時差英文怎麼說？「台灣快 13 小時」用 ahead 不是 faster

週一晚上九點，你準時打開視訊要跟紐約同事開會，卻發現對方還在喝早餐咖啡。你脫口說 “Taiwan is twelve hours faster, right?”，又問 “What time is it in your side?”——原來美國上週日剛換回冬令時間。

「台灣比較快」英文說 Taiwan is thirteen hours ahead.；「我們差 13 小時」是 There’s a thirteen-hour time difference.；「你那邊幾點」就問 What time is it there?

💡 先搞懂：時差英文，別直翻「快、差、那邊」

中文說「台灣比較快」「我們差 13 小時」「你那邊幾點」，直翻成英文會變成 faster、have 13 hours difference、your side，老外聽得懂但很不自然。英文講時差有固定說法：時間超前用 ahead、落後用 behind，時差說 a thirteen-hour time difference，問對方時間就說 What time is it there?。還有一個 11 月限定的坑：美國 11/1 剛結束夏令時間（fall back），台灣跟美東的時差從 12 小時變成 13 小時。

台灣人最容易卡的雷：① Taiwan is twelve hours faster → Taiwan is thirteen hours ahead；② We have thirteen hours difference → There’s a thirteen-hour time difference；③ What time is it in your side? → What time is it there?

Table of contents

💡 先搞懂：時差英文，別直翻「快、差、那邊」

情境對話 Dialogue
🎯 30 秒快速複習
下次這樣說 Next Time
重點單字 Vocabulary Boost
重點句型 Sentence Patterns
逐字稿 Transcript
延伸學習 Keep Going

情境對話 Dialogue

邊聽邊學

這一集完整音檔就在這裡，也可以到 Apple 或 Spotify 收聽

立即播放約 6 分

場景：美國剛結束夏令時間的那個週一，台北工程師 Kevin 晚上九點打開視訊，要跟紐約同事 Mike 開每週例會。

Mike

Kevin? Hey! You’re early. Our call isn’t until nine.

Kevin？嘿！你早到了。我們的會議九點才開始。

Kevin

Early? It’s nine p.m. here. Taiwan is twelve hours faster than New York, right?

早到？我這邊晚上九點了。台灣比紐約快 12 小時，對吧？（要說 twelve hours ahead）

Mike

Twelve hours ahead? Not anymore. Our clocks fell back on Sunday, so Taiwan is thirteen hours ahead now.

快 12 小時？現在不是了。我們週日把時鐘撥慢了，所以台灣現在快 13 小時。

Kevin

Fell back? Wait, what time is it in your side?

撥慢？等等，你那邊現在幾點？（要說 What time is it there?）

Mike

What time is it here? It’s eight in the morning. Daylight saving time just ended, so we moved our clocks back one hour.

我這邊幾點？早上八點。夏令時間剛結束，所以我們把時鐘往回撥了一小時。

Kevin

Oh no. So now we have thirteen hours difference?

糟糕。所以我們現在差 13 小時？（要說 There’s a thirteen-hour time difference）

Mike

Yep, there’s a thirteen-hour time difference. Fall back in November, spring forward in March.

對，現在時差 13 小時。11 月撥慢一小時，3 月再撥快一小時。

Kevin

That’s so confusing! Taiwan doesn’t change the clocks at all.

好複雜喔！台灣完全不用調時鐘。

Mike

Lucky you. So should we just start now, or wait an hour?

真羨慕你。那我們現在直接開始，還是再等一小時？

Kevin

Let’s start now. It’s getting late for me.

現在開始吧，我這邊越來越晚了。

Mike

Sounds good. And next week, let’s say nine a.m. my time. That’s ten p.m. your time.

好啊。那下週就約我這邊早上九點，也就是你那邊晚上十點。

Kevin

Nine a.m. your time, ten p.m. my time. Got it! I’ll put it in my calendar.

你那邊早上九點，我這邊晚上十點。了解！我會記進行事曆。

🎯 30 秒快速複習

台灣比較快＝Taiwan is ahead／時差 13 小時＝a thirteen-hour time difference／你那邊幾點＝What time is it there?／撥慢一小時＝fall back

①台灣快 13 小時＝Taiwan is thirteen hours ahead.

②美國慢 13 小時＝New York is thirteen hours behind.

③時差 13 小時＝There’s a thirteen-hour time difference.

④你那邊幾點？＝What time is it there?

⑤我這邊早上八點＝It’s eight in the morning here.

⑥時鐘撥慢一小時＝fall back

⑦時鐘撥快一小時＝spring forward

⑧你那邊晚上十點＝ten p.m. your time

下次這樣說 Next Time

跟國外開視訊、約時間，台灣人最常直翻的三句。

① 台灣比較快

❌ 中文腦會說

Taiwan is twelve hours faster.

faster 是速度快

✅ 該這樣說

Taiwan is thirteen hours ahead.

