Language/Tosk-albanian/Grammar/Time-and-Dates

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Tosk Albanian → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Numbers and Time → Time and Dates

Introduction

In this lesson, we will explore how to express time and dates in Tosk Albanian. Time and dates are essential aspects of language, allowing us to communicate when events occur and schedule our lives. Mastering this topic will enable you to engage in conversations about appointments, birthdays, holidays, and other time-related topics. We will cover the vocabulary and grammar needed to discuss time and dates accurately.

First, we will start with the basics of telling time in Tosk Albanian. Then we will move on to discussing specific time expressions, including days, months, and years. Finally, we will practice with various exercises to solidify your understanding. By the end of this lesson, you will feel confident in expressing and understanding time and dates in Tosk Albanian.

Telling Time

To tell time in Tosk Albanian, we use a combination of numbers and specific words. Let's start by learning the words for the hours:

Tosk Albanian	Pronunciation	English Translation
ora një	oh-rah nyuh	one o'clock
ora dy	oh-rah dee	two o'clock
ora tre	oh-rah treh	three o'clock
ora katër	oh-rah kah-tuhr	four o'clock
ora pesë	oh-rah peh-suh	five o'clock
ora gjashtë	oh-rah gyah-shtuh	six o'clock
ora shtatë	oh-rah shtah-tuh	seven o'clock
ora tetë	oh-rah teh-tuh	eight o'clock
ora nëntë	oh-rah nyuhn-tuh	nine o'clock
ora dhjetë	oh-rah dyuh-tyuh	ten o'clock
ora njëmbëdhjetë	oh-rah nyuhm-buh-dyuh-tyuh	eleven o'clock
ora dymbëdhjetë	oh-rah dyuhm-buh-dyuh-tyuh	twelve o'clock

To express minutes, we use the numbers from one to fifty-nine. Here are some examples:

Tosk Albanian	Pronunciation	English Translation
një minutë	nyuh mih-nyoo-tuh	one minute
pesë minuta	peh-suh mih-noo-tuh	five minutes
tetëmbëdhjetë minuta	teh-tyuhm-buh-dyuh-tyuh mih-noo-tuh	eighteen minutes
tridhjetë minuta	tree-dyuh-tyuh mih-noo-tuh	thirty minutes
pesëdhjetë minuta	peh-suh-dyuh-tyuh mih-noo-tuh	fifty minutes

To specify "half past the hour," we use the word "e gjysmë." Here are some examples:

Tosk Albanian	Pronunciation	English Translation
ora një e gjysmë	oh-rah nyuh eh ghyshm	half past one
ora tetë e gjysmë	oh-rah teh-tuh eh ghyshm	half past eight

To express "quarter past the hour," we use the word "çerek." Here are some examples:

Tosk Albanian	Pronunciation	English Translation
ora dy çerek	oh-rah dee cheh-rek	quarter past two
ora pesë çerek	oh-rah peh-suh cheh-rek	quarter past five

To express "quarter to the hour," we use the word "çerek para." Here are some examples:

Tosk Albanian	Pronunciation	English Translation
ora katër çerek para dy	oh-rah kah-tuhr cheh-rek pah-rah dee	quarter to two
ora nëntë çerek para shtatë	oh-rah nyuhn-tuh cheh-rek pah-rah shtah-tuh	quarter to seven

When telling time, we combine the hour and minute expressions. For example:

- "It is 3:15." -> "Është ora tre e pesëmbëdhjetë." - "It is 6:30." -> "Është ora gjashtë e gjysmë."

Now that we have covered the basics of telling time, let's move on to discussing specific time expressions.

Days of the Week

In Tosk Albanian, the days of the week are:

• Hënë (Monday)
• Martë (Tuesday)
• Mërkurë (Wednesday)
• Enjte (Thursday)
• Premte (Friday)
• Shabbat (Saturday)
• Djele (Sunday)

To refer to a specific day, we use the word "ditë" (day) followed by the corresponding day of the week. For example:

- "Today is Monday." -> "Sot është e hënë." - "I have an appointment on Wednesday." -> "Kam një takim të mërkurën."

