# Around the clock



## ger4

Hello,

How would you translate these two sentences into your language (or any of the languages you speak) ?
- One day has 24 hours.
- The supermarket is open around the clock.

It strikes me that some languages have a seperate word for 'day' in order to express a period lasting from midnight to midnight. 

Danish, for instance, uses the noun _døgn_ instead of _dag_ ('day'):
- _Et døgn har 24 timer (Lit.: One "døgn" has 24 hours)._
- _Supermarkedet holder døgnåbent (Lit.: Supermarket-the holds "døgn"-open). _

German doesn't have an equivalent for _døgn_ so we use similar expressions as in English:
- _Ein Tag hat 24 Stunden (Lit.: One day has 24 hours)._
- _Der Supermarkt hat rund um die Uhr geöffnet (Lit.: The supermarket has round around the clock opened)._

Polish has the noun _doba _(Polish speakers please correct any mistakes):
- _Doba ma 24 godziny (Lit.: "Doba" has 24 hours).
- Supermarket jest czynny calą dobę (Lit.: Supermarket is active whole "doba" / accusative)._

Estonian has _ööpäev_ ('night-day'), but I'm not sure if it's used that frequently...

French:  I guess _journée_ can't be used in this context, or can it...?

How about other languages? Many thanks in advance!


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## Penyafort

In Catalan:

- One day has 24 hours.
- *Un dia té 24 hores*. (_dia _can also be said _*jorn *_in literary use.)
- *Una jornada té 24 hores. *(This is mainly used when talking about _work's _or _journey's days_.)

- The supermarket is open around the clock.
- *El supermercat és obert les 24 hores *(*del dia*). (Literally, _the supermarket is open the 24 hours (of the day)._)


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## AutumnOwl

*Swedish:*
_Ett dygn har 24 timmar/Det går 24 timmar på ett dygn_ - A _dygn_ have 24 hours/There are 24 hours in a _dygn
Stormarknaden har öppet dygnet runt_ - The supermarket is open around the _dygn_
*
Finnish:*
_Vuorokausi - dygn
Vuorokaudessa on 24 tuntia_ - There are 24 hours in a _vuorokausi
Supermarketti on auki ympäri vuorokauden_ - The supermarket is open around _vuorokausi_


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## Peterdg

In Dutch:

_Een dag heeft 24 uren.
De supermarkt is 24 uur op 24 open_. or _De supermarkt is de klok rond open_.

Dutch also has a special word for the time period from midnight to midnight: "etmaal", but usually we just use "dag" (= "day" in English).


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## ger4

Many thanks for your answers. Dutch _etmaal_ reminds me of a (German) nautical term, _Etmal_, which can be used for a 24-hour period. Interesting to compare the word order: 'around the clock' in English and German, 'the clock around' in Dutch, '_dygnet_ around' in Swedish, but 'around _vuorokausi_' in Finnish...


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## Encolpius

- One day has 24 *hours*.
- The supermarket is open *around the clock*.

*Hungarian *

- Egy nap 24 *órából *áll. 
- A szupermarket *éjjel-nappal* nyitva tart. [éjjel-nappal = night-day]

Tschüss...


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## Armas

Encolpius said:


> *Hungarian*
> 
> - Egy nap 24 *órából *áll.
> - A szupermarket *éjjel-nappal* nyitva tart. [éjjel-nappal = night-day]



But wasn't the question about dag -- døgn? No "døgn" in Hungarian?

My understanding is that *Russian* сутки is "døgn", and around the clock is круглые (round, adj.) сутки.


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## Encolpius

makes no difference....nothing fascinating or interesting in Hungarian....(either in Czech)


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## apmoy70

Greek:

-Η μέρα έχει 24 ώρες [i ˈmeɾa ˈeçi ikosiˈteseɾis ˈoɾes] --> _the day has twenty-four hours_
or
-Το ημερονύχτιο έχει 24 ώρες [to imeɾoˈnixti.o ˈeçi ikosiˈteseɾis ˈoɾes] --> _the day-night (period) has twenty-four hours_.
The former is common, the latter is more poetic (and used mostly in plural: *«μερόνυχτα»* [meˈɾonixta] (neut. nom. pl.) --> _day-nights_).

-To σουπερμάρκετ είναι ανοικτό ολόκληρο το εικοσιτετράτωρο [to ˈsuperˌmarcet ˈine aniˈkto oˈlokliɾo to ikositeˈtra.oɾo] --> _the supermarket is open the whole twenty-four-hour-period_.

