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Questions & Answers about كم الساعة الآن؟
Why do we use كم (how much/many) instead of the Arabic word for "what"?
In English, we ask "what time is it?", but in Arabic, we literally ask "how much is the hour?". The word كم (kam) means "how much" or "how many".
Does الساعة usually mean "time" or "hour"?
الساعة (as-sā'a) literally means "the hour", but it is also the word used for "the clock" or "a watch". When asking for the time, Arabic focuses specifically on the "hour".
Where are the words for "is" and "it" in this sentence?
They aren't there! In Arabic, simple present tense sentences don't use a word for "is", "are", or "am". The "it is" part is naturally understood from the context of putting these words together.
What is that wavy line over the alif in الآن?
That symbol is called a madda (آ). It tells you to pronounce the letter as a long, stretched out "aa" sound. So الآن is pronounced "al-'aan", meaning "now".