Exact hour
Pattern
The term “hour/o’clock” + Current hour number
السَّاعَةُ + [الرَّقْمُ التَّرْتِيبي]
Worked example— 3:00
The hour
السّاعَةُ
Third
الثّالِثَةُ
Result
السّاعَةُ الثّالِثَةُ
as-sāʿatu ath-thālithah
Grammar reference / Lesson 3
Timeالساعة
Open lesson page →5 grammar rules for this lesson.
Minutes past the current hour
Pattern
The Current Hour + وَ +Number of Minutes Past + The term for the word “Minutes”
السَّاعَةُ + الرَّقْم التَّرْتِيبي + وَ + عَدَد + دَقِيقَة
Note: The “Minutes Past number (e.g. five)” will drop its taa marbuta (ةُ) in this case and take a dhamma
Worked example— 5:05
The hour
السّاعَةُ الخامِسَةُ
And
وَ
Five
خَمسُ
Minutes
دَقائِق
Result
السّاعَةُ الخامِسَةُ وَ خَمسُ دَقائِق
as-sāʿatu al-khāmisah wa khamsu daqāʾiq
Minutes Past the current hour in Fractions
Pattern
The Current Hour + وَ + the Fraction
السَّاعَةُ + الرَّقْم التَّرْتِيبي + وَ + الرُّبْع/الثُّلْث/نِصف
Worked example— 2:15
The hour
السّاعَةُ الثّانِيَةُ
And
وَ
Quarter
رُبع
Result
السّاعَةُ الثّانِيَةُ وَ رُبع
as-sāʿatu ath-thāniyah wa rubʿ
Minutes left until the next hour
Pattern
The Next Hour + إِلَّا + The Number of minutes left + The term for the word “Minutes”
السَّاعَةُ + الرَّقْم التَّرْتِيبي (القادم) + إِلَّا + عَدَد + دَقِيقَة أو دَقَائِق
Worked example— 5:55
Next hour
السّاعَةُ السّادِسَةُ
Except
إِلّا
Minutes left
خَمسَ
Minutes
دَقائِق
Result
السّاعَةُ السّادِسَةُ إِلّا خَمسَ دَقائِق
as-sāʿatu as-sādisah illā khamsa daqāʾiq
Minutes left until the next hour in Fractions
Pattern
The Next Hour + إِلَّا + The minutes in terms of a Fraction
السَّاعَةُ + الرَّقْم التَّرْتِيبي (القادم) + إِلَّا + الرُّبْع/الثُّلْث
Worked example— 6:45
Next hour
السّاعَةُ السّابِعَةُ
Except
إِلّا
(Fraction) Minutes left
رُبع
Result
السّاعَةُ السّابِعَةُ إِلّا رُبع
as-sāʿatu as-sābiʿah illā rubʿ