SOCIAL TRANSITION PASSPORT | How to read 24-hour Time
- D. M. Wright
- May 13
- 4 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
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24-HOUR TIME
Many places, businesses, people and transportations use 24-hour (24h) time. You will need to learn how to convert the standard 12-hour time format to 24h time to understand when everything is.
With 24h time, there is never any need for AMs or PMs to clarify which half of the day it is.
4 DIGITS... ALWAYS
24h time is written as 4 digits only and 4 digits always.
There is no requirement for stating 'AM' or 'PM', nor are there colons in between (i.e. 12:00).
For o'clock times that are already double digits (i.e. 10, 11, 12), the time looks exactly the same but without the colon between.
For o'clock times that are single digits (i.e. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9), just add '0' to the front.
1am = 0100
2am = 0200
10am = 1000
11am = 1100
1:23am = 0123
2:05am = 0205
10:45am = 1045
11:16am = 1116
PM TIMES
PM times may look confusing, but really they're just the O'clock Time with an additional 12 added to it.
1pm = 1 + 12 = 1300
2pm = 2 + 12 = 1400
10pm = 10 + 12 = 2200
11pm = 11 + 12 = 2300
THE FULL LIST
AM | PM | ||||
Midnight | 12:00am | 0000 0001 2400* | Midday | 12:00pm | 1200 |
1:00am | 0100 | 1:00pm | 1300 | ||
2:00am | 0200 | 2:00pm | 1400 | ||
3:00am | 0300 | 3:00pm | 1500 | ||
4:00am | 0400 | 4:00pm | 1600 | ||
5:00am | 0500 | 5:00pm | 1700 | ||
6:00am | 0600 | 6:00pm | 1800 | ||
7:00am | 0700 | 7:00pm | 1900 | ||
8:00am | 0800 | 8:00pm | 2000 | ||
9:00am | 0900 | 9:00pm | 2100 | ||
10:00am | 1000 | 10:00pm | 2200 | ||
11:00am | 1100 | 11:00pm | 2300 | ||
*A NOTE ABOUT MIDNIGHT
How you write midnight may differ on whether you are starting or finishing something.
You can use either 0000, 0001 or 2400, depending on the situation.
For example:
A training session can go from 2000 to 2400h.
Overnight shift work can go from 0000 to 0800h.
A military exercise can begin at 0001h.
SOMETIMES YOU CAN SEE IT WITH AN 'H'
Writing 'H' or 'h' after the number to signify 'Hours' is not mandatory. However, when it could be unclear that you are providing the time and not merely a number (e.g. a street address), you can add the 'h'.
The following example could be a little confusing:
'Meeting: 1100 1345 Wilson Road, North Haverbrook.'
Instead - just for clarity - you can write:
'Meeting 1130h 1345 Wilson Road, North Haverbrook.'
TRICKS FOR LEARNING PM TIMES
For those who still find 24h time confusing, there are a few handy tricks to assist interpreting the time quickly.
Anything higher than the number 1200 (12pm / midday), it's PM.
1230
1300
1600
2200
If the beginning looks unfamiliar, it's PM.
1515
1752
2007
2359
Depending on where you are in the world, if it starts with '1', it'll be daylight right through until sunset (i.e. 12pm - 7:59pm).
1200
1530
1800
1959
Unless your times are out of whack... lunch, afternoon tea and dinner are always served when it starts with a '1'.
12pm 1200
3pm 1500
5pm 1700
7pm 1900
If it starts with a '2', you'll be out on the town or preparing for bed (i.e. 8pm - 11:59pm).
2000
2156
2234
2302
THE MOST IMPORTANT TRICK TO LEARNING PM TIMES
For all the unfamiliar numbers, just minus 2 for the second number.
1300
3 - 2 = 1
The time is 1pm.
1615
6 - 2 = 4
The time is 4:15pm.
None of the PM times begin with '2', so take off 1 from that number as well.
2030
Swap the 2 for a 1.
(1)0 - 2 = 8
The time is 8:30pm.
2345
Swap the 2 for a 1.
(1)3 - 2 = 11
The time is 11:45pm.
HOW DO YOU SAY IT?
Anything from 1000h (10am) and after... sound the grouping of the first two numbers, then add 'hundred'.
To provide context, you can add the word 'hours' after, but it is not required.
10:00am
1000
'Ten hundred.'
1:00pm
1300h
'Thirteen hundred hours.'
7:00pm
1900
'Nineteen hundred.'
11:00pm
2300h
'Twenty-three hundred hours.'
All times which start with '0', you must say 'Zero'.
1:00am
0100
'Zero one hundred.'
3:00am
0300h
'Zero three hundred hours.'
7:00am
0700
'Zero seven hundred.'
9:00am
0900h
'Zero nine hundred hours.'
For the hour after midnight, you don't say 'Zero' twice. Once is enough.
12:00am
0000
'Zero hundred.'
HOW DO YOU SAY IT WITH MINUTES?
If you're adding minutes... group the last two digits and ignore the 'hundred' altogether.
To provide context, you can add the word 'hours' after, but it is not required.
If minutes are lower than 10, you must say the 'Zero'.
1:15am
0115
'Zero one fifteen.'
8:30am
0830h
'Zero eight thirty hours.'
11:45am
1145
'Eleven forty-five.'
1:07pm
1307h
'Thirteen zero seven hours.'
8:36pm
2036
'Twenty thirty-six.'
11:09pm
2308h
'Twenty-three zero eight hours.'
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