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Hour
#14
الساعة (al-sāʿah) is a feminine noun meaning 'hour' or 'clock/watch' in Arabic. It refers to both a unit of time (60 minutes) and the physical device used to measure time. This word is fundamental in everyday Arabic communication, particularly when discussing schedules, appointments, and telling time.
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الساعة الآن تشير إلى الثالثة صباحاً.
Al-sāʿah al-ān tushīr ilā al-thālithah sabāḥan.
The clock now shows three o'clock in the morning.
اجتماعنا سيكون في الساعة الخامسة مساءً.
Ijtimāʿunā sayakūn fī al-sāʿah al-khāmisah masāʾan.
Our meeting will be at five o'clock in the evening.
عملت لمدة ثماني ساعات اليوم.
ʿAmilt limuddat thamānī sāʿāt al-yawm.
I worked for eight hours today.
ساعتي الذهبية جميلة جداً.
Sāʿatī al-dhahbiyyah jamīlah jiddan.
My gold watch is very beautiful.
كل ساعة يجب أن تشرب كوباً من الماء.
Kull sāʿah yajib an tashrab kūban min al-māʾ.
Every hour you should drink a cup of water.
In Arabic culture, punctuality can vary significantly by region and context. While business and educational settings emphasize precise timing, social gatherings often operate on a more relaxed schedule. The concept of time is deeply connected to Islamic prayer times (salah), with the day divided into five prayer periods, making time consciousness an integral part of daily life for Muslims.
Remember that الساعة is feminine, so adjectives and verbs must agree with this gender. When telling time in Arabic, use الساعة followed by the ordinal number (e.g., الساعة الثالثة = three o'clock). Be aware that Arabic uses a 12-hour clock system in casual speech, with 'صباحاً' (morning) and 'مساءً' (evening) to distinguish times, though the 24-hour system is used in formal contexts.
الساعة (al-sāʿah) is a fundamental Arabic word with dual meanings that are crucial for English speakers learning Arabic. Primarily, it refers to an 'hour,' a unit of time consisting of 60 minutes. Secondarily, it can mean 'clock' or 'watch,' the physical devices used to measure and display time. This word is essential for daily communication in Arabic-speaking countries, from scheduling appointments to asking what time it is.
الساعة is a feminine noun in Arabic, which is an important characteristic that affects how it is used in sentences. Because of its feminine gender, all adjectives, verbs, and pronouns that refer to الساعة must agree with this feminine form. For example, if you want to say 'the beautiful clock,' you would say 'الساعة الجميلة' (al-sāʿah al-jamīlah), where الجميلة (beautiful) takes the feminine ending.
The plural form of الساعة is ساعات (sāʿāt), used when referring to multiple hours or watches. This distinction is important when discussing time durations or collections of timepieces.
When telling time in Arabic, الساعة is always used as the base structure. The pattern is الساعة + ordinal number. For example:
Arabic typically uses a 12-hour clock system in casual conversation, with صباحاً (sabāḥan - morning/AM) used for times from midnight to noon, and مساءً (masāʾan - evening/PM) for times from noon to midnight. However, the 24-hour system is increasingly used in formal contexts, transportation, and media.
In Arab culture, the concept of time and punctuality varies considerably depending on region and social context. While formal business meetings and educational institutions maintain strict schedules, social gatherings and family visits often operate on a more flexible timeline. The Islamic tradition of five daily prayers (salah) fundamentally shapes how Arabs perceive and organize their day, with prayer times dividing the day into distinct periods. Prayer times are always specified as exact hours and minutes, making time precision important in religious contexts.
The word الساعة appears frequently in daily conversations about schedules, appointments, and planning. You'll hear it in contexts ranging from 'What time is the meeting?' (في أي ساعة الاجتماع؟) to 'I'll see you in an hour' (سأراك في ساعة).
When using الساعة, always remember its feminine gender and ensure agreement of modifying words. In conversations about duration, you'll typically use the prepositional form 'لمدة ساعات' (for a duration of hours). When asking about time, the most common question is 'كم الساعة؟' (What time is it?), literally translating to 'How much is the hour?'
Learners should practice distinguishing between الساعة meaning a clock/watch (countable noun) and ساعة meaning a unit of time (abstract noun). Additionally, become familiar with related time words like الدقيقة (minute), الثانية (second), and اليوم (day) to build comprehensive time-telling skills.
Several common phrases use الساعة and are essential for learners:
مastermasteringالساعة is essential for anyone learning Arabic, as time-related vocabulary is among the most frequently used in everyday communication. By understanding both its literal meaning as a timepiece and its function as a unit of time measurement, learners can effectively navigate scheduling, appointments, and time-based discussions in Arabic-speaking environments. Regular practice with time-telling exercises and cultural exposure to how Arab societies approach temporal communication will enhance your proficiency significantly.