Months of the Year

In Tosk Albanian, the months of the year are:

• Janar (January)
• Shkurt (February)
• Mars (March)
• Prill (April)
• Maj (May)
• Qershor (June)
• Korrik (July)
• Gusht (August)
• Shtator (September)
• Tetor (October)
• Nëntor (November)
• Dhjetor (December)

To refer to a specific month, we use the word "muaj" (month) followed by the corresponding month of the year. For example:

- "My birthday is in May." -> "Ditëlindja ime është në maj." - "The conference is scheduled for October." -> "Konferenca është caktuar për tetor."

Years

In Tosk Albanian, to express a year, we use the word "viti" (year) followed by the specific year. For example:

- "The Declaration of Independence was signed in 1912." -> "Deklarata e Pavarësisë u nënshkrua në vitin 1912." - "I was born in 1990." -> "U linda në vitin 1990."

Cultural Insights

The concept of time and dates is essential in the Albanian culture. Albanians place great importance on punctuality and keeping track of significant events. It is customary to arrive on time for appointments and social gatherings. Being late is considered disrespectful and may be interpreted as a lack of interest or commitment.

Albania has experienced various historical events that have influenced the way time and dates are perceived. The country's transition from communism to democracy in the early 1990s brought significant changes in daily life, including the way time is managed and celebrated. Today, Albania follows the Gregorian calendar and celebrates both national and religious holidays.

One interesting cultural fact is that Albanians often celebrate their name days, known as "Dita e Emrit." These name days are based on the Catholic and Orthodox Christian calendars and are as significant as birthdays. It is common for friends and family members to gather and celebrate with traditional food and drinks.

Practice Exercises

Now it's time to practice what you've learned. Complete the following exercises to reinforce your understanding of expressing time and dates in Tosk Albanian.

Exercise 1: Translate the following sentences into Tosk Albanian: 1. "It is 7:45." 2. "My name day is on July 15th." 3. "The concert starts at 8 o'clock." 4. "I have a meeting on Friday." 5. "Her birthday is in November."

Exercise 2: Answer the following questions in Tosk Albanian: 1. "Kur është Dita e Pavarësisë e Shqipërisë?" (When is Albania's Independence Day?) 2. "Cila është muaji i dytë i vitit?" (Which is the second month of the year?) 3. "Kur fillon vjeshta?" (When does autumn start?) 4. "Sa është ora?" (What time is it?) 5. "Kur është festa e Pashkëve?" (When is Easter?)

Solutions

Exercise 1: 1. "Është ora shtatë e pesëmbëdhjetë." 2. "Dita ime e emrit është më 15 korrik." 3. "Koncerti fillon në ora tetë." 4. "Kam një takim të premten." 5. "Ditëlindja e saj është në nëntor."

Exercise 2: 1. "Dita e Pavarësisë e Shqipërisë është më 28 nëntor." 2. "Muaji i dytë i vitit është shkurt." 3. "Vjeshta fillon më 23 shtator." 4. "Është ora katër." 5. "Festa e Pashkëve ndodh në datë të ndryshme çdo vit."

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have completed the lesson on expressing time and dates in Tosk Albanian. You have learned how to tell time, discuss days of the week, months of the year, and years. You have also gained insights into the cultural significance of time and dates in Albania. Keep practicing and applying your knowledge in real-life situations to further enhance your language skills. In the next lesson, we will explore adjectives and adverbs in Tosk Albanian.

Table of Contents - Tosk Albanian Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Basic Concepts

• Nouns and Gender
• Verbs and Present Tense
• Definite Articles
• Personal Pronouns
• To Be and To Have

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Cardinal Numbers
• Time and Dates

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjectives and Nouns Agreement
• Adverbs of Manner

  ---

Interrogative Words

• Question Words
• Negation

  ---

Family and Friends

• Family Members
• Adjectives to Describe People
• Verbs to Describe Actions
• Talking About Friends

  ---

Food and Drink

• Types of Food
• Drinks
• Eating Out

  ---

Holidays and Celebrations

• National Holidays
• Religious Celebrations

  ---

Albanian Culture

• History of Albania
• Traditions and Customs

  ---

Geography and Landmarks

• Geography of Albania
• Landmarks and Monuments

  ---

Arts and Literature

• Famous Albanian Writers and Poets
• Musical Traditions

  ---

Sports and Leisure

• Popular Sports
• Leisure Activities

Other Lessons

• Verbs and Present Tense
• How to Use Be
• Nouns and Gender
• Questions
• To Be and To Have
• Question Words
• Gender
• Cardinal Numbers
• Negation
• Personal pronouns

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