Learn Inuttitut: Telling Time

Telling time in Labrador Inuttitut was originally based on German (Moravian) ways of telling time so you will see a) numbers which were borrowed from German numbers and b) ways of expressing time that are very different from English ways.

What time is it?	sunalialikKâ?
It is 3 o'clock.	taraivuk.
It is going on 9 o'clock.	nainalialikKuk. It is after 8 going on 9. Note -lik has to be followed by -Kuk.
I will leave at 3 o'clock.	aullaniakKunga taraimi.
It is 3:30.	fiaraliak agvavuk. It is half going to 4. Note one must use the next hour — four in this case.
It is 25 to eleven (or 10:35).	ailfaliak sepavuk. The little hand is going to 11, and the big hand is on the 7. The little hand number gets -liak and the big hand number gets -vuk.
It is 25 after 10 (or 10:25).	ailfaliak finfivuk. The little hand is going to 11 and the big hand is on 5. In English we say after, but the focus in Labrador is on where the little hand is heading to (-liak).
At 11:21	suvailfaliak finfiliami. Here the little hand is heading to 12 and the big hand is in between 4 (twenty after) and 5.
From 3-4	taraiminit fiaramunut.
From 10:30am to 12	ullâk ailfaliak agvaminit suvailfamunut.