office hours

Meaning

This phrase refers to the standard hours of the day during which business is conducted or when an employee (or professor) is available to meet. It typically spans from morning to late afternoon, such as 9 AM to 5 PM.

Examples

• Our official office hours are from nine to five, Monday to Friday.

  Our official office hours are from nine to five, Monday to Friday.

• Please call us during office hours if you have any questions.

  Please call us during office hours if you have any questions.

• The professor has office hours every Tuesday afternoon.

  The professor has office hours every Tuesday afternoon.

• I cannot answer work emails outside of office hours.

  I cannot answer work emails outside of office hours.

• The clinic's office hours change during the holidays.

  The clinic's office hours change during the holidays.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I will call you in office hour.

  ✓ I will call you during office hours.

  The phrase is almost always plural ('office hours') and is typically paired with the preposition 'during' rather than 'in'.

• ✗ What are your office times?

  ✓ What are your office hours?

  While 'times' makes sense logically, 'office hours' is the standard, natural collocation used in English.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Please do not call me after ___ unless it is an emergency.

  💡 Standard working time.

  Show answer

  office hours

• The manager's ___ are posted on the door.

  💡 Available meeting times.

  Show answer

  office hours