If you go to a country with a different language and don’t have the ability to tell the time, you might quickly end up stuck!
Okay, so you can look on your phone and see what time it is, or your watch if you’re a traditionalist, but this doesn’t necessarily solve your problems. When communicating, we talk about the time in so many different situations and scenarios, not just wanting to know what the current time is.
Think about the following scenarios:
- You need to ask a bus driver what time the buses run until in the evening.
- You are arranging to meet up with somebody and you need to sort out a time.
- You want to know what time a restaurant opens.
- You need to know how long it takes to get to the airport so you can plan for your flight.
- Your friend seems tired so you want to ask them what time they got to sleep.
These are just a few examples, there are so many different scenarios where you need to know how to tell the time in Italian. If you think about how often you actually discuss the time in your native tongue, it is probably quite a lot.
This is foundational Italian knowledge. Whether you're catching a train, scheduling appointments, or meeting friends for dinner, understanding Italian time ensures seamless navigation of daily activities. From public transportation schedules to restaurant reservations, knowing how to express time in Italian provides smooth interactions and minimises misunderstandings.
Understanding Numbers
Okay, so this knowledge is probably obvious, but if you don’t already understand the numbers in Italian (at least numbers from 1-60) then it is probably time to go back and study these.
In Italian, just like in many other languages, the hours of the day are represented numerically. From "one" to "twelve," knowing these numbers is the basic building block for stating the hour accurately.
For instance, to say "it's six o'clock," you need to know the Italian word for "six" ("sei").
If you don’t have your knowledge of numbers perfected (or at least at a decent level) then taking a step back to look at this could make all the difference.
You should also be able to express minutes in Italian. Whether it's "one minute" or "fifty-nine minutes," understanding these numbers enables you to articulate the precise minute of the hour. What if you want to tell somebody the bus is coming in 40 minutes?
There are also fractions of an hour, such as "a quarter past" or "half past," which are used in a similar way to the English language.
Getting the basics right is a bit like learning the alphabet, everything is built from this.
At the very least, make sure you have 1-12 perfected:
| Number | Italian | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | uno | |
| 2 | due | |
| 3 | tre | |
| 4 | quattro | |
| 5 | cinque | |
| 6 | sei | |
| 7 | sette | |
| 8 | otto | |
| 9 | nove | |
| 10 | dieci | |
| 11 | undici | |
| 12 | dodici |
Asking About the Time
In Italian, you can inquire about the time using the following phrase:
Che ore sono? (What time is it?)
There are also other words that may mean time in Italian. “Tempo” discusses the time in more broad terms, such as talking about the concept of time rather than the specific time. To ask what time it currently is, “che ore sono” is the most common sentence to use. “Che ora è?” is another way to ask the time in Italian.
When responding to the question, you provide the current time using the following format:
Sono le [hour] e [minute]. (It is [hour] [and] [minute].)
If the time is exactly on the hour, you can use the phrase in punto to emphasise the exactness.
Sono le due in punto. (It is two o'clock sharp.)
Telling the Time: On The Hour
To tell the time on the hour precisely, the set structure Sono le applies for all hours, except 1 o’clock, which is singular. So, the term to explain that it is one o’clock is È l’una (It is one).
Below, we’ve got the basic times from 1-12 explained, and how to tell people that this is the time, or how to explain what time something is going to happen. For instance if you want to tell somebody a show starts at eight o’clock, you will say “alle otto”.
