Language/Halh-mongolian/Vocabulary/Telling-Time
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Introduction
In this lesson, you will learn how to tell time in Halh Mongolian, including hours, minutes, and different parts of the day. You will also learn cultural information and interesting facts related to time in Mongolia.
Consider exploring these related pages after completing this lesson: Health & Food.
Time in Mongolia
Mongolia, a landlocked country in East Asia, follows its own time zone called "Mongolia Standard Time," which is 8 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC+8). This means that if it is 12 PM in London, it is 8 PM in Mongolia. Mongolia does not observe daylight saving time.
In Mongolia, traditional ways of timekeeping were based on the movements of the sun and moon. In the past, people used a 12-hour system to tell time, dividing the day into two six-hour periods, which corresponded to the position of the sun in the sky. The first six hours of the day were considered morning, and the second six hours were considered afternoon.
Mongolian nomads relied on the sun and stars to navigate while traveling in the vast steppes. Even today, many Mongolians who live in rural areas still use the sun as a compass to determine their direction.
The 24-hour clock is the standard system used in Mongolia nowadays, especially in urban areas. However, some older people still prefer to use the traditional 12-hour system.
Telling Time
Telling time in Halh Mongolian is relatively easy. Like in English, the hour is specified first, followed by the minutes. The words for "hour" and "minute" are "цаг" (tsag) and "минут" (minut), respectively. In Halh Mongolian, numbers are based on the decimal system, so counting from 1 to 10 should already be familiar to you if you have completed the previous lessons of this course.
Example: "It is 9:30 AM" (time in the morning)
| Halh Mongolian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Есөн | Esön | Nine |
| нэг | neg | One |
| найм | naim | Five |
| минут | Minut | Minute |
| үеийн цаг | Üeiyin tsag | Morning hour |
Therefore, "It is 9:30 AM" is "Есөн нэгийн найм минут, үеийн цаг" (Esön negiin naim minut, üeiyn tsag) in Halh Mongolian.
Note that the word for "hour" (цаг, tsag) in Halh Mongolian does not differentiate between AM and PM. To specify a period of the day, you need to use the words for "morning" (үеийн, üeiyin), "afternoon" (үдийн, üdiin), "evening" (оройн, oroin), or "night" (шөнө, shönö).
Example: "It is 7:45 PM" (time in the evening)
| Halh Mongolian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Долдугаар | Doldugaar | Seven |
| арван хоёр | arvan khoor | Forty-two |
| хоног | Khonog | Hour |
| дөрөөнд | döröönd | At |
| шөнө | shönö | Night |
Therefore, "It is 7:45 PM" is "Долдугаар арван хоёрын хоног дөрөөнд шөнө" (Doldugaar arvan khooryn khonog döröönd shönö) in Halh Mongolian.
Asking for the Time
To ask for the time in Halh Mongolian, you can use the following phrases:
- "Цаг юу вэ?" (Tsag yuu ve?) - What time is it?
- "Хоног дээр вэ?" (Khonog deer ve?) - What hour is it?
- "Минут дээр вэ?" (Minut deer ve?) - What minute is it?
Example:
A: Цаг юу вэ? (Tsag yuu ve?) - What time is it?
B: Есөн дөрөв үеийн тоолуур, цаг өглөөн байгаа. (Esön döröv üeiyin tooluur, tsag oglöön baigaa.) - It is 9:15 AM.
Summary
In this lesson, you have learned how to tell time in Halh Mongolian, including hours, minutes, and different parts of the day. You have also learned cultural information and interesting facts related to time in Mongolia, such as the traditional ways of timekeeping based on the position of the sun and stars. Keep practicing to improve your skills, and don't forget to use the phrases you have learned to ask for the time in Halh Mongolian.
Other Lessons
- Food and Drink
- Gender
- Numbers and Counting
- Drinks
- Greetings and Courtesies
- Nature
- How to Say Hello and Greetings
- Weather and Climate
- Business and Economy
- Vegetables
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