע ועשרים — It is 4:20.
• השעה שבע ושלושים — It is 7:30.
• השעה תשע וארבעים וחמש — It is 9:45.

In careful speech, the word דקות can be added:

• עשר דקות אחרי שלוש — ten minutes after three.
• עשרים דקות אחרי ארבע — twenty minutes after four.

The direct-number style, such as שלוש ועשר, is common in conversation. The phrase using אחרי (“after”) is especially clear for beginners.

How do you say “quarter past,” “half past,” and “quarter to”?

Several traditional time expressions are used frequently in Hebrew:

• רבע אחרי שלוש — quarter past three, or 3:15
• חצי אחרי שלוש — half past three, or 3:30
• רבע לפני ארבע — quarter to four, or 3:45

Hebrew speakers may also say:

• שלוש ורבע — three and a quarter
• שלוש וחצי — three and a half
• ארבע פחות רבע — four minus a quarter

The expression פחות רבע literally means “minus a quarter.” Thus, ארבע פחות רבע describes 3:45 by referring to the next hour.

For everyday conversations, both systems are understandable. Someone might say שלוש ארבעים וחמש for 3:45, while another person might say רבע לפני ארבע. Context usually makes the meaning clear.

How do you say “ten to eight” or “five past six”?

To describe minutes before an upcoming hour, use לפני (“before”) or ל־ (“to,” in the sense of approaching).

Examples:

• עשר דקות לפני שמונה — ten minutes before eight
• חמש דקות לפני שש — five minutes before six
• עשר לשמונה — ten to eight
• חמש לשש — five to six

To describe minutes after an hour:

• חמש אחרי שש — five past six
• עשר אחרי שמונה — ten past eight

The phrase עשרה לשמונה is also heard in speech. Hebrew number agreement can vary in casual time expressions, particularly when the word דקות is understood rather than spoken. Learners should first focus on being clear; natural usage develops through listening and repetition.

How are morning, afternoon, evening, and night expressed?

Hebrew commonly uses parts of the day instead of relying only on AM and PM:

• בבוקר — in the morning
• בצהריים — in the afternoon or around midday
• אחר הצהריים — in the late afternoon
• בערב — in the evening
• בלילה — at night

Examples:

• השיעור מתחיל בשמונה בבוקר.

The lesson begins at eight in the morning.

• ניפגש בשלוש אחר הצהריים.

We will meet at three in the afternoon.

• הארוחה בשבע בערב.

The meal is at seven in the evening.

• הטיסה יוצאת באחת בלילה.

The flight leaves at one at night.
The preposition ב־ means “in” or “at” in these expressions. It is attached directly to the word: בבוקר, בערב, and בלילה.

What is the difference between spoken and formal time?

In schedules, digital displays, announcements, and written notices, Hebrew often uses a straightforward hour-and-minute format:

• 08:15 — שמונה וחמש עשרה
• 12:30 — שתים עשרה וחצי
• 18:45 — שש ורבע or שש ארבעים וחמש

In formal settings, especially written schedules, the 24-hour clock may be used. A time such as 18:00 is understood as six in the evening. In conversation, speakers commonly add בערב when there could be confusion.
For example:
ניפגש בשש בערב.
“We will meet at six in the evening.”
The preposition ב־ attached to a specific clock time means “at”:

• בשעה שלוש — at three o’clock
• בעשר בבוקר — at ten in the morning
• בשבע וחצי בערב — at 7:30 in the evening

What common mistakes should learners avoid?

A few small errors appear often:

• Using masculine numbers with שעה: say שלוש, not שלושה, for three o’clock.
• Confusing אחרי and לפני: אחרי שלוש is after three; לפני שלוש is before three.
• Forgetting the next hour with “to”: עשר לשמונה means 7:50, not 8:10.
• Translating “half to” directly from English: Hebrew normally uses חצי אחרי שלוש for 3:30.
• Leaving out the part of day when needed: בשש can mean 6:00 in the morning or evening, so בשש בערב removes uncertainty.

The most practical approach is to begin with exact hours, add minutes with ו־, and then practice the familiar expressions רבע, חצי, אחרי, and לפני. With regular exposure, these patterns become natural in both everyday conversation and written schedules.