Lesson 04 — そちらは何時から何時までですか (Inquiring About Opening Hours & Phone Numbers)

Introduction

In Minna no Nihongo Lesson 4 Conversation, we learn how to make phone inquiries to museums, libraries, clinics, and offices. You will master asking about business opening and closing hours using 何時から何時までですか (Nan-ji kara nan-ji made desu ka), asking about closing days (休館日 – Kyuukanbi) with 休みは何曜日ですか (Yasumi wa nan-youbi desu ka), and obtaining telephone numbers using 電話番号は何番ですか (Denwabangou wa nan-ban desu ka).

Learning Objectives

• Ask opening and closing hours politely over the phone.
• Master days of the week: 月曜日 to 日曜日.
• Understand Japanese time expressions: 〜時, 〜分, 午前, 午後.
• Ask and accurately write down Japanese telephone numbers.
• Conclude a formal telephone inquiry politely with どうもありがとうございました.
• Solve 20 JLPT-format MCQs on time, days, numbers, and telephoning.

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Lesson Contents

Concept / Meaning

Situational Concept: When calling an institution in Japan, polite telephone etiquette requires identifying the place with そちら (Sochira – your establishment). You ask: 「そちらは何時から何時までですか」 (What time are you open from and until?).

नेपाली व्याख्या:

जापानमा फोन गरेर कुनै कार्यालय, संग्रहालय, पुस्तकालय वा अस्पतालको खुल्ने र बन्द हुने समय बुझ्दा ‘そちらは何時から何時までですか’ (हजुरहरूको त्यहाँ कति बजेदेखि कति बजेसम्म खुल्छ?) भनेर सोधिन्छ। साथै बिदा हुने बार ‘休みは何曜日ですか’ र फोन नम्बर बुझ्ने कला सिकाइन्छ।

Japanese Form

客: すみません。そちらは 何時から 何時までですか。

職員: 9時から 5時までです。

客: 休みは 何曜日ですか。

職員: 月曜日です。

客: どうも ありがとう ございました。

English Meaning

Caller: Excuse me. What are your opening hours (from what time to what time)?

Staff: We are open from 9:00 to 5:00.

Caller: What day of the week are you closed?

Staff: On Mondays.

Caller: Thank you very much.

Nepali Meaning

सेवाग्राही: माफ गर्नुहोस्, हजुरहरूको त्यहाँ कति बजेदेखि कति बजेसम्म खुल्छ होला?

कर्मचारी: ९ बजेदेखि ५ बजेसम्म खुल्छ।

सेवाग्राही: कुन बार बन्द रहन्छ होला?

कर्मचारी: सोमबार बन्द रहन्छ।

सेवाग्राही: धेरै धेरै धन्यवाद।

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Detailed Explanation

Basic Rule

1. Telephone opening: はい、[Organization] で ございます.
2. Inquire hours: そちらは 何時（なんじ）から 何時までですか.
3. Inquire days off: 休みは 何曜日（なんようび）ですか.
4. Ending phone call: どうもありがとうございました。失礼します.

Formation

Usage

Indispensable for scheduling appointments, visiting city offices (市役所 – Shiyakusho), checking museum exhibits, and banking.

Important Notes

• ‘Sochira’ is the polite way to refer to the listener’s company, organization, or location.
• Japanese telephone numbers use the particle の (no) between area code and local number: e.g. 03-3594-0029 -> ぜろさんの、さんごうきゅうよんの、ぜろぜろにきゅう.
• When hanging up the phone in Japan, wait for the other person or hang up very gently after saying 失礼します.

Exceptions

When asking about individual days, Sunday is 日曜日 (Nichiyoubi), not ‘Hinoyoubi’.

Common Mistakes

Do not hang up abruptly without saying ‘Doumo arigatou gozaimashita’ or ‘Shitsurei shimasu’.

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Examples

Example 1

• Japanese: 銀行は何時から何時までですか。9時から3時までです。
• Reading: Ginkou wa nan-ji kara nan-ji made desu ka. Kuji kara san-ji made desu.
• English: From what time to what time is the bank open? It is open from 9 to 3.
• Nepali: बैंक कति बजेदेखि कति बजेसम्म खुल्छ? ९ बजेदेखि ३ बजेसम्म खुल्छ।

Example 2

• Japanese: 図書館の休みは何曜日ですか。月曜日です。
• Reading: Toshokan no yasumi wa nan-youbi desu ka. Getsuyoubi desu.
• English: What day is the library closed? It is closed on Mondays.
• Nepali: पुस्तकालय कुन बार बन्द रहन्छ? सोमबार बन्द रहन्छ।

Example 3

• Japanese: 市役所の電話番号は何番ですか。
• Reading: Shiyakusho no denwabangou wa nan-ban desu ka.
• English: What is the city office telephone number?
• Nepali: नगरपालिकाको फोन नम्बर कति नम्बर हो?

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Vocabulary

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Conversation Practice

Situation

Mr. Mike Miller calls the Yamato Art Museum to ask about their visiting hours and closed days.

Dialogue

職員 (Staff): はい、大和美術館で ございます。 (Hai, Yamato Bijutsukan de gozaimasu.)

ミラー (Miller): すみません。そちらは 何時から 何時までですか。 (Sumimasen. Sochira wa nan-ji kara nan-ji made desu ka.)

職員 (Staff): 9時から 5時までです。 (Ku-ji kara go-ji made desu.)

ミラー (Miller): 休みは 何曜日ですか。 (Yasumi wa nan-youbi desu ka.)

職員 (Staff): 月曜日です。 (Getsuyoubi desu.)

