So … if you don’t have a donkey (see Monday’s post) how exactly do you tell the time in Italian?

Asking the time

If you watched the video embedded in Monday’s blog, you’ll have noticed that the man on the scooter asks the contadino: mi scusi buon uomo … mi sa dire l’ora per favore? (excuse good man … can you tell me the time please?).

Mi sa dire l’ora is one of three common ways of asking what time it is. The other two, which are interchangeable, are che ora è? (singular) and che ore sono? (plural). Just use whichever you prefer.
But before we can answer the question ‘che ore sono‘, we need to understand how to divide up the time.

The time is divided 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

Telling someone the time

Whether you are asked che ore sono?, che ora è? or mi sa dire l’ora?, the reply is always in the plural, ‘sono le …’, unless it happens to be mezzogiorno (midday) mezzanotte (midnight) or  l’una (one o’clock), which are always in the singular. Let’s look at a few examples shall we?

che ore sono? = what time is it?
sono le undici e un quarto = it’s a quarter past eleven

che ore sono? = what time is it?
è mezzogiorno = (it’s midday)

mi sa dire l’ora? = can you tell me the time?
è l’una = it’s one o’clock

mi sa dire l’ora? = can you tell me the time?
è l’una e dieci = it’s ten past one

che ora è? = what time is it?
sono le due e mezza = it’s half past two

che ora è? = what time is it?
sono le quattro meno dieci = it’s ten to four

An alternative

We frequently use the verb mancare (to lack), as an alternative way of saying to, as in, for example, five to four, or a quarter to six. Take a look at the following examples:

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

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

The twenty four hour clock

The twenty four hour clock is more formal, and is used for schedules such as train/bus timetables or the opening hours of a shop. A timetable is called un orario.

Here are a couple of typical examples of timetables which you could encounter whilst in Italy:

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

Do it yourself

You’ve been asked either: che ore sono? che ora è? or mi sa dire l’ora? Can you translate the following English replies into Italian?

1. it’s eight twenty five ________________

2. it’s a quarter past nine ________________

3. it’s twenty to eleven ________________

4. it’s half past noon/midday ________________

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

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

Now translate the following timetable announcements using the 24 hour clock system

7. This shop will close at seven thirty p.m. Questo negozio sarà chiuso ________________

8. The next train for Pisa departs at five twenty five p.m. Il prossimo treno per Pisa parte ________________

9. The bus from Lucca arrives at six thirty a.m. L’autobus da Lucca arriva ________________

Geoff: “che ore sono?” Serena: “è ora di pranzo!” = “it’s lunch time!” Geoff: … a dopo cari lettori!