台灣快 13 小時。

為什麼：faster 講的是速度（跑得比較快），時間超前要用 ahead，落後用 behind：New York is thirteen hours behind Taiwan.

② 我們差 13 小時

❌ 中文腦會說

We have thirteen hours difference.

少了冠詞、說法不自然

✅ 該這樣說

There’s a thirteen-hour time difference.

時差 13 小時。

為什麼：時差是 time difference，前面接 a thirteen-hour（當形容詞時 hour 不加 s、中間加連字號）。口語也常說 We’re thirteen hours apart.

③ 你那邊幾點

❌ 中文腦會說

What time is it in your side?

side 是直翻「那邊」

✅ 該這樣說

What time is it there?

你那邊現在幾點？

為什麼：英文用 here（我這邊）、there（你那邊）就夠了，不用 side。回答說 It’s eight in the morning here.

重點單字 Vocabulary Boost

time difference/taɪm ˈdɪfərəns/ n.

時差。

There’s a thirteen-hour time difference.（時差 13 小時。）

ahead/əˈhɛd/ adv.

（時間）超前，鐘上的時間比較晚。

Taiwan is thirteen hours ahead.（台灣快 13 小時。）

behind/bɪˈhaɪnd/ adv.

（時間）落後，鐘上的時間比較早。

New York is thirteen hours behind Taiwan.（紐約比台灣慢 13 小時。）

hours apart/aʊrz əˈpɑrt/ phr.

相差幾個小時。

We’re thirteen hours apart.（我們差 13 小時。）

daylight saving time/ˈdeɪlaɪt ˈseɪvɪŋ taɪm/ n.

夏令時間（日光節約時間）。

Daylight saving time just ended.（夏令時間剛結束。）

fall back/fɔl bæk/ v.

（11 月）時鐘撥慢一小時。

Our clocks fell back on Sunday.（我們週日把時鐘撥慢了。）

spring forward/sprɪŋ ˈfɔrwɚd/ v.

（3 月）時鐘撥快一小時。

We spring forward in March.（我們 3 月撥快一小時。）

your time/jʊr taɪm/ phr.

（跨時區）你那邊的時間。

That’s ten p.m. your time.（那是你那邊晚上十點。）

重點句型 Sentence Patterns

1. 台灣比較快 → Taiwan is ahead

時間超前用 ahead、落後用 behind，不用 faster／slower。

例：”Taiwan is thirteen hours ahead of New York.”（「台灣比紐約快 13 小時。」）
例：”New York is thirteen hours behind Taiwan.”（「紐約比台灣慢 13 小時。」）
例：”We’re a day ahead of you.”（「我們比你們早一天。」）

faster／slower 講的是速度或手錶走得快慢：My watch is five minutes fast.（我的錶快了五分鐘。）

2. 時差 13 小時 → a thirteen-hour time difference

時差是 time difference；數字當形容詞時 hour 不加 s、中間加連字號。

例：”There’s a thirteen-hour time difference.”（「時差 13 小時。」）
例：”We’re thirteen hours apart.”（「我們差 13 小時。」）
例：”What’s the time difference?”（「時差多少？」）

時差是 time difference；數字當形容詞時 hour 不加 s、中間加連字號。

3. 你那邊幾點 → What time is it there?

here＝我這邊、there＝你那邊，不用 side。

例：”What time is it there?”（「你那邊幾點？」）
例：”It’s eight in the morning here.”（「我這邊早上八點。」）
例：”Is it too late for you?”（「對你來說會不會太晚？」）

here＝我這邊、there＝你那邊，不用 side。

4. 約時間 → nine a.m. my time

跨時區約時間，一定講清楚是誰那邊的時間。

例：”How about nine a.m. my time?”（「約我這邊早上九點如何？」）
例：”That’s ten p.m. your time.”（「那是你那邊晚上十點。」）
例：”Does that work for you?”（「你那個時間可以嗎？」）

寫信約會議時也常直接寫時區：9 a.m. ET（美東時間）／10 p.m. Taiwan time。

5. 夏令時間 → fall back／spring forward

美國口訣：秋天往回撥（fall back）、春天往前撥（spring forward）。

例：”Our clocks fell back on Sunday.”（「我們週日把時鐘撥慢了。」）
例：”Daylight saving time just ended.”（「夏令時間剛結束。」）
例：”Don’t forget, we spring forward in March.”（「別忘了，3 月要撥快一小時。」）

美國多數州在 11 月第一個週日撥慢一小時、3 月第二個週日撥快一小時（夏威夷和亞利桑那州大部分地區不換）；台灣沒有夏令時間，所以每年這兩次時差都會變。

逐字稿 Transcript

Picture this. It’s nine p.m. in Taipei, and you open the video call. Your coworker in New York is still drinking his morning coffee. I’m Jason, and welcome to MJ English. Let’s fix three time zone mistakes.想像一下：台北晚上九點，你打開視訊，紐約的同事還在喝早上的咖啡。我是 Jason，歡迎來到 MJ English。今天我們來修三個時差的常見錯誤。

