Telling Time

In Ethiopia telling time differs from the traditional American 12 hour AM and PM clock and the global 24 hour clock. In Ethiopia the day is broken into two 12 hour periods with daytime beginning at 6 am and ending at 6pm, and night time beginning at 6pm and ending at 6 am. Both daytime and nighttime have 2 divisions within themselves. Daytime: Morning and Afternoon, Nighttime: Evening and Midnight->Sunrise

The daytime is generally referred to as, “Ken”

Divisions within the daytime

Morning = Tewat, from 12 – 6

Afternoon = Ke se at behuwala, from 6 – 12

The nighttime is generally referred to as, “Mata“

Divisions within the nighttime

Mata = Evening, from 1 – 6

Lelit = Midnight->Sunrise, from 7 – 1

Ken (Daytime)

American Time                                 Ethiopian Time

This period of the day is referred to as, “Tewat”

6 am                                                       12

Twelve in the morning = Tewat asra hulet se at

7 am                                                        1              

One in the morning = Tewat and se at

8 am                                                       2

Two in the morning = Tewat hulet se at

9 am                                                       3

Three in the morning = Tewat sost se at

10 am                                                      4

Four in the morning = Tewat arat se at

11 am                                                       5

Five in the morning = Tewat amist se at

12 pm                                                      6

Six in the morning = Tewat sidist se at

This period of the day is referred to as “Ke se at _____ Behuwala”

1 pm                                                        7

Seven in the afternoon = Ke se at sebat behuwala

2 pm                                                       8

Eight in the afternoon = Ke se at sement behuwala

3pm                                                        9

Nine in the afternoon = Ke se at zetegn behuwala

4 pm                                                      10

Ten in the afternoon = Ke se at asere behuwala

5 pm                                                      11

Eleven in the afternoon = Ke se at asra and behuwala

6 pm                                                      12

Twelve in the afternoon = Ke se at asra hulet behuwala

Mata (Nighttime)

American Time                                 Ethiopian Time

This period of the day is referred to as, “Mata“

7 pm                                                        1

One in the evening = Mata and

8 pm                                                        2

Two in the evening = Mata hulet

9 pm                                                        3

Three in the evening = Mata sost

10 pm                                                      4

Four in the evening = Mata arat

11 pm                                                       5

Five in the evening = Mata amist

12 pm                                                      6

Six in the evening = Mata sidist

This period of the day is referred to as, “Lelit“

1 am                                                        7

Seven at night = Lelit sebat

2 am                                                       8

Eight at night = Lelit sement

3 am                                                       9

Nine at night = Lelit zetegn

4 am                                                      10

Ten at night = Lelit asere

5 am                                                      11

Eleven at night = Lelit asra and

6 am                                                      12

Twelve at night = Lelit asra hulet

Test your Ethiopian time telling abilities with these 3 different clocks! Select which time in Amharic best represents the American time on the provided clocks in Ethiopian time.