Etymology
-MoGr fem. noun *«μέρα»* [ˈmeɾa] --> _day_, aphetic form of Classical fem. noun *«ἡμέρᾱ» hēmérā* --> _day_ (PIE *Heh₂mer- _day_ cf Arm. օր (ōr), _day_).
-MoGr neut. noun *«ημερονύχτιο»* [imeɾoˈnixti.o] --> _day-night_ < compound; fem. noun *«ημέρα»* [ˈimeɾa] --> _day_ (see above) + fem. noun *«νύχτα»* [ˈnixta] --> _night_ < Classical 3rd declension fem. noun *«νύξ» núk͡s* (nom. sing.), *«νυκτός» nuktós* (gen. sing.) --> _night_ (PIE *nekʷt-/*nokʷt-/*negʷʰ- _night, become dark_ cf old inhereted word for night retained in most IE languages Skt.नक् (nak), Lat. nox etc.).
-ΜοGr neut. noun *«εικοσιτετράωρο»* [ikositeˈtra.oɾo] --> _period-of-twenty-four-hours_ < compound; cardinal *«είκοσι»* [ˈkosi] --> _twenty_ < Classical cardinal *«εἴκοσι» eíkŏsĭ* --> _twenty_ (PIE *dui-dkmt-i(H) _twenty_ cf Skt. विंशति (viṃśati), Av. vīsaʲti) + combinatory form *«τετρα-» tĕtra- *of Classical cardinal *«τέσσαρα» téssară* --> _four_ (PIE *kʷetuer _four_ cf Skt. चत्वारः (catvāraḥ), ToA śtwar, ToB śtwer, Lith keturi) + Classical fem. noun *«ὥρᾱ» hṓrā* --> _season, year, time of day, hour, right time, florescence, time of ripening_ (PIE *Hieh₁-r-/*Hioh₁-r- _year_ cf Av. yārɘ, Proto-Germanic *i̯era, Proto-Slavic *jarъ).


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## ger4

Holger2014 said:


> ... _*całą* dobę..._


Typos, typos, typos...


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## ger4

Armas said:


> My understanding is that *Russian* сутки is "døgn", and around the clock is круглые (round, adj.) сутки.


It's interesting that the Russian term is in the plural.

I googled these sentences and at least they seem to exist... but do they sound idiomatic?...  

В сутках 24 часа / V sutkakh 24 chasa.
Lit.: In sutki (prepositive plural) 24 hours.
= One day has 24 hours.

Супермаркет работает круглые сутки / Supermarket rabotayet kruglye sutki.
Lit.: Supermarket works round (adj, acc pl) sutki (acc pl).
= The supermarket is open around the clock.

Супермаркет работает круглосуточно / Supermarket rabotayet kruglosutochno.
Lit.: Supermarket works "round-sutki-ish" (adverb).
= The supermarket is open around the clock.


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## DearPrudence

In *French*:

- One *day *has 24 hours. → *Une journée compte 24 heures / Il y a 24 heures dans une journée* _(literally: A day counts/is made of 24 hours / There are 24 hours in a day)_
- The supermarket is open *around the clock*. → *Le supermarché est ouvert 24 heures sur 24* _(literally: The supermarket is open 24 hours out of 24)_


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## ThomasK

Peterdg said:


> In Dutch:
> 
> _Een dag heeft 24 uren. _


_Een dag telt 24 uren...[lit.: counts]_


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## ilocas2

Czech (lit. trans.):

Jeden den má 24 hodin. - One day has 24 hours.

Supermarket má otevřeno 24 hodin denně. - Supermarket has opened 24 hours daily.
Supermarket má otevřeno nonstop. - Supermarket has opened nonstop.
Supermarket je otevřený 24 hodin denně. - Supermarket is opened 24 hours daily.
Supermarket je otevřený nonstop. - Supermarket is opened nonstop.


In Czech Republic supermarkets opened around the clock are extremely rare. I have seen them only in Prague.


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## mataripis

1.)One day has 24 hrs- ang isang araw ay may dalawampu at apat na oras.2.) We open 24 hrs- kami ay bukas maghapon at magdamag.


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## 810senior

Holger2014 said:


> Hello,
> 
> How would you translate these two sentences into your language (or any of the languages you speak) ?
> - One day has 24 hours.
> - The supermarket is open around the clock.



Japanese:
一日は24時間である。 ichinichi wa nizyuu yojikan de aru.
ichinichi=one day, nizyuu yojikan=24 hours, dearu=copula.

あのスーパーは一日中開いている。 ano suupaa wa ichinichi zyuu aiteiru.
ano=that, suupaa=supermarket, wa=topic marker, ichinichi-zyuu=all along the day, aiteiru=be open.


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## ger4

Thank you for all the replies!


mataripis said:


> 1.)One day has 24 hrs- ang isang araw ay may dalawampu at apat na oras.2.) We open 24 hrs- kami ay bukas maghapon at magdamag.


