Converting military time to standard time can seem daunting at first, but with some simple tricks, you can easily do these conversions in your head. Learning to quickly convert between the 12-hour clock and 24-hour clock systems takes a bit of practice, but soon it will become second nature. This guide will provide easy step-by-step instructions to mentally convert military time.
Also known as the 24-hour clock, military time is used by the armed forces, emergency services, transportation networks, and hospitals to avoid any ambiguity that could arise from mixing up AM and PM. In the military time system, the day starts at midnight, which is 0000 hours. It then goes up to 0059 hours just before 1 AM.
In the 12-hour clock, 1 AM is followed by 2 AM and so on up to 12 PM at noon. But in the 24-hour format, 1 AM is 0100 hours, 2 AM is 0200 and noon is 1200 hours. The counting continues up to 2359 hours to complete the 24-hour cycle and start over at 0000 hours again.
So in military time, there is no AM or PM - just the 24 hours from 0000 to 2359. This simple distinction removes any doubt about specific times during the day.
Converting military time in your head becomes quick and easy with the following simple tricks:
If the military time is 1300 hours or later, simply subtract 12 to get the PM equivalent.
For example:
So just subtracting 12 gives you the 12-hour time.
If you're given a regular PM time, add 1200 to convert it to military hours.
For example:
By adding 1200, you can easily switch PM times over to military time.
For even hours, think of double numbers to remember the military time equivalents. Like:
Simply doubling the 12-hour time gives you the correct military time conversion.
For time an hour before or after an even number, just add or subtract 100.
Like:
By adding or subtracting 100 from the even base number, you can easily convert times that are +/- 1 hour from doubles.
Follow this quick step-by-step guide to easily convert military time in your head:
Using these simple rules, you can quickly convert time like:
With practice, you'll be able to do these quickly without even thinking!
Here is a quick reference cheat sheet for some common military time conversions:
Standard Time Military Time 12 AM 0000 hours 1 AM 0100 hours 2 AM 0200 hours 3 AM 0300 hours 4 AM 0400 hours 5 AM 0500 hours 6 AM 0600 hours 7 AM 0700 hours 8 AM 0800 hours 9 AM 0900 hours 10 AM 1000 hours 11 AM 1100 hours 12 PM 1200 hours 1 PM 1300 hours 2 PM 1400 hours 3 PM 1500 hours 4 PM 1600 hours 5 PM 1700 hours 6 PM 1800 hours 7 PM 1900 hours 8 PM 2000 hours 9 PM 2100 hours 10 PM 2200 hours 11 PM 2300 hoursRefer to this handy military time conversion chart whenever you need to quickly check or remember a time translation.
When looking at digital clocks or time displays, military time conversion is even easier.
For digital formats:
So on digital screens, you just need to check if the number is 12 or higher, then subtract 12 to get the matching 12-hour time.
The military also needs to indicate time beyond a single 24 hour period for operations and schedules that extend multiple days.
For military times beyond 2400 hours:
Just subtract 24 hours from any military time over 2400 to get the standard equivalent time. This allows the military to easily track ops spanning multiple days.
The 24-hour system provides clarity and precision that eliminates any AM/PM confusion. This makes military time ideal for:
Using a 24-hour clock avoids mistakes coordinating events across global time zones or multiple daylight cycles. The unambiguous nature of military time is critical for clear communications in many fields.
To visualize and memorize military time conversions, you can create a simple Military time chart showing the 24-hour timeline:
Standard Time Military Time 12 AM 0000 1 AM 0100 2 AM 0200 3 AM 0300 4 AM 0400 5 AM 0500 6 AM 0600 7 AM 0700 8 AM 0800 9 AM 0900 10 AM 1000 11 AM 1100 12 PM 1200 1 PM 1300 2 PM 1400 3 PM 1500 4 PM 1600 5 PM 1700 6 PM 1800 7 PM 1900 8 PM 2000 9 PM 2100 10 PM 2200 11 PM 2300Having a military time conversion chart like this can help you quickly check and learn the 24-hour time equivalents. Refer to it whenever needed as a handy reference guide.
The 24-hour time system is referred to as military time because it was first widely adopted by the military to avoid confusion related to AM and PM distinctions. The precise nature of the 24-hour clock made it standard for military operations.
Military time is used in the majority of countries around the world, especially in transportation, government, and multinational business communication. Only a few countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia primarily use 12-hour time in daily life.
When reading military time out loud, state the number of hours and minutes consecutively. For example, 1:30 PM would be stated as “thirteen thirty hours”.
13:00 in military time is 1:00 PM. Any military time from 13:00 to 23:59 is PM by subtracting 12 hours. 00:00 to 12:59 is AM. So 13:00 would equate to 1:00 PM in 12-hour time.
Using military time can be beneficial at jobs requiring tight scheduling and clear time Communications across time zones. Many corporate environments use military time to plan global conference calls, IT operations, and project timelines.
Converting between standard and military time systems is a useful skill for work, travel, and effective communication. With some memorization techniques and practice, you can quickly translate military hours in your head through simple subtraction, doubles, and addition. Understanding the 24-hour clock removes ambiguity and ensures accurate coordination across diverse industries and international borders. Mentally converting times is an important talent that will allow you to seamlessly use military time.