Here’s the story. Kevin, an engineer in Taipei, joins a call with his coworker Mike. Kevin says, “Taiwan is twelve hours faster than New York, right?” Okay, mistake number one is that word, faster.故事是這樣的：台北的工程師 Kevin 跟同事 Mike 開視訊。Kevin 說了 Taiwan is twelve hours faster than New York。第一個錯就是 faster 這個字。

Faster is about speed, like a fast car or a fast runner. For time, we say ahead. Taiwan is thirteen hours ahead. And New York is thirteen hours behind. Ahead means later on the clock. Behind means earlier.faster 是講速度，像跑很快的車。講時間要用 ahead。Taiwan is thirteen hours ahead，紐約則是 thirteen hours behind。ahead 就是對方的時鐘走在前面、時間比較晚；behind 就是時間比較早。

And Mike says, “Twelve hours ahead? Not anymore. Our clocks fell back on Sunday, so Taiwan is thirteen hours ahead now.” See, he uses ahead, just like we said.然後 Mike 說：Twelve hours ahead? Not anymore. Our clocks fell back on Sunday, so Taiwan is thirteen hours ahead now. 你看，他用的就是 ahead。

Then Kevin asks, “Fell back? Wait, what time is it in your side?” That’s mistake number two. In your side is a word-for-word translation. In English, we just say, what time is it there?接著 Kevin 問：Fell back? Wait, what time is it in your side? 這是第二個錯。in your side 是中文直翻。英文只要說 What time is it there?

And Mike answers, “What time is it here? It’s eight in the morning.” So here means where I am, and there means where you are. Easy, right? No side needed, and no extra words.Mike 回答：What time is it here? It’s eight in the morning. 所以 here 就是我在的地方，there 就是你在的地方。很簡單吧？完全不需要 side，也不用多加字。

Now, why did the time change? Daylight saving time just ended in the US. In November, clocks fall back one hour. In March, they spring forward one hour. Taiwan doesn’t change its clocks at all, so the gap between us changes twice a year.那時間為什麼變了？美國的夏令時間剛結束。11 月時鐘會 fall back 撥慢一小時，3 月會 spring forward 撥快一小時。台灣不調，所以時差一年會變兩次。

Next, Kevin says, “Oh no. So now we have thirteen hours difference?” That’s mistake number three. It sounds close, but it’s not natural. Something’s missing, right? A little word, and a small change to hour.然後 Kevin 說：Oh no. So now we have thirteen hours difference? 這是第三個錯。聽起來很接近，但不自然。少了一個小字，hour 也要小改一下。

Mike fixes it. He says, “Yep, there’s a thirteen-hour time difference. Fall back in November, spring forward in March.” So it’s there’s a thirteen-hour time difference. When thirteen-hour comes before a noun, hour has no s.Mike 幫他改了：Yep, there’s a thirteen-hour time difference. Fall back in November, spring forward in March. 所以是 there’s a thirteen-hour time difference，thirteen-hour 放在名詞前面時，hour 不加 s。

You can also say, we’re thirteen hours apart. That one’s super easy, and people use it all the time, even in quick chats. Honestly, you can use it in your very next meeting.你也可以說 We’re thirteen hours apart。這個超簡單，大家天天在用。說真的，你下次開會就能馬上用。

One more thing. At the end, Mike says, “Sounds good. And next week, let’s say nine a.m. my time. That’s ten p.m. your time.” When you set a time across countries, always say whose time it is.還有一點。最後 Mike 說：Sounds good. And next week, let’s say nine a.m. my time. That’s ten p.m. your time. 跨國約時間，一定要講清楚是誰那邊的時間。

Okay, quick recap. Thirteen hours ahead, not faster. A thirteen-hour time difference, not thirteen hours difference. And what time is it there, not in your side. Fall back in November, spring forward in March.好，快速複習。要說 thirteen hours ahead，不是 faster。a thirteen-hour time difference，不是 thirteen hours difference。What time is it there，不是 in your side。11 月 fall back，3 月 spring forward。

Now let’s listen to the whole conversation one more time. This time, try to catch ahead, there, and time difference as they go by.現在我們把整段對話再聽一次。這次試著抓住 ahead、there 和 time difference 這幾個說法。

🔁 [DIALOGUE REPLAY] 重播情境對話

The second time through, you can hear how natural those three little fixes sound. Ahead, there, and time difference will start to feel like your own words.第二次聽，你會發現這三個小修正聽起來有多自然。ahead、there 和 time difference 會慢慢變成你自己的話。

Now it’s your turn. Leave a comment with one English sentence about your time difference with someone abroad. Follow MJ English so you don’t miss the next one. I’m Jason. Good luck with your next call, and talk soon!換你囉。留言用英文寫一句你跟國外某個人的時差。追蹤 MJ English，才不會錯過下一集。我是 Jason，下次開會順利，我們很快再聊！