Does _maghapon at magdamag_ mean something like 'all day and all night'?


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## mataripis

Exactly!  all day and all night can be "buong araw at gabi".


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## Messquito

一天有二十四小時
這間超市 二十四小時營業/營業一整天


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## ger4

Messquito said:


> 一天有二十四小時
> 這間超市 二十四小時營業/營業一整天


Thank you. I tried to translate the two sentences word-by-word (correct me if I got it wrong)...

一 yí = one
天  tiān = day
有 yǒu = has
二十四 èr shí sì = 24
小時 xiǎo shí = hour

這 zhè = this
間  jiān = classifier (for buildings in general?)
超市 chāo shì = supermarket
二十四 èr shí sì = 24
小時 xiǎo shí = hour
營業 yíng yè = trades, does business

營業 yíng yè = trades, does business
一 yí = one
整天 zhěng tiān = the whole day

Edit: Thanks for the explanations! --> #24


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## Encolpius

Holger2014 said:


> - The supermarket is open around the clock.



Is that a correct English? Would an Englishman or American say that sentence?


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## ger4

I've heard it in the UK but Americans would probably say 'superstore' instead. Perhaps there are different and better ways to phrase this sentence - suggestions welcome...


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## Encolpius

Holger2014 said:


> I've heard it in the UK...



said by an Englishman?


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## Messquito

Holger2014 said:


> [...]
> 一 yī = one
> 天  tiān = day
> 有 you = has
> 二十四 èr shí sì = 24
> 小時 xiǎo shí = hour
> [...]


There's nothing to correct, good job! If anything, it's merely the tones.

First, it's the tones of ㄧ. This character can be yī, yí, or yì.
Rules:
when there are no other digits before ㄧ/1: (the digits include 零一二三四五六七八九十, but not 千萬億兆)
yí + fourth tone/neutral tone: 一座、一架、一個、一萬、一億、一兆
yì + other tones (except 十): 一根、一條、一晚、一百、一千
when there are other digits before ㄧ/1: (the digits include 零一二三四五六七八九十, but not 千萬億兆)
yī
e.g. *有一億一千一百一十一萬ㄧ千一百一十一個人*
So both of the ㄧ's are yì here. They are not followed by another digit and 天 is in the first tone.

The second 小時 is xiǎo shí, like the first one.

有 is yǒu, in the third tone.


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## ger4

Encolpius said:


> said by an Englishman?


I'm not quite sure but here are some links (1 2 3 4) with examples. Sometimes a word or even a sentence sounds odd when you encounter it 'on its own' but in a context or in a sequence of sentences it fits in quite well... Of course you can also come across other expressions like 'the supermarket (superstore) opens' ('open' used as a verb). I don't know which version sounds better to native speakers' ears.
Edit - some quotes:
[1]_ What the young people of this town need is a drop-in centre that's open around the clock.  _
[2] _[...] and create a supermarket – [name of a supermarket chain] – that would be open around the clock. _
[4] _[Name of a supermarket chain] at_ _[...]_ _is open around the clock._


Messquito said:


> First, it's the tones of ㄧ.[...]


Many thanks for these explanations - I've edited the last post now.


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## Encolpius

No problem...I just wonder what natives think about it....


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## kaverison

Tamil

1. Oru naalaikku 24 mani neeram.

2. Supermarkettu eppavum thiranthu irrukkum.
Eppavum - always

Or you may hear the negative:

_Supermakkettu moodarathee illa!_
Meaning, supermarket never closes.

*Note*: There is a modern word for super market - sirappu angaadi, a direct translation. You may see it in signs, but you don't hear people say it. 
It may often be simplified to "kadai" - shop, in spoken usage.


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## 810senior

Japanese,
Let me give some examples for this once again:

The supermarket is open *around the clock.*
(1) あのお店は*四六時中*やっている。
(2) あのお店は*いつも*開いている。
(3) あのお店は*２４時間ぶっ通しで*やっている。
(4) あのお店は*休みなく*やっている。

(1) shirokujichuu : around 4(shi)*6(roku) hours. (means all day long)
(2) itsumo: always, all the time
(3) nijuu yojikan buttooshide : throughout 24 hours. (means all day long)
(4) yasumi naku: without a break


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## bigic

Serbian:
Jedan dan ima 24 sata.
Supermarket radi ceo dan. (ceo dan - lit. "whole day")


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## ger4

@kaverison @810senior @bigic Thanks for your replies. Tamil hasn't been mentioned often on this forum (yet) so that's especially interesting.


