Beginning Japanese for Professionals: Book 2

32 文法 Grammar Notes 6-3-1 何時 な ん じ ごろ Approximation of Naming Time In 6-2-2 above, we saw that ~ gurai combines with counting classifiers to indicate approximation of quantity. ~ Goro on the other hand combines with naming time classifiers to indicate approximation of point in time. Thus, ichi-ji goro means ‘about one o’clock.’ We also saw in 6-1-3 that specific time expressions take particle に to indicate the specific time at which something happens. However, when these specific time expressions are followed by ~ goro , the particle ni becomes optional. This may be because ~ goro makes the expressions vague --without clear starting and ending points-- like time expressions such as asa ‘morning’. In many situations, ~ goro makes you sound softer and polite. 何時 な ん じ に行 い きますか。 Nan-ji ni ikimasu ka. What time are you going? 何時 な ん じ ごろ行 い きますか。 Nan-ji goro ikimasu ka. Around what time are you going? It is also to be noted that in contemporary Japanese ~gurai has begun to combine with naming time classifiers. In another word, ~ gurai is used like ~ goro . However, in such cases, the particle に is required in order to avoid confusion: 月曜日 げつようび に帰ります。 Getsuyoubi ni kaerimasu . I’ll return on Monday. 月曜日 げつようび ごろ（に）帰ります。 Getsuyoubi goro (ni) kaerimasu . I’ll return around Monday. 月曜日 げつようび ぐらいに帰ります。 Getsuyoubi gurai ni kaerimasu . I’ll return around Monday. 十分 じゅっぷん ぐらい行 い きましょう。 Jup-pun gurai ikimashou . Let’s go for about ten minutes. (counting) 十分 じゅっぷん ごろ行 い きましょう。 Juppun goro ikimashou . Let’s go around ten minutes (past the hour). (naming) 十分 じゅっぷん ぐらいに行 い きましょう。 J u p-pun gurai ni ikimashou . Let’s go around ten minutes (past the hour). (naming)