Jewish women and girls (or men, when there are no women present) light Shabbat candles 18 minutes before sunset on Friday afternoon and on the eve of Jewish holidays, often in the dining room where the festive holiday meal will soon take place. Single girls and women light one candle, and married women light (at least) two candles. The Hebrew term Shabbat was Anglicized as Sabbath. The traditional Ashkenazi pronunciation is SHAH-bus. Sephardim (and Modern Hebrew speakers), on the other hand, call it shah-BAHT.