How do I say this?

[Eugeniu]

I'm trying to translate the following sentence: "At 7:30 am, I start Health, the first class of the day.", but all I can translate is "At 7:30 am, I start Health.", which to the best of my ability is "Nana-gozen-ji san-juu-fun ni Health no kurasu hajimemasu."

How do I include "the first class of the day"?

 

[Elizabeth]

I'm trying to translate the following sentence: "At 7:30 am, I start Health, the first class of the day.", but all I can translate is "At 7:30 am, I start Health.", which to the best of my ability is "Nana-gozen-ji san-juu-fun ni Health no kurasu hajimemasu."

How do I include "the first class of the day"?

How about "Shichi ji han （７：３０） kara (from) ichi gen me (first period) no Hoken (health) no jugyuu wo hajimemasu."


Although unless every day is late it may be more natural to say that the class starts at 7:30 rather than you begin it at that time...

 

[Eugeniu]

I'm a bit confused. What's the difference between writing that the class starts at that time rather than I start it at that time? And what's the difference between the way the two situations are written?

 

[Ashikaga]

"Hoken no jugyou o hajimeru" is appropriate only if you are the one who is teaching the class. If you mean that you are a student who is taking this class, I would go with "Hoken no jukyou ga hajimaru".

At least in Japanese, I think it'd be more natural to make "Hoken no jugyou" the subject rather than "I".

 

[Elizabeth]

"Hoken no jugyou o hajimeru" is appropriate only if you are the one who is teaching the class. If you mean that you are a student who is taking this class, I would go with "Hoken no jukyou ga hajimaru".
At least in Japanese, I think it'd be more natural to make "Hoken no jugyou" the subject rather than "I".

Yes, I just translated in line with the request. But the same applies in English. Making yourself the subject is uncomfortable. There's practically an unavoidable conclusion that students are coming to class at an irregular time every day (when it starts for them).

 

[Eugeniu]

Ok, so I have "Nana-gozen-ji san-juu-fun ni Hoken no jukyou ga hajimaru". But how do I add "the first class of the day"? Or would it just be better off without it. Also, why is the last word hajimaru rather than hajimemasu?

 

[Toritoribe]

7:30 am: gozen shichi ji sanjuppun/sanjippun or gozen shichi ji han
時 - Wiktionary
分 - Wiktionary

But how do I add "the first class of the day"?

Elizabeth-san already answered in her first reply in this thread.

Also, why is the last word hajimaru rather than hajimemasu?

hajimeru(transitive) <--> hajimaru(intransitive)
polite form
hajimemasu <--> hajimarimasu

 

[undrentide]

Ok, so I have "Nana-gozen-ji san-juu-fun ni Hoken no jukyou ga hajimaru". But how do I add "the first class of the day"? Or would it just be better off without it. Also, why is the last word hajimaru rather than hajimemasu?

Maybe it's not the main point of your question, but the way to tell time should be:
Gozen Shichi-ji sanji-ppun(sanju-ppun) for 7:30am.

 

[Eugeniu]

Ok, thanks. I was just doing whatever they told me in my Japanese class... ☝

 

[Elizabeth]

Maybe it's not the main point of your question, but the way to tell time should be:
Gozen Shichi-ji sanji-ppun(sanju-ppun) for 7:30am.

Yeah, "Shichi-ji han" translates literally "half past 7." It isn't wrong exactly. I just thought it might be easier...

And "第一時限" ... is it too strange or can you use that also for "first period," per "Kenkyusha Lighthouse English-Japanese Dictionary" 2nd Ed. ?

 

[undrentide]

Yeah, "Shichi-ji han" translates literally "half past 7." It isn't wrong exactly. I just thought it might be easier...

And "第一時限" ... is it too strange or can you use that also for "first period," per "Kenkyusha Lighthouse English-Japanese Dictionary" 2nd Ed. ?

I think "Shichi-ji han" is perfectly OK.
I just wanted to point out that "gozen (am" should be placed before the time, not in the middle. ;-)

The first class is often referred to as 一時間目 (ichijikanme) or 一時限目 (ichijigenme) though the terms can be different depending on the school.

 

[Elizabeth]

Ok, so I have "Nana-gozen-ji san-juu-fun ni Hoken no jukyou ga hajimaru". But how do I add "the first class of the day"? Or would it just be better off without it. Also, why is the last word hajimaru rather than hajimemasu?

Nana most of the time but what you cannot say is Nanagatsu or Nana ji.

Shichigatsu ("July") and Shichiji ("seven o'clock").

 

[Eugeniu]

Thanks, I didn't know that. *is totally helpless in nihongo*...

 

[Toritoribe]

And "第一時限" ... is it too strange or can you use that also for "first period," per "Kenkyusha Lighthouse English-Japanese Dictionary" 2nd Ed. ?

一限目[ichi gen me], 一コマ目[hito koma me] are often used in college.