ミラー (Miller): そうですか。どうも ありがとう ございました。 (Sou desu ka. Doumo arigatou gozaimashita.)

職員 (Staff): いいえ、どういたしまして。 (Iie, douitashimashite.)

Translation

• English:

Staff: Hello, this is the Yamato Art Museum.

Miller: Excuse me. What are your opening hours (from what time to what time)?

Staff: We are open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Miller: What day of the week are you closed?

Staff: On Mondays.

Miller: I see. Thank you very much.

Staff: You’re welcome.

• Nepali:

कर्मचारी: हजुर, यामातो कला संग्रहालय हो हजुर।

मिलर: माफ गर्नुहोस्, हजुरहरूको त्यहाँ कति बजेदेखि कति बजेसम्म खुल्छ होला?

कर्मचारी: बिहान ९ बजेदेखि साँझ ५ बजेसम्म खुल्छ।

मिलर: कुन बार बिदा हुन्छ होला?

कर्मचारी: सोमबार बन्द रहन्छ।

मिलर: ए त्यसो पो हो। धेरै धेरै धन्यवाद।

कर्मचारी: हवस्, हजुरलाई स्वागत छ।

Speaking Practice

Practice telephone roleplay: Speaker A acts as caller asking ‘Sochira wa nan-ji kara nan-ji made desu ka’, Speaker B answers as clinic staff.

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Reading Practice

Short Reading

大和美術館は 朝9時から 夕方5時までです。休みは 毎週 月曜日です。電話番号は 03-3594-0029です。土曜日と 日曜日は たくさんの 人が 来ます。

Vocabulary Help

毎週 (まいしゅう – Every week), たくさん (Many/A lot), 人 (ひと – People)

Reading Questions

1. 大和美術館は 何時から 何時までですか。
2. 休みは 何曜日ですか。
3. 大和美術館の 電話番号は何番ですか。

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Practice

Fill in the Blank

1. そちらは 何時 [ _____ ] 何時までですか。(から / まで)
2. 休みは [ _____ ] 曜日ですか。(何 / どこ)
3. 9時から 5時 [ _____ ] です。(まで / から)

Choose the Correct Answer

1. Q: 電話で 相手の 会社・場所を 丁寧に 指す 言葉は？

A: (a) そちら (b) あちら (c) どちら

1. Q: 7時30分の 日本語は？

A: (a) しちじはん (b) ななじさんじゅっぷん (c) しちじさんじゅっぷん

Sentence Formation

1. (銀行 / 9時 / 3時 / から / まで / です)
2. (休み / 日曜日 / です)

Word Arrangement

1. [ 何時までですか / 何時から / そちらは ]
2. [ ございました / どうも / ありがとう ]

Translation Practice

1. What time does the post office open until? (हुलाक कति बजेसम्म खुल्छ?)
2. The museum is closed on Mondays. (संग्रहालय सोमबार बन्द रहन्छ।)

Speaking Practice

Say your school’s schedule: ‘Gakkou wa 9-ji kara 3-ji made desu.’

Writing Practice

Write the 7 days of the week in Kanji and Hiragana (月火水木金土日).

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Questions

Basic Questions

How do you say ‘from 9 to 5’ in Japanese?

Understanding Questions

Why is ‘Sochira’ used instead of ‘Anata no basho’ in business telephone calls?

Application Questions

How would you call a Japanese dental clinic and ask if they are open on Saturdays?

JLPT-style Questions

In JLPT listening: ‘Nan-ji kara nan-ji made desu ka’ -> Select the correct time span from audio.

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Meaning

Japanese Meaning

電話で相手先の営業時間や休業日を問い合わせる際の最も基本的で丁寧な定型表現である。

English Meaning

The standard courteous inquiry pattern used to confirm operating hours and closing days of businesses or institutions over the phone.

Nepali Meaning

कुनै कार्यालय वा संस्थामा फोन गरेर खुल्ने समय र बिदा हुने दिन विनम्रतापूर्वक बुझ्ने शास्त्रीय जापानी संवाद हो।

Important Vocabulary

そちら, 何時, 何曜日, から, まで, 休み, 電話番号

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How to Learn

Step 1: Understand

Learn hours 1 to 12 (notice irregulars: 4-ji, 7-ji, 9-ji).

Step 2: Memorize

Learn minutes (pun/fun changes: 1-pun, 3-pun, 6-ppun, 8-ppun, 10-ppun).

Step 3: Practice

Memorize the 7 days of the week: Getsu, Ka, Sui, Moku, Kin, Do, Nichi.

Step 4: Speak

Practice reading telephone numbers out loud with ‘no’ as hyphen.

Step 5: Read

Roleplay telephone conversations with a study partner.

Step 6: Review

Review the polite closing ‘Doumo arigatou gozaimashita’.

Memory Tips

Moon=Getsu, Fire=Ka, Water=Sui, Tree=Moku, Gold=Kin, Earth=Do, Sun=Nichi.

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Common Mistakes

Mistake 1

• Incorrect: Saying ‘きゅうじ’ (Kyuu-ji) for 9 o’clock.
• Correct Form: Say ‘くじ’ (Ku-ji).
• Why: 9 o’clock is exclusively pronounced ‘Ku-ji’, never ‘Kyuu-ji’ (९ बजेलाई सधैं ‘कुजी’ भनिन्छ).

Mistake 2

• Incorrect: Saying ‘よんじ’ (Yon-ji) or ‘ななじ’ (Nana-ji) for hours.
• Correct Form: 4 o’clock is ‘よじ’ (Yo-ji), and 7 o’clock is ‘しちじ’ (Shichi-ji).
• Why: Time hours have specific phonetic readings that must be memorized.

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