This tutorial covers telling time in informal conversation, i.e. using the numbers 1-12 for the hours. To express a.m., one can add the adverb наутро, and to express p.m., one can add the adverb попладне, after the time. Examples:
- Сега е осум часот наутро.
- Сега е еден часот попладне.
However, most often, the a.m./p.m. distinction can be deduced from context, so the adverbs in these examples are not covered in the tutorials.
The times explained in the tutorial are limited to increments of 15 minutes. However, the same structure that is used for expressing 15 minutes past the hour can be used for expressing 1-29 minutes past the hour and 31-44 minutes past the hour. The same structure that is used for expressing quarter till the hour can be used for expressing 14-1 minutes before the hour. Examples:
- 1:10 would be еден и десет
- 1:55 would be пет до два.
In more formal or literary contexts (covered in part 2), it is explained that Macedonians also use the 24-hour system, in which 13h is 1p.m., 14h is 2p.m., etc. This is what one would hear if he/she were to call the Macedonian Telecom phone service that gives the exact time. The number to dial for this service from within Macedonia is 185 and the service costs a nominal fee per call.