Clock Times With je
At What Time
Je shows the time, and the hour is an ordinal with la.
How It Works
| Say | Written | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| je la tria | je la 3-a | at three |
| je la sepa kaj duono | je la 7-a kaj duono | at half past seven |
| je la dek-dua | je la 12-a | at twelve |
The word horo (hour) is understood, as in Estas la tria (It is three o'clock). Ask Kioma horo estas? for the time, and Je kioma horo...? for the time of an event.
Do not add -n to the hour. A date also uses ordinals, so la oka with -n would mean the eighth day of the month. The word je keeps the hour and the date apart.
You can also say antaŭ la oka (before eight) and post la oka (after eight).
Examples (5)
- Je kioma horo vi manĝas?
At what time do you eat?
Je kioma horo asks for a clock time.
- Ni manĝas je la oka.
We eat at eight.
Je la oka shows the hour; the ordinal oka has no -n.
- La kongreso komenciĝas je la 10-a.
The congress starts at ten o'clock.
With digits the ordinal is written 10-a.
- Ana venas je la sepa kaj duono.
Ana comes at half past seven.
Kaj duono adds the half hour.
- Ni renkontiĝu je la tria apud la stacidomo!
Let us meet at three beside the station!
Je la tria shows when we meet.
Common Mistakes
Putting -n on the hour.
Ni manĝas la okan.Ni manĝas je la oka.La okan means on the eighth day of the month. For a clock time, use je and the plain ordinal.
Leaving out la.
Ni manĝas je oka.Ni manĝas je la oka.The hour is an ordinal, and an ordinal for the hour takes la.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Clock times use the same hours as telling the time.
Related Patterns
Practice Clock Times With je in Bubblegum
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