分
[ɸɯ̟̃ɴ]
In Japanese, the word for minutes is 分.
分 is used to denote units of time equal to sixty seconds.
How does it change in a sentence?
The counter 分 is used for minutes and does not change its form for pluralization.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly try to pluralize the word by adding a suffix. However, 分 remains the same for any number of minutes.
Did you know?
- The character 分 is used in the word 気分 'kibun' to describe a person's mood or feeling.
- Depending on the number preceding it, the pronunciation of 分 shifts between fun and pun. For example, 'one minute' is ippun while 'two minutes' is nifun.
- Japanese uses 分 to describe 'minutes' of a degree in geography or astronomy, not just time.
Examples in context
- 3分で戻るよ。I'll be back in three minutes.This sentence shows how to use 分 to express returning within a specific time.Tatoeba #11391176 by small_snow, translation #2771493 by sharptoothed
- もう５分待とう。I'll wait another five minutes.This sentence demonstrates using 分 when deciding to wait for a certain duration.Tatoeba #194515 by bunbuku, translation #31688 by CK
- ３０分待ってて。Wait thirty minutes.This sentence illustrates how to use 分 to ask someone to wait for a specific amount of time.Tatoeba #9392664 by small_snow, translation #9369339 by CK
- 面接の予約時間は １５分 間です。The interview appointment time is 15 minutes.
- あと １０分 で映画が始まりますよ。The movie will start in 10 minutes.
- 368 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren and Yui are checking the time at a cafe.
- 蓮 Renあと何分くらい？Ato nanpun kurai?About how many minutes are left?
- 結衣 Yuiあと10分くらいかな。Ato juppun kurai kana.Probably about 10 minutes left.
- 蓮 Renじゃあ、もう少し待とう。Jaa, mou sukoshi matou.Then, let's wait a little longer.
- 結衣 Yuiうん、そうしよう。Un, sou shiyou.Yeah, let's do that.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 分, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
