What time is it? A simple question with many possible replies. Let’s start from the beginning.

We divide the clock into:

ore (fem. hours, singular un’ora, an/one hour)

minuti (masc. minutes, singular un minuto a/one minute)

secondi (masc. seconds, singular un secondo a/one second)

un quarto (masc. a quarter)

mezza (fem. half)

tre quarti (masc. three quarters)

Asking the time

We have three common ways of asking the time:

1. che ore sono? 2. che ora è? 3. mi sa dire l’ora? 1. and 2. are interchangeable and both mean ‘what time is it?’, whilst 3. is equivalent to ‘can you tell me the time?’

 

Telling the time

Although we can ask both che ore sono (literally what hours are they?) and che ora è (what hour is it?), when replying we only use the singular for: mezzogiorno (midday) mezzanotte (midnight) and l’una (one o’clock), hence:

è mezzogiorno (it’s midday), è mezzanotte (it’s midnight), è l’una (it’s one o’clock)

In all other cases we use the plural: sono le due (it’s two o’clock), sone le undici (it’s eleven o’clock)

we then add the fractions of an hour: e dieci (and ten), e un quarto (and a quarter), etc. Let’s have a look at a few examples.

Mi sa dire l’ora per favore?

Here are a few of the many possible replies that you might get when you ask ‘could you tell me the time please?’ including alternative ways of giving the same time:

è mezzogiorno/mezzanotte e mezza (it’s half past twelve midday/midnight)

sono le dodici e mezza (it’s half past twelve)

 

sono le cinque e quindici (it’s five fifteen)

sono le cinque e un quarto (it’s a quarter past five)

è l’una e tre quarti (it’s one forty five)

sono le due meno un quarto (it’s a quarter to two – lit. ‘they are two minus a quarter’)

Another way of saying ‘to…’

A common alternative way of saying ‘to…’, as in le due meno un quarto (‘a quarter to two’) is to use the verb mancare (to lack), e.g.:

manca un quarto alle due (it’s a quarter to two – lit. ‘it lacks a quarter until two’) or manca cinque alle otto (it’s five to eight).

However, if we want to say ‘it’s five minutes to eight’ we use the plural ‘mancano’ (they lack), e.g.: mancano cinque minuti alle otto (lit. ‘five minutes are lacking until eight’).

 

The twenty four hour clock

The twenty four hour clock is more formal, and is used for timetables, whether it’s a train timetable or the opening hours of a shop. The timetable is called l’orario.

Here are a couple of examples: Orario Apertura: Mattina dalle 9.00 alle 12.30 Pomeriggio dalle 15.30 alle 20.00 (Opening times: Morning from 9:00 until 12:30 Afternoon from 15:30 to 20:00)

L’autobus da Parma arriva alle sedici e venti (The bus from Parma arrives at sixteen twenty = 4:20 p.m.)

Now it’s time for you to have a go.

Translate the following replies to the question che ore sono? che ora è? or mi sa dire l’ora? into Italian:

1. it’s seven thirty five ________________

2. it’s a quarter past ten ________________

3. it’s ten to eleven ________________

4. it’s half past noon ________________

5. it’s nine thirty five (give two possible variations) ________________    ________________

6. it’s three forty (give three possible variations) ________________    ________________   ________________

… and the following timetable announcements (remember to use the 24 hour clock):

7. This shop closes at 7:30 p.m. Questo negozio chiude ________________

8. The next train for Pisa departs at 5:10 p.m. Il prossimo treno per Pisa parte ________________

9. The bus from Lucca arrives at 7:30 a.m. L’autobus da Lucca arriva ________________