| English | Italian |
|---|---|
| It’s one o’clock / at one o’clock | È l’una / all’una |
| It’s two o’clock / at two o’clock | Sono le due / alle due |
| It’s three o’clock / at three o’clock | Sono le tre / alle tre |
| It’s four o’clock / at four o’clock | Sono le quattro / alle quattro |
| It’s five o’clock / at five o’clock | Sono le cinque / alle cinque |
| It’s six o’clock / at six o’clock | Sono le sei / alle sei |
| It’s seven o’clock / at seven o’clock | Sono le sette / alle sette |
| It’s eight o’clock / at eight o’clock | Sono le otto / alle otto |
| It’s nine o’clock / at nine o’clock | Sono le nove / alle nove |
| It’s ten o’clock / at ten o’clock | Sono le dieci / alle dieci |
| It’s eleven o’clock / at eleven o’clock | Sono le undici / alle undici |
| It’s twelve o’clock / at twelve o’clock | Sono le dodici / alle dodici |
Using Quarter Past, Half Past, and Quarter To
In Italian, expressing time using terms like "quarter past," "half past," and "quarter to" involves a combination of numbers and specific phrases, just like in English. Here's how you can use these terms in Italian time-telling:
Quarter Past ("Un Quarto")
To express "quarter past" in Italian, you can use the phrase "un quarto" (literally "one quarter"). This phrase indicates that a quarter of an hour has passed since the previous hour.
For example:
Sono le tre e un quarto. (It is quarter past three)
Half Past ("Mezzo")
In Italian, "half past" is expressed using the term "mezzo" (literally "half"). This indicates that half of the hour has passed since the previous hour.
For example:
Sono le quattro e mezzo. (It is half past four.)
Quarter To ("Meno un Quarto")
To express "quarter to" in Italian, you can use the phrase "meno un quarto" (literally "minus one quarter"). This phrase indicates that a quarter of an hour remains until the next hour.
For example:
Sono le dieci meno un quarto. (It is quarter to ten.)
AM and PM in Italian
Of course, a huge consideration is whether to use the 12h or 24h ways of communicating the time.
In formal settings or times for things like buses and trains, you will usually see the 24 hour system, which prevents any sort of confusion. AM and PM are concepts that are generally understood all over the world, but you can also use expressions to explain what time it is, such as:
di mattina (in the morning)
del pomeriggio (in the afternoon)
di sera (in the evening)
di notte (at night).
If we take our example of sono le dieci meno un quarto. (It is a quarter to ten) we can add “di notte” to explain we are referring to the nighttime rather than in the morning.
More Italian Terms Related to the Time
Using the time can be useful in so many scenarios in Italian, as can terms related to the time.
Expanding your vocabulary with time-related words in Italian is crucial for effectively communicating about all sorts of concepts, a lot like learning the days of the week or the alphabet. Here are some essential time-related words to learn in Italian:
| English Term | Italian Vocab |
|---|---|
| Hour | L'ora |
| Minute | Il minuto |
| Second | Il secondo |
| Day | Il giorno |
| Week | La settimana |
| Month | Il mese |
| Year | L'anno |
| Morning | La mattina |
| Afternoon | Il pomeriggio |
| Evening | La sera |
| Night | La notte |
| Midnight | Mezzanotte |
| Noon | Mezzogiorno |
| Yesterday | Ieri |
| Today | Oggi |
| Tomorrow | Domani |
| Weekend | Il fine settimana |
| Sunrise | L'alba |
| Sunset | Il tramonto |
| Clock | L'orologio |
Tips For Learning to Tell the Time in Italian
Begin by familiarizing yourself with the fundamental vocabulary related to time in Italian. Learn the words for "hour" (l'ora), "minute" (il minuto), and essential time-related phrases like "quarter past" (un quarto) and "half past" (mezzo). Establishing this foundational vocabulary will provide you with the building blocks necessary for expressing time accurately.
Immerse yourself in Italian language contexts by engaging in conversational practice. Ask native speakers what time it is (Che ore sono?) and practice responding to their inquiries. You can do the same talking about the weather or daily activities. Actively participating in conversations about time will enhance your confidence and fluency in expressing time in Italian.
Learning how to tell the time is something that everybody needs if they are going to spend any time in Italy. If you want to arm yourself with the knowledge needed to have conversations and get by in Italy, working with a tutor can be the ideal way. This way, you get to practise your skills with an Italian speaker, gain personalised feedback, and learn the skills you need if you are going to visit Italy or even work in an Italian-speaking workplace.
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