A specific time: に
Time／date に + verb
Time, date, day + に = the exact moment of the action. No に with いま, きょう, あした, まいにち, いつ.
In short
に after a specific time or date says WHEN the action happens: “七時に” = “at seven o'clock”. No に after relative words like 今日, 毎日 or 今.
- 七時に おきます。shichi-ji ni okimasuI get up at seven.
- 日曜日に いきます。nichiyōbi ni ikimasuI'm going on Sunday.
- 三時半に きます。san-ji han ni kimasuI'm coming at half past three.
The basics
に after a time expression gives the exact moment the action happens: a time, a date, a day of the week. It's the “at” in “at 7 o'clock” or the “on” in “on 3 May”.
- 七時に おきます。shichi-ji ni okimasuI get up at seven.
- 日曜日に えいがを 見ます。nichiyōbi ni eiga o mimasuOn Sunday, I'm watching a film.
When to use に, and when not to
This is the tricky part: に goes with specific moments (numbers, dates, days), but not with expressions relative to the present moment, which are used on their own.
| With に (specific moment) | Without に (relative to now) |
|---|---|
| 七時に、三時半に | いま (now) |
| 月曜日に、日曜日に | きょう, あした, きのう |
| 五月に、二〇二六年に | けさ, こんばん |
| なんじに (at what time?) | まいにち, らいしゅう, せんげつ |
- あした 東京へ 行きます。ashita tōkyō e ikimasuTomorrow, I'm going to Tokyo. (no に after あした)
Asking when an action happens
なんじに (at what time) and なんようびに (on which day) ask for a specific moment; いつ (when) is used without に.
- なんじに ねますか。nan-ji ni nemasu kaWhat time do you go to bed?
- いつ 日本へ 行きますか。itsu nihon e ikimasu kaWhen are you going to Japan?
Common mistakes
- Putting に after あした, きょう or まいにち: they're used on their own.
- Saying いつに: いつ doesn't take に.
- Leaving out に after a time: 七時 おきます is wrong, it's 七時に.
5 exercises on this point
Particles to choose, sentences to put back in order, translations: marked straight away, then reviewed at the right time. This JLPT N5 point is on the Namboku Line (Time) of the Tokyo subway.