Published on February 21, 2025
How to tell the time in Italian
Learning to tell the time in Italian isn’t just about mastering a skill — it’s about immersing yourself in the rhythms of Italian life.
Learning to tell the time in Italian isn’t just about mastering a skill — it’s about immersing yourself in the rhythms of Italian life.
In Italy, time dictates the flow of daily activities, from business meetings to family dinners. Knowing how to express it correctly can make a huge difference in your interactions. For travelers, being able to read train schedules or know when museums open can save both time and stress. And though Italians aren’t always known for their punctuality, it remains important in the workplace, where understanding the official 24-hour clock system will keep you on track.
Phrases commonly used to ask for the time in Italian include:
You may have noticed that some of the examples above include two variations (puoi vs. può, for instance). Using the formal conjugation (e.g. può) and more courteous synonyms for certain verbs will help you sound more polite. Here are some additional examples of formal addresses:
When telling the time in Italian on the hour, the structure is quite simple. For one o’clock, we use è, the singular form of the verb essere. For the rest of the hours, we use sono lei, the plural form of essere.
Hours always precede minutes when telling the time in Italian. For minutes after the hour, we use e (and), whereas for minutes before the hour, we use meno (minus). Translated literally, it would sound like, “It’s five and ten” (i.e. 5:10), or, “It’s six minus a quarter” (i.e. 5:45).
| Italian | Pronunciation | English |
| mezzogiorno | met-soh-JOR-noh | noon |
| mezzanotte | met-sah-NOT-teh | midnight |
| mattina | mat-TEE-nah | morning |
| pomeriggio | poh-meh-REE-joh | afternoon |
| sera | SEH-rah | evening |
| notte | NOT-teh | night |
| ora | OH-rah | hour |
| minuto | mee-NOO-toh | minute |
| secondo | seh-KON-doh | second |
| orologio | oh-RO-loh-djoh | clock, watch |
| tempo | TEM-poh | time |
| quarto | KWAR-toh | quarter (15 minutes) |
| mezzo | MET-soh | half (30 minutes) |
Italian employs a few key prepositions to express time-related concepts:
| Italian | Pronunciation | English |
| a mezzogiorno | ah met-soh-JOR-noh | at noon |
| a le tre | ah leh TREH | at three o’clock |
| in gennaio | in jen-NAH-yoh | in January |
| in estate | in es-TAH-teh | in summer |
| in 2023 | in doo-eh-mee-lah-ven-tee-TREH | in 2023 |
| da ieri | da yeh-ree | since yesterday |
| da lunedì | da loo-NEH-dee | from Monday |
| per due settimane | per DOO-eh set-tee-MAH-neh | for two weeks |
| per un’ora | per un-OH-rah | for an hour |
| tra venti minuti | trah VEN-tee mee-NOO-tee | in 20 minutes |
| fra due giorni | frah DOO-eh JOR-nee | in two days |
In Italy (as in most of Europe), the 24-hour clock is commonly used in formal contexts such as transportation schedules, business hours and official events. For instance, a train might depart at 15:30 instead of at 3:30 p.m.
But in daily conversation, Italians often opt for 12-hour time with expressions like di mattina (in the morning), di pomeriggio (in the afternoon), di sera (in the evening) and di notte (at night). Understanding both systems is essential for smooth communication in Italy.
Italian time-telling uniquely distinguishes between singular and plural forms based on the number of hours.
For 1 o’clock, noon and midnight, Italians use the singular form è, because these moments are considered individual events. Noon and midnight are distinct moments, while 1 o’clock is, well, only one!
For all other times, the plural form sono is used (Sono le cinque, i.e. “It’s 5 o’clock”), reflecting the view that time consists of multiple hours, each collectively contributing to the day. This structure highlights the Italian perception of time as a flowing series of moments rather than isolated events.
In Italy, time isn’t just a concept, but a language all its own. Whether rushing through the day or relaxing over a long espresso, Italians have a knack for weaving time-related idioms into their everyday conversations. Here’s a list of some time-related expressions you might hear:
Practicing how to say the time in Italian is both fun and practical. Start with the basics of Italian numbers, as they’re the building blocks for telling time. Once you’ve got that down, try listening to Italian train announcements or the news. Both are full of time-related expressions and will help you tune your ear to the rhythm of how time is expressed.
Another great recommendation is, of course, to work with Lingoda tutors. Our professional instructors can guide you through specific time-related phrases and help you build the confidence to talk about time naturally!
Tempo refers generally to the concept of time in Italian. More specifically, ora is used when talking about a schedule or clock time.
To answer the question, “A che ora?” (At what time?), you can say:
To say 7 p.m. in Italian, you would use the phrase, “Le sette di sera.”
Mastering time in Italian isn’t just about knowing when your train leaves — it’s a gateway to understanding Italian life. Whether it’s reading the 24-hour clock or discussing evening plans with friends, knowing how to tell time in Italian is essential for travel, work and daily living. We’ve shared some tips to help you get confident, but in the end, enrolling in one of the best online Italian courses with Lingoda is the best advice we have for you. Lingoda can help you progress by speaking real-life language in small groups, led by native-level teachers who can guarantee you’ll learn to speak with confidence from day one.