810senior said:


> *四六時中*


At first, I didn't quite understand the logic of 4 and 6 here but does it perhaps mean something like the four six-hour periods of the day?


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## bigic

Serbian also has the expression "non stop" with similar meaning.
_Supermarket radi non stop._


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## ger4

bigic said:


> Serbian also has the expression "non stop" with similar meaning.
> _Supermarket radi non stop._


That sounds simple and logical... I wonder why this expression isn't used in German; probably because there are very few supermarkets here that open non-stop so we don't have a commonly used expression...


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## 810senior

Holger2014 said:


> @kaverison @810senior @bigic Thanks for your replies. Tamil hasn't been mentioned often on this forum (yet) so that's especially interesting.
> At first, I didn't quite understand the logic of 4 and 6 here but does it perhaps mean something like the four six-hour periods of the day?


It means the multiplication - you can find out the solution just by multiplying four by six.


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## kaverison

Holger2014 said:


> @kaverison @810senior @bigic Thanks for your replies. Tamil hasn't been mentioned often on this forum (yet) so that's especially interesting.
> At first, I didn't quite understand the logic of 4 and 6 here but does it perhaps mean something like the four six-hour periods of the day?



Thank you @Holger2014 for the warm welcome. I am happy to have stumbled on this site. Lot to learn. I consider myself a student of Tamil and I hope to bring out what I learn in that journey. 

Our language is one of the oldest, a classical language, has continuous spoken and literary history. It suffered a set back with Sanskrit getting royal patronage in the past, and of late it is being threatened by English. 

English mixing is so overwhelming that there is even a word for this "new" tongue - thanglish or tamingilam (tamil + aangilam - english)! 

I think, the language is in suffering from both from deserters and from purists trying to save it!! It's got a rich grammar and a large vocabulary, but our normal usage vocubulary is shrinking - filled with foreign words! 

Sorry for the interlude - I just wanted to clarify the unique position Tamil is in - struggling to keep up with modernizing, while not losing heritage. I would love to hear any other languages going thru such a dichotomy and survival.


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## ger4

810senior said:


> It means the multiplication - you can find out the solution just by multiplying four by six


Many thanks. Mathematically, that's quite obvious... I was just surprised that in this expression the day is divided into four parts. I've never really thought about this but it seems to me that in English and German, for instance, it's more common to "divide" the 24-hour period into either day and night, AM and PM or morning, noon, afternoon, evening and night (thus, either two or five "units"). It's always interesting to see how different languages describe everyday life patterns differently.


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## kaverison

Tamil

810senior,@Holger2014, interesting you say that. Old Tamils actually had a totally different time calculations. The day was indeed divided into 6 parts - from trusty wikipedia :

சிறுபொழுது (small period - Daily)
1. காலை (kaalai): 6AM-11AM
2. நண்பகல் (naNpagal): 11AM-2PM
3. ஏற்பாடு (ERpaadu): 2PM-6PM
4. மாலை (maalai): 6PM-11PM
5. இடையாமம் (idaiyaamam): 10PM-2AM
6. வைகறை (vaikaRai): 2AM-6AM

There was also perum pozhuthu - for seasons. See  Tamil calendar wiki for more info.

I don't remember  any expression to describe a day as 6 parts (poothu or pozhuthu) now, but I'm sure there used to be, before we adopted western calendar fully.

Note: O or oo as in floor or door.


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## 810senior

Holger2014 said:


> Many thanks. Mathematically, that's quite obvious... I was just surprised that in this expression the day is divided into four parts. I've never really thought about this but it seems to me that in English and German, for instance, it's more common to "divide" the 24-hour period into either day and night, AM and PM or morning, noon, afternoon, evening and night (thus, either two or five "units"). It's always interesting to see how different languages describe everyday life patterns differently.





kaverison said:


> Tamil
> 
> 810senior,@Holger2014, interesting you say that. Old Tamils actually had a totally different time calculations. The day was indeed divided into 6 parts - from trusty wikipedia :



This Japanese expression dates back to 二六時中_nirokujichuu_, literally meaning around two-times-six hours, which stemmed from a thought that a day is consisted of twelve parts(each part is equal to two hours in the modern time).
_Shirokujichuu _is a term coined anew that has been adjusted just in modern standard that a day is equal to twenty-four hours.

Surprisingly Japanese also has as similar ones as in Tamil language. (We thought them up by linking with animal name such as rat, cow, rabbit, drago, and so one)
Here is a full list about this.

P.S
I have no idea why it says that _four and six_(四六=46) might be equal to _twenty-four_(二十四=24) (in my thinking, of course anyone will do, it must be equal to forty-six as compared to decimal system, hope any of Chinese let me know about this mystery)


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