How to Say ‘What time does it start?’ in Japanese
何時に始まりますか。
nan ji ni hajimari masu ka
[nan jee nee hah-jee-mah-ree mahs ka]
💬 Usage Tip: 何時 (nanji) plus に asks "at what time". The same pattern works with other verbs: 何時に終わりますか "What time does it end?"
Phrase Breakdown
何時に
nan ji ni
at what time
何時 (nanji) means 'what time'. に (ni) marks the point in time.
何時に起きますか。
What time do you get up?
Words in this phrase
何
nan
[nan]
what
何 means what; in 何時 it helps ask 'what time'.
何時に始まりますか。
What time does it start?
時
ji
[jee]
time / hour
時 means time or o'clock; with 何 it becomes 'what time'.
何時に始まりますか。
What time does it start?
に
ni
[nee]
at (a time)
Particle marking a specific point in time.
九時に会いましょう。
Let's meet at nine.
始まりますか。
hajimari masu ka
does it start?
始まります (hajimarimasu) means 'to start'. か (ka) makes it a question. Say 'ha-ji-ma-ri-ma-su-ka'.
授業はもう始まりますか。
Is the class starting already?
Words in this phrase
始まり
hajimari
[hah-jee-mah-ree]
begin
始まり is the stem of 始まる, meaning to begin or start.
何時に始まりますか。
What time does it start?
ます
masu
[mahs]
polite present/future ending
ます makes a verb polite in present or future statements.
予約します。
I will make a reservation.
か
ka
[ka]
question particle
Used to create a yes/no question in informal speech.
行くか？
Shall we go?
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