Che ore sono? What time is it?

Che ore sono? Sono le otto. What time is it? It’s eight o’clock. But how about the half: it’s mezza or mezzo? Learn how to tell the time in Italian!

What time is it in Italian

Che ore sono?
Sono le due, tre, quattro
È l’una | mezzogiorno | mezzanotte

  • To ask what time it is, you can say che ore sono? or che ora è?
  • To answer, you need the verb sono, followed by le and the basic number: Sono le tre.
  • You only need the verb è in three cases, namely è l’una (it’s one o’clock), è mezzogiorno (it’s midday) and è mezzanotte (it’s midnight).
  • The minutes after the full hour are indicated with e (and) until the fortieth minute, then meno (less) is used in relation to the next full hour.
  • Digital hours in Italy usually shows the time from 0 to 23:59. However when speaking it’s common to say the time with the numbers from 1 to 12: 21:00 • Sono le nove.

Che ore sono?

CHE ORE SONO? 
8:00Sono le otto.
8:05Sono le otto e cinque.
8:10Sono le otto e dieci.
8:15Sono le otto e un quarto.
8:20Sono le otto e venti.
8:25Sono le otto e venticinque.
8:30Sono le otto e mezza | e mezzo.*
8:35Sono le otto e trentacinque.
8:40Sono le otto e quaranta / Sono le nove meno venti.
8:45Sono le nove meno un quarto.
8:50Sono le nove meno dieci.
13:00È l’una.
12:00È mezzogiorno.
00:00È mezzanotte.
12:15È mezzogiorno e un quarto.

Mezza or mezzo?

Both mezza and mezzo are correct. So you can say le otto e mezza, as you can say le otto e mezzo. As you wish! Why? Because mezza refers to half hour (ora is feminine), while mezzo refers to a general half.

italianobello che ore sono | Che ore sono? What time is it?

Esercizio

Picture source: Freepik

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2 thoughts on “Che ore sono? What time is it?

  1. marta says:

    nice exercise

    1. Sichomphu Chanyaphat says:

      Buongiorno! First of all I would like to thank you for very good website to learn Italian. I was learn through this past (please see attached link I can not attached photo) I found some mistake, please give me some suggestion for right answer or edit it on website to be not make another learner get confuse.
      In the conclusion picture the time 04.40 says “Sono le quattro meno venti” but it should be “Sono le cinque meno venti” and also the following after this too.
      Thank you so much for good lesson I will continue support your website and keep learning
      Grazie mille!

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