Telling time in Italian is a fundamental skill for anyone learning the language. Just like in many other languages, Italian time expressions revolve around the 12-hour clock system, and it’s important to know how to ask for and tell the time in various contexts.

This article, from Hello-Hello Language on Go the top app for learning the Italian language devices explores how to express and understand time in Italian.

Basic Vocabulary:

Before diving into the specific rules and phrases, it’s essential to familiarize yourself with some basic Italian words related to time:

1. Ora – Hour
2. Minuto – Minute
3. Secondo – Second
4. Mezzogiorno – Noon
5. Mezzanotte – Midnight

Telling Time:

1. The Hours:

In Italian, you typically use the verb “essere” (to be) to tell the hour. Here’s how you do it:

1. To say “It is 1 o’clock,” you can use the phrase “È l’una.”
2. For numbers from 2 to 12, you use “Sono le” before the number, like “Sono le due” (It is 2 o’clock).
3. When the time is not exactly on the hour, you can add the minutes and say something like “Sono le due e dieci” (It is 2:10).
4. Quarter and Half Hours:
   • To say “quarter past,” you use “e un quarto,” for example, “Sono le due e un quarto” (It is 2:15).
   • To say “half past,” use “e mezza,” as in “Sono le tre e mezza” (It is 3:30).
5. Minutes:

For minutes other than a quarter and a half, you can simply add the number of minutes to the hour. For example, “Sono le quattro e venti” (It is 4:20).

4. To and Past:

Use “a” to express “to” and “e” to express “past” the hour. For example, “Sono le cinque meno dieci” (It is 4:50) and “Sono le sei e cinque” (It is 6:05).

5. Midnight and Noon:

To refer to midnight, you can say “È mezzanotte,” and for noon, “È mezzogiorno.”

Asking for the Time:

If you need to ask someone for the time in Italian, you can use the following phrases:

• “Che ora è?” (What time is it?)
• “Mi scusi, che ore sono?” (Excuse me, what time is it?)
• “Sai che ora è?” (Do you know what time it is?)

Time of Day:

Understanding different parts of the day in Italian is also essential. Here are some phrases related to the time of day:

• Il mattino – Morning
• Il pomeriggio – Afternoon
• La sera – Evening
• La notte – Night

Example Sentences:

1. “Sono le otto del mattino.” (It is 8 in the morning.)
2. “È mezzogiorno.” (It is noon.)
3. “Sono le sei e quaranta-cinque del pomeriggio.” (It is 6:45 in the afternoon.)
4. “Sono le dieci di sera.” (It is 10 in the evening.)

Telling time in Italian is not very complicated once you grasp the basics. Practice is the key to becoming proficient, so try to use these phrases and concepts regularly. Whether you’re travelling in Italy or conversing with Italian speakers, knowing how to tell time will undoubtedly come in handy and enhance your language skills. Buon tempo! (Good timing!)

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